Food Labels: Making it Easier to Shed Pounds : Part 3

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 3 of 3)

Other Nutrition Info

In addition to Daily Values, information about a food's fat content is presented in two other ways on the Nutrition Facts panel — as calories from fat and as grams of fat.

"Calories from Fat" is listed below serving size information immediately following "total calories." Grams of fat are stated to the right of "Total Fat," which tops the list of nutrients. The grams of fat offers consumers the option of monitoring the number of grams of fat eaten. Both "calories from fat" and grams of fat can help consumers limit their fat intake to no more than 30 percent of their total day's calorie intake.

Here's how to use "calories from fat": At the end of the day, add up total calories and calories from fat eaten. Divide calories from fat by total calories. The answer gives the percentage of calories from fat eaten that day. For example, 450 calories from fat divided by 1,800 calories = 0.25 (25 percent), an amount within the recommended level of not more than 30 percent.

Consumers should refer to the %Daily Values for the other nutrients, as well, to determine how nutritious a food is overall. Whether the %Daily Values are for other nutrients most people should limit (for example, cholesterol and sodium) or eat more of (for example, total carbohydrate, vitamin A, and calcium), they can tell at a glance how the food compares nutritionally to others. With all this information, the new food label affords weight-conscious consumers an easier time of selecting a wide variety of foods that meets their dietary needs. That, in turn, can help them achieve and maintain their ideal weight.

Sibyl Weiss greets the changes enthusiastically: "There'll be a lot more information," she says. "I think that's great."

Dieters' Guide to Label Nutrient Claims

Fat

• Fat-free: less than 0.5 grams (g) fat per serving
• Low-fat: 3 g or less per serving and, if the serving size is 30 g or less or 2 tablespoons or less, per 50 g of the food
• Reduced or less fat: at least 25 percent less per serving than reference food

The following claims can be used to describe the fat content of meat, poultry, seafood, and game meats.

Lean: less than 10 g fat, 4.5 g or less saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving and per 100 g

Extra lean: less than 5 g fat, less than 2 g saturated fat, and less than 95 mg cholesterol per serving and per 100 g

Calories

• Calorie-free: fewer than 5 calories per serving
• Low-calorie: 40 or fewer calories per serving and, if the serving size 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 the reference food

Calories and Fat

Light (two meanings):

• one-third fewer calories or half the fat of the reference food. (If the food derives 50 percent or more of its calories from fat, the reduction must be 50 percent of the fat.)
• a "low-calorie," "low-fat" food whose sodium content has been reduced by 50 percent of the reference food

Fiber

Foods making claims about increased fiber content also must meet the definition for "low-fat" or the amount of total fat per serving must appear next to the claim.

• High-fiber: 5 g or more per serving
• 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 the reference food

Sugar

Sugar-free: less than 0.5 g per serving

No added sugar, without added sugar, no sugar added:

• no sugar or ingredients containing sugars (for example, fruit juices, applesauce, or dried fruit) added during processing or packing
• no ingredients made with added sugars, such as jams, jellies, or concentrated fruit juice.

("Sugar-free" and "No added sugar" signal a reduction in calories from sugars only, not from fat, protein and other carbohydrates. If the total calories are not reduced, a statement will appear next to the "sugar-free" claim explaining that the food is "not low calorie" or "not for weight control." If the total calories are reduced, the claim must be accompanied by a "low-calorie" or "reduced-calorie" claim.)

Reduced sugar: at least 25 percent less sugar than the reference food

Consumers should check the Nutrition Facts to learn more about the food's calorie, fat, and other nutrient content.

Dieters' Label Checklist

Look for claims like "fat-free," "low-fat" and "high-fiber," usually on the front of the package. If present, the claims will signal that the food contains desirable levels of fat and fiber — two nutrients of concern to dieters.

Check the "Nutrition Facts," usually on the side or back of the package. It will give more complete nutrition information about the food.

Look at the column called "Daily Value. It tells you if a food is high or low in fat, fiber, and other nutrients of interest to dieters. Try to select as many "low-fat" foods (that is, 5 percent or less of the Daily Value for fat) as possible.

Look at the serving size. It is about the same for similar items. So it's easy to compare the nutritional qualities of similar foods.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.