Making sense of on-pack nutrition claims
You’re probably noticing more and more nutrition claims on the foods you buy now — phrases like “no fat” or “low fat,” or even “calorie-free.” What do they really mean? And how can they help you enjoy a more nutritious diet, or tailor your diet to your own specific needs? Use this convenient table to decipher those mysterious nutrition claims.
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When you read this claim...
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It means that the food contains… per amount of food specified in the Nutrition Facts table
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Fat-free
No fat
Non-fat
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Less than 0.5 g of fat
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Low fat
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3 g or less of fat
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Low in saturated fat
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2 g or less of saturated fat and trans fat combined
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No trans fat
Zero trans fat
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Less than 0.2 g of trans fat
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Cholesterol-free
Zero cholesterol
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Less than 2 mg of cholesterol AND the food is low in saturated fat
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Low cholesterol
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20 mg or less of cholesterol AND the food is low in saturated fat
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Source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat
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0.3 g or more of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat
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Sodium-free
No sodium
Salt-free
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Less than 5 mg of sodium
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Low sodium
Low salt
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140 mg or less of sodium
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Source of fibre
Contains fibre
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2 g or more of fibre
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High source of fibre
High fibre
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4 g or more of fibre
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Very high source of fibre
Very high fibre
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6 g or more of fibre
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Calorie-free
No calories
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Less than 5 calories
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Low calorie
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40 calories or less
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