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FDA Nutrient Content Descriptors
- Free
- A serving contains no or a physiologically inconsequential amount: <5 calories; <0.5 g of fat; <0.5 g of saturated fat; <5 mg sodium; or <2mg of cholesterol.
- Low
- A serving (and 50g of food if the serving size is small) contains no more than 40 calories; 3g of fat; 1g of saturated fat and 15% of calories from saturated fat; or 20mg of cholesterol; or 140 mg sodium.
- Reduced or Less
- A nutritionally altered product contains 25% less of a nutrient or 25% fewer calories than a reference food; cannot be used if the reference food already meets the requirement for "low" claim.
- Less
- A food contains 25% less of a nutrient or 25% fewer calories than a reference food.
- Light
- An altered product contains one-third fewer calories or 50% of the fat in a reference food; if 50% or more of the calories come from fat, the reduction must be 50% of the fat. Light in sodium, must contain 50% less sodium.
- % Fat Free
- A product must be low-fat, and the percentage must accurately reflect the amount of fat in 100g of food. Thus, 2.5g of fat in 50g of food results in a "95% fat-free" claim.
- Healthy
- A food is low in fat and saturated fat, and a serving contains no more than 480 mg of sodium and no more than 60 mg of cholesterol. And the food contains at least 10% RDI or RDV of either vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein or fiber per reference amount and per labeled serving.
- High Fiber
- Must contain 5 g or more fiber. High, rich in or excellent source may be used if the food contains 20% or more of the RDI for protein, vitamins or minerals or 20% or more RDV for dietary fiber or potassium.
- Good Source
- 10% of RDV for the nutrient.
- More
- Must contain 10% more of protein, vitamins, potassium, minerals or fiber than the RDV of the reference food.
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