Lightly Salted? How to Decode Food Packaging

What It Says: No Trans Fats
Official definition: Less than .5 g
Watch out for: The daily suggested amount from the FDA is <2g. “No trans fats” could still include up to .4 g, so eating a series of these products could put you over the limit without realizing.

What It Says: “Lightly Salted”
Official definition: 50% less sodium than normally added to similar foods

What It Says: High/Rich in …
Official definition: 20% or more of the average daily value

What It Says: Excellent Source of …
Official definition: 20% or more of the average daily value

What It Says: Good Source of …
Official definition: 10-19% or more of the average daily value

What It Says: No MSG
Official definition: No MSG, or negligible amounts
Watch out for: Other products with free glutamate, “MSG in disguise,” like yeast extract, hydroydrolyzed vegetable protein and calcium caseinate. For more ingredients with glutamate, read this.

What It Says: Made With Whole Grain
Official definition: There is some whole wheat or whole grain
Watch out for: If whole grain is listed in the ingredients before other grains, more than 50% of total grain is whole grain; if not, there may not be much

What It Says: 100% Juice
Official definition: Juices from fruits and concentrates
Watch out for: The juice advertised is likely cut with cheap juice. Concentrate still begins with juice, so you could still see “100% OJ” from concentrate.

What It Says: Fruit Juice Cocktail
Official definition: Euphemism for “not pure juice”
Watch out for: Juice is probably laced with sugar.

What It Says: Vitamins Added
Official definition: Empty words
Watch out for: Empty words – no definition of amounts needed in order to claim that vitamins have been added.

What It Says: Natural Fruit Flavors
Official definition: Empty words
Watch out for: There’s no official definition of “natural” so this claim is unregulated

What It Says: All Natural
Official definition: Empty words
Watch out for: There’s no official definition of “natural” so this claim is unregulated

What It Says: No Artificial Ingredients
Official definition: Empty words
Watch out for: There’s no official definition of “artificial” so this claim is unregulated