| Fat-free threshold | Less than 0.5 g fat per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Low sodium threshold | 140 mg or less per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Excellent source of (nutrient) | 20% or more of the Daily Value per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Sugar-free threshold | Less than 0.5 g total sugars per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Calorie-free threshold | Fewer than 5 calories per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Reduced (comparative claim) | At least 25% less of specified nutrient vs. reference food (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
Why Label Language Is More Complicated Than It Looks
The words printed on food packaging are not simply marketing shorthand — many are legally defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Others, however, carry no enforceable definition at all. The gap between those two categories is where consumer confusion tends to grow.
Understanding which terms are regulated — and what thresholds they require — helps you use front-of-package claims as a quick filter rather than a guarantee. For a deeper look at how Nutrition Facts panels and ingredient lists work together with these claims, see our guide on what food labels actually tell you.
Fortified
A food to which one or more nutrients have been added that were not naturally present, or were present in negligible amounts. Common examples include vitamin D added to milk and iodine added to salt.
Enriched
A food in which nutrients lost during processing have been added back. In the U.S., refined grain products are commonly enriched with B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron.
Daily Value (DV)
A reference number set by the FDA representing the recommended daily intake of a nutrient for adults eating approximately 2,000 calories per day. Percentages on Nutrition Facts panels are based on these values.
Low Sodium
An FDA-regulated claim indicating a food contains 140 mg or less of sodium per serving. Different from 'sodium-free' (under 5 mg) and 'very low sodium' (35 mg or less).
Reduced
A regulated comparative claim meaning a product contains at least 25% less of a specific nutrient (such as fat, sodium, or sugar) than the standard reference version of that food.
Light / Lite
An FDA-regulated claim that can refer to either one-third fewer calories or 50% less fat compared to a reference food. The applicable interpretation depends on the product's nutritional profile.
Good Source Of
An FDA-regulated claim indicating that one serving provides 10–19% of the Daily Value for a given nutrient. 'Excellent source of' or 'high in' means 20% DV or more.
Natural
Not formally defined by the FDA for most food products. The agency's informal policy discourages the use of the term when a food contains added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances, but comprehensive enforcement standards do not currently exist.
Regulated Terms: What the FDA and USDA Define
The following terms have specific, enforceable definitions under federal food-labeling regulations. A product must meet precise nutrient thresholds before a manufacturer can use them.
| Fat-free threshold | Less than 0.5 g fat per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Low sodium threshold | 140 mg or less per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Excellent source of (nutrient) | 20% or more of the Daily Value per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Sugar-free threshold | Less than 0.5 g total sugars per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Calorie-free threshold | Fewer than 5 calories per serving (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
| Reduced (comparative claim) | At least 25% less of specified nutrient vs. reference food (FDA Nutrient Content Claims regulations) |
Sodium claims: Sodium-free means fewer than 5 mg per serving. Very low sodium allows up to 35 mg. Low sodium permits up to 140 mg. Reduced sodium means at least 25% less sodium than the reference food — not necessarily a low amount in absolute terms.
Fat and calorie claims: Fat-free requires fewer than 0.5 g of fat per serving. Low fat allows up to 3 g. Reduced fat means at least 25% less fat than the reference food. Light (or lite) can mean either one-third fewer calories or 50% less fat compared to the standard version — the applicable definition depends on which nutrient is being reduced. Calorie-free means fewer than 5 calories per serving.
Sugar claims: Sugar-free requires fewer than 0.5 g of total sugars per serving. This does not mean the product contains no sweeteners — sugar alcohols, for example, may still be present. For a full breakdown of how added sugars are listed, see spotting hidden sweeteners on ingredient lists.
Fiber and nutrient claims: Good source of means a serving provides 10–19% of the Daily Value (DV) for that nutrient. Excellent source of (or high in) means 20% DV or more per serving. Fortified means one or more nutrients not naturally present — or present only in insignificant amounts — have been added. Enriched specifically refers to nutrients that were removed during processing and have been added back, most commonly B vitamins and iron in refined grains.
Unregulated and Loosely Defined Terms
Not every claim on packaging carries a legal definition. These terms are commonly used but are not subject to the same federal thresholds as the nutrient-content claims above.
Natural: The FDA has noted it does not have a formal definition for this term in the context of food labeling. Its informal policy holds that foods labeled "natural" should not contain added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances — but this is not comprehensively enforced, and the term does not address processing methods, pesticide use, or nutritional quality.
Clean: Entirely unregulated. "Clean label" typically signals that a manufacturer has minimized artificial additives or unfamiliar-sounding ingredients, but there is no standardized checklist. Our article on how ultra-processed foods differ from minimally processed ones provides useful context on processing levels.
Wholesome / Nutritious: General marketing language. Neither term has an FDA definition for labeling purposes.
Superfood: A popular marketing term with no regulatory definition in the United States or under most international food authorities.
"Organic" Has Its Own Separate Rules
The term "organic" is regulated not by the FDA but by the USDA's National Organic Program (NOP). Products labeled "100% organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients. "Organic" (without the "100%") requires at least 95% organic content. "Made with organic [ingredient]" requires at least 70%. Organic status relates to production methods, not to specific nutrient levels, so an organic food is not automatically lower in sodium, fat, or sugar than a conventional counterpart.
Understanding these distinctions is especially useful when reading a Nutrition Facts panel, where front-of-pack claims and panel data sometimes tell different stories.