Deconstructing Food Labels – Part 3: Tricky Front-of-the-Package Claims
Deconstructing Food Labels – Part 3: Tricky Front-of-the-Package Claims
This month I am revisiting my Deconstructing Food Labels series.
Part 1 covered the information required by law on all packaged foods: the product name, manufacturer details, net weight, Nutrition Facts, ingredients, and allergens.
Part 2 explained nutrient claims, health claims, and structure-function claims.
In this post, Part 3, I focus on the front-of-package claims that are often true but can also be confusing or misleading. These terms are everywhere, and what’s trendy can shift quickly. A few years back, “paleo” was everywhere, and then “keto” pushed its way to the front. Now, you may see other buzzwords replacing them. Companies follow trends because they sell, not because they always help you make better food choices.
Here are some of the most common and tricky terms.
Natural, All Natural, and 100% Natural
This is one of the least reliable claims on a food package. There is still no standard definition for the term “natural” outside of meat, poultry, and eggs. For everything else, it loosely means no artificial ingredients or added colors and only “minimal processing.” That phrase alone leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
A product like “Natural Cheetos” is still a highly processed snack. They may look slightly less neon, but they are not any closer to the corn they started from. Peanut butter labeled “natural” may still have added sugar, palm oil, and salt. Even a beer like Bud Light can be technically considered natural because it uses basic ingredients. None of this automatically means the product is better for you.
The bottom line: “natural” is more about marketing than nutrition.
Organic
Organic refers only to how food is grown or raised, not to its health benefits or nutritional value. Organic farming uses specific practices and avoids certain pesticides and fertilizers. They do, in fact, use pesticides and fertilizers, and sometimes a lot more than conventionally grown or raised. That can have benefits for the environment, but when it comes to your diet, an organic brownie is still a brownie, and organic sugar is still sugar.
Choosing organic is a personal decision, but don’t assume it makes a food more nutritious.
Made with Whole Grains
This is another phrase that sounds promising but doesn’t always mean much. A product “made with whole grains” might contain only a small amount. A cupcake recipe with a spoonful of whole wheat flour mixed into refined flour could still make that claim.
If you want true whole-grain foods, look for the Whole Grain Stamp or check the ingredient list. The first ingredient should be a whole grain, such as whole wheat flour, brown rice, or oats.
Low Carb
This term is popular, but it has no legal definition on a food label. Many plant foods naturally contain carbohydrates, so avoiding them entirely is not realistic. People often say they are eating low carb but are still getting close to half their calories from carbs.
When you see “low carb” on the front of a package, remember that it’s a marketing choice, not a regulated standard.
Reduced-Fat, Low-Fat, and Fat-Free
These terms do have clear definitions.
Low fat: 3 grams or less of fat per serving
Fat-free: less than 0.5 grams per serving
Reduced fat: 25% less fat than the regular version of the same product
That might sound good, but the trade-offs matter. A reduced-fat peanut butter, for example, usually has less healthy fat but the same calories, more sugar, and more sodium. Low-fat cookies or fat-free muffins often replace fat with sugar or salt, leaving you with no real calorie savings.
Always compare the Nutrition Facts on the regular version with those on the reduced-fat one before making a decision. And whether that is even necessary, because some of those fats are healthy fats.
No Added Sugar
This one can be true, but also tricky. No added sugar does not mean no sugar at all. Milk, fruit, and yogurt naturally contain sugar. A banana has sugar, but none was added.
Some foods that promote “no added sugar” may include sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. That may not be a problem for everyone, but sugar alcohols can cause digestive issues for some people. And don’t forget, honey, agave, and maple syrup are still added sugars, even if they sound more natural.
The key here is knowing the difference between natural sugars and added sugars.
Bottom Line
Front-of-the-package claims can help catch your attention, but they are not always helpful for making better nutrition choices. Some terms, such as "reduced-fat" or "fat-free," are defined and regulated. Others, such as natural or low-carb, mean almost nothing.
When in doubt, flip the package over. The Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient list provide the real information you need.
Stay tuned for Part 4 of this series, where I’ll break down what the “Non-GMO” label actually means.
Part 3: Tricky Front-of-the-Package Claims (this article)
Part 4: Non-GMO Terms
Real World Nutrition Refreshed: I am revitalizing and updating my blog archive and re-publishing it. Stay tuned as I review, update, refresh, and re-share these posts to provide you with even more valuable information on nutrition, health, and overall wellness—and keep things timely. A portion of this blog was initially posted on January 18, 2022, and has been updated here.
