Completely Lacking with -vrij
When you want to describe a product that completely lacks a certain ingredient, you can attach the suffix -vrij directly to the noun. This works exactly like the English suffix "-free".
Low Quantities with -arm
If a product is not completely free of something, but has very little of it, Dutch uses the suffix -arm. While arm literally means "poor", in these compounds it acts like the English prefix "low-".
Because these are standard adjectives, they follow the usual inflection rules, such as taking an -e ending before de-words and plurals.
High Quantities with -rijk
To express that something has an abundance of an ingredient, use the suffix -rijk. Literally meaning "rich", it translates well to "high-" or "rich in".
Beyond the Kitchen
These suffixes are highly productive, meaning you can attach them to almost any noun to create a new adjective. They are not limited to food labels or diets; they are frequently used to describe modern lifestyle choices, environments, and social situations.
For example, combining de kans (the chance/opportunity) with -arm describes someone who is severely lacking in opportunities.