When following a cholesterol-lowering diet, you should especially watch your saturated fat intake. Therefore, when looking for foods to include in your diet, foods labeled “less saturated fat” or “low in saturated fat” would be ideal choices. Although both of these nutrient claims imply that these foods have lower amounts of saturated fat than their higher-fat counterparts, what do these statements on your food packages really mean? The Food and Drug Administration has guidelines for food manufacturers labeling foods regarding saturated fat content.
"Reduced Saturated Fat" or "Less Saturated Fat"
Some food packages may contain statements such as “reduced saturated fat” or “less saturated fat.” These statements mean that the food product has 25% or less saturated fat per serving in comparison to a similar food that does not contain those statements. Additionally, if the label in question is on a meal or main dish, such as in restaurants, it could also mean that the food has 25% less cholesterol per 100 grams compared to a similar food.
"Low in Saturated Fat"
This term means that the food item contains about 1 gram of saturated fat or less per serving. It also means that saturated fat contributes 15% or less to the total calories of the food. If pertaining to a meal, the statement "low in saturated fat" means that there is only 1 gram of saturated fat per 100 grams of food, or that saturated fat makes up no more that 10% of the total calories of that meal.
"Saturated Fat Free"
The term “saturated fat free” can be misleading, because a food can be labeled as free of saturated fat, but still contain a small amount of it. A food can be labeled saturated fat free if it contains less than 0.5 mg of saturated fat and 0.5 mg trans fat per serving. Even if a food is labeled “saturated fat free”, it could still contribute a significant amount of saturated fat in your diet –- especially if it is a food that you consume multiple servings of per day.
Even if a food label contains one of these phrases on its packaging, it does not necessarily mean that the food item is completely free of saturated fat. Therefore, it is a good habit to closely examine food label closely for saturated fat content and serving size to make sure that you are not consuming too much saturated fat.
Additionally, you should also check the food label for other ingredients, such as cholesterol, trans fat, and carbohydrates, which could also adversely affect your cholesterol levels.
Sources:
Food and Drug Administration Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuide/ucm064911.htm. Accessed 30 December 2010.
Rolfes SR, Whitney E. Understanding Nutrition, 10th ed 2005.
