Food-label buzz words

The following definitions from the FDA can help you become a smarter shopper:

Calorie Free – fewer than 5 calories per serving.
Fat Free – less than half a gram of fat per serving.
Light – must contain one-third fewer calories than the regular version of the same product.
Low Fat– no more than 3 grams of fat per serving.
Low in Sodium – no more than 140 milligrams of salt per serving.
Low in Cholesterol – no more than 20 milligrams of cholesterol or 2 grams of saturated fat per serving.

Remember: Just because foods claim to be low in fat, sodium, or cholesterol doesn’t mean they’re low in calories. You have to look at the food label to get that information.

When looking at the food label, remember to look at “Serving Size” and “Servings Per Container.” The figures listed for calories, fat, and other ingredients are only for a single serving. Because there may be more than one serving in the package, you may need to multiply calories, fat, and other ingredients by the number of servings listed on the label to discover the nutritional contents of the entire package.