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Low fat. All natural. Whole grain. Food product labels are full of enticements, but can you trust them?

“The answer is yes and no,” says Beaufort Memorial registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Jenny Craft, “Some words — 'organic,’ ‘100% whole grain’ and ‘low sodium,’ for example — are regulated by federal agencies and therefore have validity. Other terms — like ‘all natural,’ ‘multi-grain’, ‘lightly sweetened,’ ‘light’ and ‘non-GMO’ — can be very misleading to consumers because they do not have universally agreed-upon definitions or verified health benefits.”

But even some regulated terms should be viewed cautiously.

“For example, though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates sugar content, an ‘unsweetened’ product might still be loaded with naturally occurring sugars,” Craft says.

In terms of food packaging claims, following are some of the most common, and what they may mean.

Measured Meaning

  • 100% Whole Grain — Whole grains refer to the entire grain kernel (bran, germ and endosperm). Choosing whole grains means you are getting a variety of different nutrients including vitamins, minerals, fiber and other health-promoting compounds. Refined grains (white flour) are stripped of all of these valuable nutrients. Look for the “100% Whole Grain” stamp on the product, or check the ingredient list and make sure the whole grain is listed as the first ingredient.
  • Gluten free — This claim is regulated by the FDA and certifies that no gluten is in the product. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. People with celiac disease need to avoid gluten, but for anyone else, there is no compelling evidence that avoiding gluten will improve health or prevent disease.
  • Low sodium — The food contains 140 milligrams (mg) or less sodium per serving. “Very low sodium” means the food contains 35 mg or less sodium. This label can be very helpful for people who need to watch sodium levels for chronic health conditions.
  • Organic — In order to use this label, the final product must go through an organic certification process that is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The standards address a variety of factors such as soil quality, animal raising practices, and pest and weed control. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering may not be used. “100% Organic” means that 100% of the products’ ingredients have been certified by the USDA as organic. “Organic” means at least 95% organic ingredients used. In foods labeled “made with organic” ingredients, at least 70% of the product must contain certified-organic ingredients.
  • Sugar free — These foods contain fewer than 0.5 grams of sugar per serving. However, these products may include artificial sweeteners or sugar alcohols. The new Nutrition Facts label now includes a line listing Added Sugars, allowing the consumer to differentiate between naturally occurring sugars and those added to the food during processing.

Read More: What’s Up With Added Sugar?

Potentially Meaningless or Misleading

  • Free range — The claim does not have to be verified through on-farm inspections. It means that animals were given some access to an outdoor space of an unspecified size or condition. This does not guarantee that the animal actually went outdoors or that the area is big enough to accommodate all the animals present. Instead look for these labels that verify animals were able to range freely outdoors: American Grassfed, Animal Welfare Approved, American Humane Certified and Certified Humane Raised and Handled.
  • Light — A food labeled “light” has at least 50% less fat than regular versions of the product. Be cautious, however. Many products labeled “light” have less fat but may have more sodium or sugar added than the original.
  • Low fat — These foods have 3 grams of fat or fewer per serving. Our bodies need healthy sources of fat, so it is not always necessary to choose low-fat products. Lower fat products may be less satisfying so you end up using more than you would than its higher fat counterpart.
  • No hormones or antibiotics — In the U.S., farmers are not allowed to give hormones to pigs or poultry, so the label doesn’t carry much meaning when used on pork and poultry products. For beef, it is legal to administer hormones, and antibiotics can be given to cattle, pigs and poultry. The FDA and USDA regulate when hormones can be given to cattle, and the USDA, FDA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) work together to limit antibiotic residues in food. Even if the farmer used antibiotics, those antibiotics should not be in the meat because federal regulations limit how antibiotics are given and how long before harvest.
  • Non-GMO — This is intended to mean that a product was produced without genetic engineering and its ingredients are not derived from genetic modified organisms (GMOs). There is a third-party organization that can certify foods as non-GMO, but this certification isn’t required for a food to be labeled non-GMO. The FDA, USDA and EPA all work closely to ensure the safety of GMO foods for humans and animals. GMO crops grown in the U.S. include certain varieties of corn, soybeans, cotton, potato, papaya, summer squash, canola, alfalfa, apples and sugar beets (beets grown primarily for sugar production). As it stands today, GMOs are safe to consume and there are no nutritional benefits to choosing non-GMO foods.
  • Simple or natural — No federal regulations exist for these claims, and any product can use them. Be wary of these claims.
  • Wheat or Multi-Grain — The term “wheat” means that an item contains wheat but may not necessarily contain “whole wheat,” which has more fiber and nutrients than refined wheat. Similarly, the term “multi-grain” means that a food contains more than one type of grain, although none of them may be whole grains. Always look for the word “whole” as the first ingredient to choose a healthier grain.

The Best Is On The Back

Craft recommends using the nutrition label as the best place to find information about your food, compare similar products and check nutrition facts against your daily goals. Make the most of the information with a simple nutrition label guide from American Heart Association.

“The Nutrition Facts label was most recently updated in 2016 with a refreshed look and now includes information about added sugars, as well as specified vitamin and mineral amounts,” she says. “The new label was in reaction to updated scientific research on the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease. You should see these changes on all labels by July 2021.”

Read More: Your Healthy Grocery Shopping Guide

“Bottom line, be a savvy consumer and take buzzwords and claims with a grain of salt,” Craft says. “You will find more beneficial information on the back of the product than you will on the front. Get in the habit of checking the Nutrition Facts label and the ingredient list on foods you buy regularly. If you have any questions regarding nutrition labeling or your specific nutrient needs, find a registered dietitian to help.”

Interested in improving your eating habits? Start by speaking with your primary care provider or one of our registered dietitians.