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Nutrient content claims are messages found on labels of foods and dietary supplements to describe the level of a nutrient or dietary substance found in the product. In rare cases, a food manufacturer must provide a statement of disclosure when excessive amounts of unhealthy nutrients are present that may increase the risk of disease or illness. However, in most cases, the nutrient content claim allows manufacturers to promote aspects of their product that contribute positively to consumer health.
The soundness of these claims rests with manufacturers and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Nutrient content claims can be made mainly for nutrients or dietary substances that have an established daily value (DV). The FDA has set guidelines that govern the use of nutrient claims to ensure that descriptive terms such as “low,” “free” or “reduced” are used consistently for all products. These nutrient content claims are described below.
In addition to these, according to the Food and Drug Modernization Act (FDAMA) of 1997, manufacturers are permitted to use nutrient content claims based on current, published “authoritative statements” made by certain federal agencies and by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Lastly, there are nutrient content claims that are percentage claims for dietary supplements. These claims describe the percentage level of a dietary ingredient for which there is no established DV.
FDA rules can be quite complicated, but basic nutrient content claims are as follows, with their FDA-authorized definition. Note that many of these terms refer to the amount of nutrients per serving. Be aware that a serving size may vary by product. The amount of each nutrient in one serving of the food item will appear on the nutrition facts panel.
Calories
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What the Label Says
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What it Means |
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Calorie free
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There are less than 5 calories per serving. |
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Low calorie
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There are 40 calories or less per serving or 50 calories or less per gram for smaller servings. |
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Reduced calorie
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There are 25 percent fewer calories per serving than in a comparable amount of a similar food. |
Fats
| What the Label Says |
What it Means |
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Fat free
(total fat)
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There is less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. |
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Low fat
(total fat)
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There are 3 grams of fat or less per serving. If evaluating a meal, there are 3 grams or less per 100 grams of food (about 3.5 ounces), with 30 percent or less of total calories coming from fat.
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Reduced fat (total fat)
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There is at least 25 percent less fat than in a comparable amount of a similar food.
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Saturated fat free *
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There is less than 0.5 grams of saturated fat and less than 0.5 grams of trans fatty acids per serving.
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Low saturated fat *
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There is 1 gram or less of saturated fat combined with 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving and less than 15 percent of total daily calories coming from saturated fat. When evaluating meals, 1 gram or less per 100 grams of food (about 3.5 ounces), with less than 10 percent of calories coming from saturated fat.
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| Reduced saturated fat* |
There is 25 percent less saturated fat combined with trans fat than in a comparable amount of a similar food.
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Zero trans fat
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There is 0.5 grams or less of trans fat per serving.
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*Next to all of the saturated fat claims, manufacturers must declare the amount of cholesterol if the item contains 2 or more milligrams of cholesterol per serving and the amount of total fat if it is more than 3 grams total fat per serving.
Cholesterol
| What the Label Says |
What it Means |
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Cholesterol free
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There is 2 milligrams or less of cholesterol, 2 grams or less of saturated fat combined with trans fat per serving and no ingredients that contain cholesterol (unless the ingredient adds only a “trivial amount of fat”).
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Low cholesterol
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There are 20 milligrams of cholesterol or less per serving and the food also contains less than 2 grams of saturated fat combined with trans fat per serving.
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Reduced cholesterol
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There is 25 percent less cholesterol than in a comparable amount of a similar food.
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*Label must declare the total amount of fat per serving next to cholesterol claims when total fat exceeds 13 grams per serving of food, 19.5 grams per serving of main dishes or 26 grams per serving of meal products.
Sodium
| What the Label Says |
What it Means |
| Sodium free |
There are less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving. |
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Low sodium
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There are 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving of food or per 100 grams of food (about 3.5 ounce serving).
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Reduced sodium
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There is 25 percent less sodium in that item compared to the amount of sodium in a similar food. |
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Very low sodium
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There are 35 milligrams of sodium or less per serving or 100 grams of food (about 3.5 ounce serving).
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Sugars
| What the Label Says |
What it Means |
| Sugar free |
There is less than 0.5 grams per serving, with no sugar or ingredients containing sugar (unless specified in ingredient list as adding “a trivial amount of sugar”).
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| Reduced sugar |
There is 25 percent less sugar than in a comparable amount of a similar food.
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Comparative Claims (messages that provide nutrient content claims in relation to another, similar product).
| What the Label Says |
What it Means |
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Light or lite
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Contains one-third less calories or one-half the fat of an equal serving of a similar food; or, sodium in a low-calorie, low-fat food is reduced by 50 percent as compared with a similar food.
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More, fortified, enriched, added
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Naturally contains, or was altered to include, vitamins, minerals, protein, dietary fiber or potassium with a daily value at least 10 percent more per serving than a similar food.
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Reduced, less, fewer
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A food that naturally contains, or was altered to contain, 25 percent less of one nutrient or total calories per serving than a similar food.
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Lean
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There is less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat combined with trans fat, and 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving or 100 grams of meat, poultry, seafood or game meat (about 3.5 ounces).
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Extra lean
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There is less than 5 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat combined with trans fat, and 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving or 100 grams of meat, poultry, seafood or game meat (about 3.5 ounces).
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High potency
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Used when a specific vitamin or mineral is present in a serving of food at 100 percent or more of its recommended dietary intake.
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High, rich in, excellent source of
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Contains 20 percent or more of the daily value (DV) for protein, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber or potassium per serving.
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Good source of, contains, provides
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Contains anywhere from 10 percent to 19 percent of the daily value of a particular nutrient per serving.
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Modified
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Signals that a product was altered to change its nutritional content.
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Other Claims
| What the Label Says |
What it Means |
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Fresh
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A raw food that has never been frozen, heated or preserved in any way. |
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Fresh frozen
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A food that was quickly frozen while still fresh to preserve nutrients. |
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Healthy
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Conforms to FDA requirements for low fat and saturated fat, must have limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium, and contains at least 10 percent of the daily value for vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein or fiber. |
The FDA has set guidelines that govern the use of nutrient claims to ensure that the descriptive terms that appear on food labels, such as “low,” “free” or “reduced,” are used consistently for all products. However, the agency has not legally defined what the term “low-carb” means, resulting in much confusion for consumers. Nutrient content claims are mainly used to describe the calories, fat, cholesterol and sugar content of packaged foods.
Consumers are urged to carefully consider the claims made on nutrition labels. For example, one recent study found that people often consume up to 50 percent more calories when eating low-fat versions of foods than when eating regular versions of the same foods. Such overeating is especially likely among those who are overweight, according to the study authors.
Eating excessive amounts of low-fat foods negates the potential health benefits associated with such foods.
Another study found that significant numbers of Americans lack the reading and math skills necessary to comprehend and properly use the information contained on nutrition labels.
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