What Labels Really Mean

What Labels Really Mean

By: Nancy Snyderman, M.D.

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Calories

Calorie-free
Less than 0.5 calorie per serving

Low calorie
40 calories or fewer per serving

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Cholesterol

Cholesterol-free
Fewer than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams or fewer of saturated fat per serving

Low cholesterol
20 milligrams or fewer of cholesterol and 2 grams or fewer of saturated fat per serving

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Fat

Fat-free
Less than 0.5 gram of fat per serving

Low fat
3 grams or fewer of total fat per serving

Low saturated fat
1 gram or less of saturated fat per serving and not more than 15 percent of calories from saturated fat

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Sodium

Very low sodium
35 milligrams or fewer per serving

Low sodium
140 milligrams or fewer per serving

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Sugar

Sugar-free
Less than 0.5 gram of sugar per serving

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Lean

Extra lean
Fewer than 5 grams of fat, fewer than 2 grams of saturated fat, and fewer than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving and per 100 grams

Lean
Fewer than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or fewer of saturated fat, and fewer than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving and per 100 grams

Light or lite
One- third fewer calories; or no more than one- half the fat of the higher- calorie, higher- fat version; or no more than one-half the sodium of the higher- sodium version

Excerpted from:
Diet Myths That Keep Us Fat by Nancy Snyderman, M.D.
© 2009, Crown.