FDA Ruling Limits Which Foods Can be Labeled ‘Healthy’ on Packaging
December 23, 2024 | 1 min to read
The Food and Drug Administration is altering criteria for food companies to label their products as "healthy," excluding fortified white bread while emphasizing nutrient-dense options like fatty fish, whole fruits, and vegetables. Under the new guidelines, whole grains, dairy, lean meats, and legumes can also qualify if they contain limited added sugar, salt, and saturated fat. This initiative aims to clarify nutrition labels, helping shoppers make better-informed choices.
The Food and Drug Administration is changing the way food companies can claim their products are “healthy.” Fortified white bread is out, and fatty fish like salmon is in.
Most everything in the grocer’s produce section — whole fruits and vegetables — would qualify under the new rule issued. Other nutrient-rich foods, such as whole grains, dairy, eggs, beans, lentils, seafood, lean meat, nuts and seeds also pass the test as long as they have limited added sugar, salt and saturated fat.
Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are included in the new “healthy” category.
It’s an attempt to help shoppers in other aisles confused by nutrition fact labels that don’t give any real-world guidance as to whether one product is better than another.
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