It’s a major shift.
For years, the “healthy” label on food products has been a go-to for consumers looking to make nutritious choices. But as nutrition science evolves, so does our understanding of what makes a food truly healthy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its definition of “healthy” on food labels. “These changes reflect current nutrition science and dietary guidance in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” according to the FDA’s factsheet.
The new “healthy” claim is also said to aim at better guiding consumers toward making informed, health-conscious food choices by focusing on food groups rather than individual nutrients.
The original “healthy” claim, created in the early 1990s, focused on limiting total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The updated definition, however, focuses on limiting saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, while reducing the emphasis on total fat and cholesterol.
Under the original “healthy” claim, certain products, like yogurt with high added sugars, fortified breakfast cereals, and white bread without whole grains, could be labeled as “healthy.”
However, the updated claim excludes these items, as they fail to meet the new standards. For example, foods that qualify for the updated “healthy” claim now include whole fruits and vegetables, salmon, plain low-fat yogurt, and even water.
Additionally, products like trail mix with nuts and dried fruit, and 100% olive oil are now eligible for the “healthy” label, provided they meet the new limits on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
However, the FDA advises consumers to check labels for added ingredients that may affect a product’s nutrition.
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