What the Heck Does That Labeling Really Mean?

Ever wonder what all those claims on labels mean? What the heck does "A Low Fat, Good Source of Healthy, Extra Lean Goodness" really tell you? Have you taken the time to read the whole label on your purchases recently? There are so many new claims about products all the time, it can get very confusing to know what is an advertising gimmick, and what is an actual, verifiable statement. The wording used by manufacturers to make claims about their products is now regulated by the Food and Drug Administration guidelines set forth in 1993 for the new Nutrition Facts Panel now found on most food products.

The following claims can be misleading to consumers, so we thought you should know about what they really mean by FDA definitions.

FREE: A serving contains either none, or a physiologically insignificant amount of something such as: less than 5 calories; less than 5 mg of sodium; less than 0.5 g of fat; less than 0.5 g of saturated fat; less than 2 mg of cholesterol; or less than 0.5 g of sugar.

LEAN: This claim can be very misleading. Lean ground beef may actually contain up to 22.5% fat. Look for the percentage of lean meat on the label, and try to maintain 95% or more lean. Technically, a lean serving (100 g) of meat, poultry, seafood, and game meats contains less than 10 g of fat, less than 4 g of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol.

EXTRA LEAN: A serving (100 g) of meat, poultry, seafood, and game meats contains less than 5 g of fat, less than 2 g of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol.

LIGHT: An altered, or "light" food contains 1/3 fewer calories than the usual product. If 50% or more of the calories in the food come from fat, the "light" version must be reduced by 50% of the fat. Similarily, if the low calorie, low-fat food claims to be "light in sodium," or "light in sugar," those ingredients in the product must be reduced by 50%.

HEALTHY: To make this claim, the food has to be "low in fat and saturated fat," and a serving contains no more than 480 mg of sodium and no more than 60 mg of cholesterol.

FRESH: A food is raw, never been frozen or heated, and contains no preservatives (irradiation at low levels is allowed).

NATURAL: This claim suggests that a food is healthy and pure, but this is not always the case. Another misleading term, "Energy" foods suggests that the food may provide more energy than another food with the same number of calories. "Fruit drinks" may contain more artificially colored sweetened water than real juice, so careful label reading is necessary.

Expiration dates and other manufacturer information is often printed on products in codes. You cannot tell from a series of numbers whether it is actually a date, or an indication of machine number, week number, plant I.D., etc. The best way to tell if a product is outdated is to call the company directly. There is usually an address and telephone number on the packaging. Email addresses are often on the label as well. You can call the companies and check the age of the package you have, and also their shelf life expectation.

This article was compiled from the following sources: "Reading Consumer Labeling" by Christine Seeyle-King, Health and Education Coordinator, Sevananda Natural Foods Co-op, Atlanta, Georgia; and "Get the Facts with Food Labels," by Nicole Eikenberry, R.D., Linden Hills Co-op, Minneapolis, Minnesota.