As part of an effort to improve the American diet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced a new definition of what it means for a food to be “healthy.”
Products such as fruit-flavored yogurt, fortified white bread, and sweetened energy bars can no longer be labeled as healthy if their saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar content exceeds certain limits.
At the same time, foods such as salmon, almonds, and even water will be recognized as healthy for the first time.
The new definition reflects advice provided in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, created by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA said it hopes that consumers who consider health claims on packaged foods when filling their shopping carts will be guided toward more nutritious eating patterns.
There’s no question that Americans could use some help with their diets. For example, a national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that fewer than half of U.S. adults eat a piece of fruit each day, and only 12% consume the recommended 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day. Not too much. Americans’ vegetable intake is even further off the mark, with only 10% of people meeting their goal of 2 to 3 cups a day.
Meanwhile, 90% of us eat too much sodium, 75% eat too much saturated fat, and 63% eat too much added sugar, the FDA said.
A new definition of healthy food aims to reverse this situation by excluding foods with excess sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar, even if they contain valuable nutrients like protein and whole grains. The purpose is
Specific limits vary by food group. Limits also vary depending on whether the product is an individual food (such as cheese), a “mixed product” (such as trail mix), or a complete meal (such as a frozen dinner).
For example, for a dairy product such as yogurt to qualify as healthy, a 2/3 cup serving must contain more than 5% of the daily recommended amount and 10% of the daily recommended amount of added sugar. must not be included. 10% of the recommended daily amount of sodium or saturated fat.
These limits equate to 2.5 grams of added sugar, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2 grams of saturated fat. One serving of Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt misses the mark with 9 grams of added sugar. So is Chobani’s “low sugar” variety, which has 5 grams of added sugar.
Sugar, salt and fat are just some of the new standards. The FDA said that to meet the new definition of health, foods must contain a minimum amount of protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
Natural foods such as eggs, beans, seafood, and nuts automatically qualify as healthy if they are sold without added additives (other than water). This means that for the first time, foods such as avocados, olive oil and high-fat fish such as salmon will qualify to be labeled as health foods. Fruits, vegetables and fish can be earned if they are fresh, frozen or canned, making them accessible to people on a variety of budgets, the agency said.
However, products such as fortified breads, cereals, fruit snacks, granola bars, and fruit punch will lose their labels unless they are reformulated to meet the new definition.
Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, said the new definition is long overdue and will help Americans grow by incentivizing food manufacturers to make healthier products. He said he hopes to improve his eating habits. But she added that she believes requiring nutrition labeling on the front of a product’s package would make more sense and make it easier for consumers to find and choose healthier options.
The previous definition of healthy food, published in 1994, focused on total fat and cholesterol. Since then, nutritional scientists have recognized that not all fats should be treated the same, and that unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, and certain vegetable oils may lower the risk of disease. I did.
The old definition also required foods that provided at least 10% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, protein, or fiber. The FDA said it is shifting its focus from specific nutrients to larger food groups to help consumers build healthy eating patterns.
A poor diet is a risk factor for many of the leading causes of death in the United States, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Food manufacturers have three years to comply with the new definition, but companies that meet the new standards won’t have to wait that long to start using the “healthy” label, the FDA said.
