Fat-, Sugar-, or Salt-Free
Labeling a food as "free" of a certain nutrient, whether salt, sugar, or fat, means it has none, or a "physiologically inconsequential" amount of that nutrient, according to the FDA. If the package says "calorie-free," the item has fewer than 5 calories per serving. For sugar or fat, this means the food has fewer than 0.5 grams per serving. But be careful, says Frechman. A food "could say 'fat-free,' but it could contain a lot of calories from sugar," she explains. "If you're watching your weight, you should also look at the total calories.