# What does "95% fat free" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984 "2013-01-22T05:43:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/1 "2013-01-22T05:43:02Z")
I really feel like I should already know this but I am having a hard time understanding something. I was reading the label on this package of small, low-carb wraps and it prominently displayed “95% fat free” on the back of the package. But upon reading the nutrition facts, I see that the wraps have 50 calories apiece with 2 grams of fat per (or about 18 calories from fat per wrap). So with a product which contains a total of only 50 calories and nearly 40% of those calories coming from fat, how can it claim to be 95% fat free? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/2 "2013-01-22T05:50:10Z")
Take 9 liters of water, add 1 liter of pure lard. Your solution is 10% fat (90% fat free!), but 100% of the calories are from fat. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/3 "2013-01-22T06:48:10Z")
You’re comparing grams to calories, I think is the mistake. Considering the wraps may be 40 grams in weight, and 2 grams of that is fat, that’s 5% fat. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/4 "2013-01-22T07:40:32Z")
If that wasn’t clear it means it is 5% fat, marketing \*#::@+" **Capt** ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/5 "2013-01-22T07:47:44Z")
Stuff that advertises how little fat it has is generally quite fatty. You don’t normally see a big fuss made about the fat content of lettuce for example. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/6 "2013-01-22T07:50:42Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Take 9 liters of water, add 1 liter of pure lard. Your solution is 10% fat (90% fat free!), but 100% of the calories are from fat. Nitpick: that would at best be an emulsion, not a solution. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/7 "2013-01-22T07:58:03Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Nitpick: that would at best be an emulsion, not a solution. Or a McDonald’s shake. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/8 "2013-01-22T14:28:23Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > If that wasn’t clear it means it is 5% fat, marketing \*#::@+" > > **Capt** I really do not see how this is marketing BS or even confusing at all. If it says that the product is 95% not fat, it is only logical that it is 5% fat. What else could it be? It seems pretty clear and accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/9 "2013-01-22T14:40:47Z")
It doesn’t mean that you only pay for 5% of the fat? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/10 "2013-01-22T14:50:50Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Stuff that advertises how little fat it has is generally quite fatty. You don’t normally see a big fuss made about the fat content of lettuce for example. It does sway in that direction, but there are plenty of products that would normally be low in fat that are sold that way also. Same with cholesterol. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/11 "2013-01-22T14:55:03Z")
The correct literal reading of 95% fat free, is of course that the product is anything up to 5% fat. However a somewhat less careful reading might interpret it to mean that 95% of the fat of a conventional version has been removed - so it is 95% _less_ fat. I suspect there is a certain amount of wishful thinking on the part of the buyer here. Marketing is very good at picking up on human foibles like this. There is one case where you do see a percentage reduction. One standard for decaffeinated coffee is a 97% reduction of caffeine - the final coffee isn’t 3% caffeine. It really is 97% less caffeine. But purveyors of fat reduced foods tend not to dwell on the 30% reduction in fat content, and like to talk up the 95% fat free part. They tend to be mute on the total energy content however. So often removing fat also reduces flavour, as the lipid soluble flavours go too. So they add sugar, or other junk, to compensate. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/12 "2013-01-22T15:16:33Z")
According to the [FDA](http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuide/ucm064911.htm): > [@](#): > > “\_\_% Fat Free”: may be used if food meets the requirements for “Low Fat” 21 CFR 101.62(b)(6) > > 100% Fat Free: food must be “Fat Free” (b)(6)(iii) > > “Light”–see previous Calorie comments > > For dietary supplements: total fat claims cannot be made for products that are 40 calories or less per serving 21 CFR 101.62(a)(4) That’s not really the answer to the OP, but interesting page nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/13 "2013-01-22T18:02:10Z")
Thanks for the answers y’all. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/14 "2013-01-22T18:21:39Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > However a somewhat less careful reading might interpret it to mean that 95% of the fat of a conventional version has been removed - so it is 95% _less_ fat. I suspect there is a certain amount of wishful thinking on the part of the buyer here. Marketing is very good at picking up on human foibles like this. And this is why, IMHO, anything other that this meaning should be considered false advertising. In my kingdom, 95% fat free will mean 95% less fat than the conventional version, with violators of the law punished by death. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/15 "2013-01-22T20:13:24Z")
Food companies, like other companies, use marketing gimmicks all the time. For example, you can get popcorn that is marketed as “whole grain” popcorn. All popcorn is whole grain by its very nature. It’s just that “whole grain” has become a health fad and things that are whole grain are supposedly better for you. ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/16 "2013-01-22T21:03:09Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Stuff that advertises how little fat it has is generally quite fatty. You don’t normally see a big fuss made about the fat content of lettuce for example. I actually see a lot of things that have no reason to have fat but are unhealthy for other reasons–especially sugar–called “Fat Free.” The “Dinosours” I treat myself to once in a while have it on the bag, when they’re just jellied sugar colour and something acidic. ---
**Author:** ![LinusK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@LinusK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LinusK)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/17 "2013-01-22T21:13:46Z")
It means it tastes bad. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/18 "2013-01-23T00:11:47Z")
I thought it was simply that “95% fat free” means that 5% of the _overall weight_ is fat. In terms of what we’re led to _think_ it means, the fine print on the nutritional onformation label is more pertinent: calories per serving // calories from fat. If I’m oversimplifying or just plain wrong, be nice about it, ok? ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/19 "2013-01-23T00:21:47Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > And this is why, IMHO, anything other that this meaning should be considered false advertising. In my kingdom, 95% fat free will mean 95% less fat than the conventional version, with violators of the law punished by death. I believe that they already _do_ have a phrase for that situation. They say “95% less fat”. 😃 Again, it seems ironic that people are lambasting advertisers for being honest about their product, simply because it does not mean what they want it to mean. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984/20 "2013-01-23T00:38:37Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Stuff that advertises how little fat it has is generally quite fatty. You don’t normally see a big fuss made about the fat content of lettuce for example. However, Starbucks is proud of the fact that _ **their** _ popcorn is 100% whole grain. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-95-fat-free-mean/647984.md?page=2)