Label claims on food packages carry useful information to help customers make informed choices about what they eat and drink. Under the US Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) regulations, food products must meet the labeling requirements to promote transparency and protect consumer health.
However, not all label claims are straightforward or self-explanatory. For instance, if your favorite soda tastes distinctly sweet but says “sugar-free” on its label, what does it actually mean? How many calories does a low-calorie product have?
This guide explains the meaning behind 30 of the most common label claims, helping small businesses that need custom food labels provide clearer information to their customers and support healthier food choices.
Sugar
1. Sugar-Free – Less than 0.5-gram sugar per serving or no sugar-containing ingredients
2. Reduced or Less Sugar – At least 25% less sugar than the regular version
3. No Added Sugar – No sugar or sugar-containing ingredient added during processing
“No Sugar Added” or “Sugar Free” doesn’t mean naturally occurring or artificial sweeteners are absent. It means no sugar was manually added.
Calories
4. Calorie-Free – Less than 5 calories per serving
5. Low Calorie – 40 calories or less per serving
6. Reduced Calorie – At least 25% fewer calories than the regular version
Calorie labels guide consumers in making choices aligned with their weight goals.
Cholesterol
7. Cholesterol-Free – Less than 2 mg of cholesterol or saturated fat per serving
8. Low Cholesterol – 20 mg or less of cholesterol per serving
9. Reduced Cholesterol – At least 25% less cholesterol than the regular version
“Reduced” refers to comparison against a reference food, not an absolute cholesterol amount.
Fat
10. Fat-Free – Less than 0.5-gram fat per serving
11. Low Fat – 3g or less per serving
12. Reduced Fat – At least 25% less fat
13. Low in Saturated Fat – 1g or less saturated fat or 15%/10% calories from sat. fat
14. Lean – Less than 10g fat, 4.5g sat. fat, 95mg cholesterol
15. Extra Lean – Less than 5g fat, 2g sat. fat, 95mg cholesterol
16. Light or Lite – 50% less fat or 1/3 fewer calories
“Free” means minimal presence, not zero fat.
Fiber
17. High Fiber – 20% or more of daily fiber value
18. Good Source of Fiber – 10–19% of daily fiber value
Based on labeled serving size or Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC).
Sodium
19. Sodium-Free / No Sodium – Less than 5 mg per serving
20. Very Low Sodium – 35 mg or less per serving
21. Low Sodium – 140 mg or less per serving
22. Reduced Sodium – 25% less sodium than regular
23. Light in Sodium – 50% less sodium
24. Lightly Salted – 50% less than usual salt
25. No Salt Added – No salt added during processing
Most processed food must label sodium content under FDA rules.
Healthy
26. Healthy – May include: low fat, low sat. fat, < 480mg sodium, < 95mg cholesterol, 10% DV of key nutrients
Natural
27. Natural – No artificial/synthetic ingredients not expected in food
Doesn’t cover production methods or nutritional/health benefits.
Organic
28. Organic – 95%+ ingredients organic, no pesticides/synthetics, eco-farming
USDA certifies and provides seals for eligible farms and businesses.
Gluten-Free
30. Gluten-Free – Less than 20 ppm of gluten
Must not contain wheat, barley, rye, or derivatives not processed to remove gluten or still exceed 20 ppm.
General Guidelines
If you can’t remember the meaning of all the terms mentioned above, don’t worry. You can use this general guidance instead:
Free – The food has the least possible or negligible amount of a certain nutrient.
Very Low/Low – The food has a little more than foods labeled “Free.”
Reduced/Less – The food has 25% less of a specific nutrient than the regular version of the food.
“More,” “Fortified,” “Enriched,” “Added,” “Extra,” or “Plus” – The food has 10% or more of the daily value than the regular version of the food. These terms are often used to indicate vitamins, minerals, potassium, protein, and dietary fiber.
Wrapping It Up
Now that we have decoded the meaning of popular food label claims, we hope to inspire consumers to make healthier choices and businesses to design their product labels and packaging in a way that adheres to the FDA regulations.
If you need nutrition labels, UPrinting lets you customize every detail — from shape, size, finish, and material — so the FDA-required details are conveyed clearly and completely.
