FDA Revises Guidelines on What Foods Can Be Labeled 'Healthy'

For decades, foods like oranges—despite their 70 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and over 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C—couldn't be labeled "healthy" under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. Water, bananas, pistachios, and other fresh, nutrient-rich foods faced the same exclusion.

That’s about to change. The FDA has announced its first update in 30 years to the definition of “healthy” for food labeling. Under the revised rule, whole foods such as oranges and salmon can now qualify as “healthy.” On the other hand, products high in added sugars or saturated fats will lose the ability to use the term.

This shift could prevent many companies from labeling sugary breakfast cereals as “healthy.” The FDA is also developing a new symbol that manufacturers meeting these updated standards can use on packaging. However, the rollout of this logo may take time.

Previously, a food item could only be labeled “healthy” if it contributed at least 10% of the daily value of certain vitamins, minerals, or nutrients—such as calcium, iron, or protein—and stayed below strict limits for saturated fat, total fat, sodium, and cholesterol. Importantly, the nutrients didn’t need to occur naturally in the product, allowing for fortified foods to qualify.

The new guidelines prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods and aim to provide clearer, science-based labeling, helping consumers make more informed dietary choices.

SOURCE: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-fda-is-changing-what-foods-can-be-called-healthy/ 

CREDITS: SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN