When a product is labelled ‘low-fat’, it means it contains 3g or less
of fat per 100g. But just because a product is low in fat, it doesn’t
mean that it’s also low in calories, sugar or salt. For example,
biscuits with reduced-fat content often have increased amounts of sugar
to make them taste more appealing. The overall result means that from a
calorie and health perspective, the low-fat biscuits are probably not a
much better choice. So you may be better off eating fewer standard
biscuits rather than assuming you can eat more of the reduced-fat
versions because they are a ‘healthy’ option.
What does “light” really mean?
Products labelled ‘light’ or ‘lite’ also need to be treated with caution. What a lighter choice actually means is the product is 30 percent lower in one nutrient – often fat or calories – than the standard version. But if you have a standard product that already has high fat levels, such as mayonnaise, the ‘light’ version may still be high in fat (more than 20g fat per 100g) even though it has 30 percent less fat than the original. This means you still need to use it sparingly.
"Sugar-free"
Defined as less than 0.5 grams sugar per serving.
"Healthy"
Healthy can only be used on a label if the food is low in fat and in saturated fat and a serving does not contain more than 480 milligrams of sodium or more than 60 milligrams of cholesterol. But buyer beware: That definition only applies to the word "healthy" used as a claim — not when used as part of a brand name.
Natural or All-Natural
The term “natural” may be the most dubious of all — there’s no government regulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or USDA for using the word on labels. “Natural” is a loose term for foods without synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and other additives. The word “natural” is only regulated when it comes to meat, since regulations require meat to have no preservatives and minimal processing. Again, food companies bank on the buzzword to bring in business— but they often over-exaggerate the claims. (Other industries aren’t immune either: cereal makers have recently been criticized for misleading the public with “all-natural” claims that don’t add up.)
What does “light” really mean?
Products labelled ‘light’ or ‘lite’ also need to be treated with caution. What a lighter choice actually means is the product is 30 percent lower in one nutrient – often fat or calories – than the standard version. But if you have a standard product that already has high fat levels, such as mayonnaise, the ‘light’ version may still be high in fat (more than 20g fat per 100g) even though it has 30 percent less fat than the original. This means you still need to use it sparingly.
"Sugar-free"
Defined as less than 0.5 grams sugar per serving.
"Healthy"
Healthy can only be used on a label if the food is low in fat and in saturated fat and a serving does not contain more than 480 milligrams of sodium or more than 60 milligrams of cholesterol. But buyer beware: That definition only applies to the word "healthy" used as a claim — not when used as part of a brand name.
Natural or All-Natural
The term “natural” may be the most dubious of all — there’s no government regulation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or USDA for using the word on labels. “Natural” is a loose term for foods without synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and other additives. The word “natural” is only regulated when it comes to meat, since regulations require meat to have no preservatives and minimal processing. Again, food companies bank on the buzzword to bring in business— but they often over-exaggerate the claims. (Other industries aren’t immune either: cereal makers have recently been criticized for misleading the public with “all-natural” claims that don’t add up.)
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