The federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 provides that manufacturers can make certain claims on processed food labels only if they meet the definitions specified here:
SUGAR:
SUGAR-FREE: Less than 0.5 g per serving
NO SUGAR ADDED; WITHOUT ADDED SUGER; NO SUGAR ADDED: No sugar is added during processing or packing, including ingredients that contain sugars (for example, fruit juices, applesauce, dried fruit). Processing does not increase sugar content above the amount naturally in the ingredients (a functionally significant increase in sugars is acceptable from processes used for purposes other than increasing sugar content). Food for which it substitutes normally contain added sugars.
REDUCED SUGAR: At leasst 25% less sugar than reference food.
FAT:
FAT-FREE: Less than 0.5 g of fat per serving.
SATURATED FAT-FREE: Less than 0.5 g of saturated fat per serving, and the level of trans-fatty acids does not exceed 1% of total fat.
LOW FAT: 3 g or less per serving & if the serving is 30 grams or less or 2 tbs. or less, per 50 g of the food.
LOW SATURATED FAT: 1 g or less per serving & not more than 15% of calories from saturated fatty acids.
REDUCED OR LESS FAT: At least 25% less per serving than reference food.
FIBER:
HIGH FIBER: 5 g or more per serving (Also must meet low-fat definition or must state level of total fat).
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
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 tbsps 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 tbsps or less, per 50 g of the food.
REDUCED OR LESS SODIUM: At least 25% less per serving than reference food.
CALORIES:
LOW-CALORIE: 40 calories or less per serving, if the serving is 30 g or less, or 2 tbsps or less, 40 calories or less per 50 g of food.
CALORIE-FREE: Under 5 calories per serving.
REDUCED OR FEWER CALORIES: At least 25% fewer calories than reference food.
CHOLESTEROL:
CHOLESTEROL-FREE: Less than 2 g of cholesterol & 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving.
LOW CHOLESTEROL: 20 mg or less & 2 g or less of saturated fat epr serving and, if the serving is 30 g or less or 2 tbsps or less per 50 g of the food.
REDUCED OR LESS CHOLESTEROL: At least 25% less than reference food.
Source is U.S. Food & Drug Administration Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
PUT THESE TIPS IN YOUR PDA FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP TO THE GROCERY STORE.