Label Lingo

Label Lingo

June 18, 2007

The following is a list of some common terms on food labels and what they mean:

 Term  Definition
Low calorie  Fewer than 40 calories per serving
Low sodium 140 mg or less per serving
Very low sodium   Less than 35mg per serving
Sodium free Less than 5mg per serving
Low fat 3g or less per serving
Low saturated fat 1g or less per serving
High or source of Denotes the beneficial presence of a nutrient such as fiber or vitamins
High or excellent source Contains 20 percent of more of the daily value for a particular nutrient in a serving
Good source Supplies 10 to 19 percent of the daily value for a particular nutrient


Source: So What Can I Eat?! How to Make Sense of the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Make Them Your Own (Wiley 2006), Elisa Zied, MS, RD, with Ruth Winter, MS.


Produced by ADA’s Public Relations Team

 

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