The FDA has created rules regarding the use of certain terms on food labels. To understand what the food actually contains, you must know what these terms mean.
Calorie Terms
"Low Calorie" - Contains no more than 40 calories per serving.
"Reduced Calorie" - Contains 25% fewer calories per serving than regular product
"Calorie-Free" - Contains less than 5 calories per serving
Sodium Terms
"Low Sodium" - Containing 140mg of sodium or less per serving.
"Very Low Sodium" - Containing 35mg of sodium or less per serving.
Fat Terms (non-meat)
"Fat-Free" - Contains no more than 0.5g of fat per serving.
"Low Cholesterol" - Contains no more than 20g of cholesterol and less than 2g of saturated fat per serving.
"Low Fat" - Contains no more than 3g of fat per serving
Fat Terms (meat products)
"Lean" - Contains no more than 10g of fat, no more than 4.5g of which is saturated fat, also contains less than 95mg of cholesterol per serving
"Extra Lean" - Contains no more than 5g of fat, no more than 2g of which is saturated fat, also contains less than 95mg of cholesterol per serving
Other Terms
"Free", "No", "Zero" - Containing no amount, or a trivial amount
"Sugar-Free" - Containing less than 0.5g per serving
"Good Source" - Provides 10%-19% of Daily Value per serving
"Light" - provides 1/3 fewer calories or 1/2 the amount of fat as the regular product per serving or if it's a "low fat", "low-calorie" food, it can be called "light" if it provides 1/2 the normal fat present
Calorie Terms
"Low Calorie" - Contains no more than 40 calories per serving.
"Reduced Calorie" - Contains 25% fewer calories per serving than regular product
"Calorie-Free" - Contains less than 5 calories per serving
Sodium Terms
"Low Sodium" - Containing 140mg of sodium or less per serving.
"Very Low Sodium" - Containing 35mg of sodium or less per serving.
Fat Terms (non-meat)
"Fat-Free" - Contains no more than 0.5g of fat per serving.
"Low Cholesterol" - Contains no more than 20g of cholesterol and less than 2g of saturated fat per serving.
"Low Fat" - Contains no more than 3g of fat per serving
Fat Terms (meat products)
"Lean" - Contains no more than 10g of fat, no more than 4.5g of which is saturated fat, also contains less than 95mg of cholesterol per serving
"Extra Lean" - Contains no more than 5g of fat, no more than 2g of which is saturated fat, also contains less than 95mg of cholesterol per serving
Other Terms
"Free", "No", "Zero" - Containing no amount, or a trivial amount
"Sugar-Free" - Containing less than 0.5g per serving
"Good Source" - Provides 10%-19% of Daily Value per serving
"Light" - provides 1/3 fewer calories or 1/2 the amount of fat as the regular product per serving or if it's a "low fat", "low-calorie" food, it can be called "light" if it provides 1/2 the normal fat present