When it comes to reading food labels, how do you know what's best for your family? Here's a quick list that will help you sort out the meaning behind today's most common food labels:

Calcium

• "Good source of ..." means: One serving of the product provides at least 10% of the recommended daily value of calcium.
• "High source of.../"Rich source of..."/"Excellent source of..." means: One serving provides at least 20% of the recommended daily value of calcium.

Protein

• "Good source of ..." means: One serving of the product provides at least 10% of the recommended daily value of protein.
• "High source of.../"Rich source of..."/"Excellent source of..." means: One serving provides at least 20% of the recommended daily value of protein.

Fat

There is a difference between fat-free, low-fat and reduced fat foods.
According to FDA regulations:
• Reduced-Fat: Contains at least 25 % less of a nutrient or of calories than the regular, or reference, product.
• Fat-Free: A product contains no amount, or only trivial or "physiologically inconsequential" amounts of fat.
• Low-fat: 3 g or less per serving

Sodium

• Sodium Free: Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.
• Low Sodium: 140 milligrams or less per serving.
• Reduced/Lower Sodium: At least 25% less sodium per serving compared to a similar food.
• No salt added: The product isn't necessarily sodium-free. This simply means that no salt is added during processing, so be sure to check the Nutrition Label for accurate salt content.

For more information, visit the FDA website.