Health Claims on Food Labels
Overview
There are two types of nutrition claims on food and drink packages:
Health Claims
Food makers can make health claims about certain nutrients, such as calcium, fibre, and fat, that are found in foods. The health claims must be balanced and based on current, reliable scientific studies. And the claims must be approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Health claims describe the link between what you eat and certain health effects. Health claims may be statements like:
- "This food is a good source of calcium. Adequate intake of calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis."
- "A healthy diet rich in a variety of vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer."
But just because a food label has a health claim does not mean that the food is healthy for you. For example, a food that is labelled as "a good source of calcium" may still be high in fat, salt, or sugar.
Nutrient content claims
Nutrient content claims are statements about one nutrient such as fat, salt, sodium, or fibre.
Nutrient content claims such as "low-fat," "light," and "-free" (as in "fat-free") are standardized. If a food uses a nutrient content claim, you can trust that it meets the criteria for that nutrient.
Examples of nutrient content claimsClaim | What it means (per serving) |
|---|
Calorie-free | Food has less than 5 calories. |
Low-calorie | Food has less than 40 calories. |
Light | Has 25% less calories or 25% less fat than the regular product. |
Fat-free or sugar-free | There's less than 1/2 gram of fat or sugar. |
Low-fat | There are 3 grams or less of fat. |
Lean | Has 10% or less fat. |
Low cholesterol | Food has less than 20 mg of cholesterol and 2 grams or less of saturated fat. |
Low sodium | Food has 140 mg or less of sodium. |
Good source of | There's at least 15% of the Daily Value of the vitamin or nutrient. |
High in fibre | Has 4 or more grams of fibre. |
Credits
Adaptation Date: 10/17/2025
Adapted By: Alberta Health Services
Adaptation Reviewed By: Alberta Health Services
Adaptation Date: 10/17/2025
Adapted By: Alberta Health Services
Adaptation Reviewed By: Alberta Health Services
