The hidden meaning of nutrition labels

The Food and Drug Administration has developed a detailed food-labelling guide to define the content of various nutrients. The terms are not self-explanatory, however. If you are not familiar with their exact meanings, it’s anyone’s guess.

Sodium-free or salt-free: Each serving contains less than 5 mg of sodium

Very low sodium: Each serving contains 35 mg of sodium or less

Low sodium: Each serving contains 140 mg of sodium or less

Reduced (or less) sodium: Each serving contains at least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version

Light or lite in sodium: The sodium is reduced by at least 50 percent from the regular version