Light, Lite or Low?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Light, Lite or Low?
3
Sun, 02-27-2005 - 9:29am

When you go grocery shopping how many of us really scrutinize those labels? I know I'm getting much better at this....but with all these 'terms' now it can be a little confusing. Don't you think?


I found this article which broke down most of those 'terms' we see nowadays....


Light, Lite, Low? What do the nutrition labels mean?

Food labels may claim the item is light, lite, or low in sugars or fats. What does this mean? The FDA has established guidelines for nutrient descriptives so that manufacturers claims will have meaning. Below are the current FDA guidelines:

Sugar
Sugar free: less than 0.5 grams (g) per serving
No added sugar, Without added sugar, No sugar added:
- No sugars added during processing or packing, including ingredients that contain sugars (for example, fruit juices, applesauce, or dried fruit).
- Processing does not increase the sugar content above the amount naturally present in the ingredients. (A functionally insignificant increase in sugars is acceptable from processes used for purposes other than increasing sugar content.)
- The food that it resembles and for which it substitutes normally contains added sugars.
- If the food doesn't meet the requirements for a low- or reduced-calorie food, the product bears a statement that the food is not low-calorie or calorie-reduced and directs consumers? attention to the nutrition panel for further information on sugars and calorie content.
Reduced sugar: at least 25 percent less sugar per serving than reference food.

Calories
Calorie free: fewer than 5 calories per serving
Low calorie: 40 calories or less per serving and if the serving is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, per 50 g of the food.
Reduced or Fewer calories: at least 25 percent fewer calories per serving than reference food.

Fat
Fat free: less than 0.5 g of fat per serving
Saturated fat free: less than 0.5 g per serving and the level of trans fatty acids does not exceed 1 percent of total fat.
Low fat: 3 g or less per serving, and if the serving is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, per 50 g of the food.
Low saturated fat: 1 g or less per serving and not more than 15 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids.
Reduced or Less fat: at least 25 percent less per serving than reference food.
Reduced or Less saturated fat: at least 25 percent less per serving than reference food.

Sodium
Sodium free: less than 5 mg per serving.
Low sodium: 140 mg or less per serving and, if the serving is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, per 50 g of the food.
Very low sodium: 35 mg or less per serving and, if the serving is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, per 50 g of the food.
Reduced or Less sodium: at least 25 percent less per serving than reference food.

Fiber
High fiber: 5 g or more per serving. (Foods making high-fiber claims must meet the definition for low fat, or the level of total fat must appear next to the high-fiber claim.)
Good source of fiber: 2.5 g to 4.9 g per serving.
More or Added fiber: at least 2.5 g more per serving than reference food.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol free: less than 2 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving.
Low cholesterol: 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving and, if the serving is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, per 50 g of the food.
Reduced or Less cholesterol: at least 25 percent less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving than reference food.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/diets/fat-label-definitions.php

~IslandGirl


:~:~: Moderation is Key :~:~:

Getting Fit In Your 30's
cl-vi_islandgirl

_____________________________________________________

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-04-2003
Sun, 02-27-2005 - 12:34pm

Thanks IG it can sure get confusing trying to keep all the "good for us" lables straight!


Avatar for curugby
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 11:53am

Thanks for the info.

Cat

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Mon, 02-28-2005 - 12:33pm

Thanks, good post.


Labels have been a huge shocker for me. Finding out things I thought were good for me aren't always so good. So many things have less nutritional value than I thought. And those darn carbs/dietary fiber.