Does Fat Free Really Mean Free Of Fat?

Do you know what the words really mean on food labels?

In this article, you'll discover everything you need to know about how to interpret food labels and make the right food choices.

So what does "fat free" really mean?

To be labeled "Fat Free", the food must contain less than ½ gram of fat per serving.

To be labeled "Low Fat", the food must contain 3 grams or less of fat per serving.

To be labeled "Reduced Fat", the food must be at least 25 percent lower in fat than a comparable food.

To be labeled "Light", the food must contain 1/3 fewer calories, OR ½ the fat OR 2/3 the sodium of a comparable food (but not necessarily all three!).

Some foods (especially meat and dairy products) appear to have less fat than they really do. For example, if a milk or cheese label reads 2% milk or 2% cheese, this means that 2 percent of the product volume (NOT the calories) comes from milk fat.

You can use a little math to discover how much fat these products actually contain.

First, find the total calories per serving and the fat calories per serving. For example if the total calories per serving are 80 and the fat calories per serving are 50, divide the fat calories per serving by the total calories per serving.

Then, multiply that number by 100 and you'll have the total percent of fat calories in the food. In this example, 50 fat calories divided by 80 total calories equals .625 times 100 equals 62½%. In this example, nearly 63 percent of the total calories of this food are from fat!

Also, using the math above, you can figure out how much fat that 2 percent milk, 2 percent cheese, 2 percent cottage cheese and lean ground beef contain. You'll probably discover these foods are mush "fatter" than you realized!

Trans fats should be avoided as much as possible as they can increase your risk of heart disease. Trans fats are also known as hydrogenated fats and are added to many processed foods including most baked foods (crackers, cookies, breads, etc.).

If the food contains trans fats, the ingredient label will usually read: contains hydrogenated oil OR partially hydrogenated oil OR vegetable shortening OR margarine. Avoid these foods like the plague!

By knowing how to read food labels and understanding the word "fat", you can purchase diet foods more wisely and lose weight successfully.

Jerry Byler is the Webmaster of three diet and weight loss blogs. To discover dieting information on how you can lose weight quickly and easily, please visit the following: http://www.WeightLossProduct.blogspot.com http://www.diet-top-secrets.blogspot.com http://www.BestDietPlans.blogspot.com

---

Avoid These Five Common Weight Loss Mistakes

Mistake 1: Not changing your calorie plan as you lose... Read More

Staying Healthy on a Low Carbohydrate Diet

It is estimated that about 32 million Americans are following... Read More

2 Ways to Start Burning fat Quickly

1. Start Exercising first thing in the morning.As soon as... Read More

How To Avoid Gaining the Holiday 7

As the holidays approach, a frequent question from my clients... Read More

Fifteen Secrets of Safe and Permanent Weight Loss Revealed

Fifteen Secrets of Safe and Easy Permanent Weight Loss Revealed!*... Read More

5-Step Weight Loss Program for Permanent Weight Loss

Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with a Single StepHere are... Read More

How to Break a Weight Loss Plateau

Healthy eating has become part of your life, but you're... Read More

Simply Weight Loss -- Losing Weight is Easy if You Stop Dieting

In theory, if you're starving, exercising less helps conserve energy.... Read More

Fast Weight Loss Takes Time

I recently received the following email:Q. Five weeks ago, I... Read More

The Key to Weight Loss: The INSIDE OUT Factor ? The #1 Mindset in Changing Your Weight Forever!

WHAT DOES BEING FIT REALLY MEAN?The "INSIDE-OUT" approach to fitness... Read More

Weight Loss Workout Routine Benefits

Is a weight loss workout routine right for you? Answer... Read More

Eating Habits That Can Help You Lose Weight And Stay That Way

There are certain eating habits that can make you gain... Read More

Barriers to Healthy Diets -- Removing them is not as hard as you think

Barriers to healthy diets are placed into four broad categories:... Read More

Is the Dr Atkins Diet Safe?

The Dr Atkins Diet has been around for ages, but... Read More

Does It Matter If You Are Overweight?

Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More

Find the Right New Year?s Resolution to Get into Your Best Shape Ever!

Yep, it is that time of year again! Time to... Read More

Turn Your Body into a 24hr Fat Burning Furnace and Still Build Muscle!

Is this even possible?Well hold on to your seat because... Read More

Weight Control: Operationalizing Your Plans

We have such good weight loss intentions. We emotionally beat... Read More

Whats Wrong With Dr. Phils Food Plan?

I really like Dr. Phil, so I wanted to like... Read More

Weight Control Tool: A Food Journal

All the weight control experts recommend keeping a record of... Read More

4 Surefire Ways NOT To Lose Weight At Your Health Club

Everyone has their own individual reason for joining a health... Read More

Youll Need Total Will Power To Undergo Weight Loss

How much will power does it take in order to... Read More

Low Carb Diets Cause More Than Water Weight Loss

Many critics in have attacked low carb diets for only... Read More

Why Do You Say You Want To Lose Weight?

How many of your New Year's resolution start out with... Read More

No Fuss Weight-Loss

To lose weight and keep it off you need an... Read More

EFT for Weight Loss - How to Stop Eating from Fear of Not Getting Your Share

Do You Sometimes Eat Because You're Afraid You'll "Miss Out"... Read More

Spring Forage

Thankfully, winter does not last forever! In the spring there... Read More

Give up the Diet

If you're thinking of going on a diet to lose... Read More

Technology & Weight Loss: Putting An Online Tool to Use

Because the Internet allows so many millions of people to... Read More

Why Do All Diets Fail?

There's a dirty little secret in the diet industry. The... Read More

How to Spot False Weight Loss And Diet Advertising Claims

Flip through a magazine, scan a newspaper, or channel surf... Read More

Exercise and Low Carb Diets Make Poor Partners

Over the last twenty five years the most common questioned... Read More

Four Steps to Hunger Control

Axiom Number Two: Hunger ControlTrying to lose weight without understanding... Read More