The concept of "healthy" food has long been a topic of debate and confusion. With evolving nutritional science and a growing awareness of diet-related diseases, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken steps to redefine what "healthy" means on food labels, and introduce a new symbol to help consumers make informed choices.
The FDA's Updated Definition of "Healthy"
For the first time in 30 years, the FDA has updated the definition of "healthy" for food labeling, aiming to align it with current nutrition science and dietary guidelines. This update, announced on December 19, seeks to make healthy eating more accessible and transparent for consumers. The previous definition, established in the 1990s, focused on individual nutrients, setting limits for saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and sodium, while requiring certain amounts of beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. This approach led to some products, such as fortified sugary cereals and sweetened yogurts, being labeled as "healthy" despite their overall nutritional profile.
The updated definition takes a more holistic approach, considering the overall dietary patterns and the combination of nutrients in food. To bear the "healthy" claim, a food must now:
- Contain a certain amount of fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat dairy, protein, or whole grains, as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- Adhere to specified limits for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.
This new framework is based on criteria that include both food groups to include (vegetables, fruit, dairy, protein foods, whole grains) and nutrients to limit (specifically saturated fat, sodium and added sugar). Each food group has a specific FGE minimum and varied levels of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars that can be included. FGE and NTL criteria also vary for individual foods, mixed products, main dishes and meals, with special criteria for foods with small RACCs (reference amount customarily consumed).
The FDA's initiative is driven by the urgent need to address diet-related chronic diseases, which are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, disproportionately affecting racial and socioeconomic minority groups. Healthy eating patterns, which include foundational foods like fruits, vegetables, fat-free and low-fat dairy, and whole grains, are associated with improved health outcomes, such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancers, and being overweight or obese.
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The "Healthy" Symbol: A Visual Guide
To further assist consumers in identifying healthy food options, the FDA is developing a symbol that manufacturers can voluntarily place on their packaging if their products meet the new "healthy" criteria. While the exact design and rollout date of the symbol are yet to be announced, the FDA aims to create a standardized graphic that can quickly and easily communicate the healthfulness of a product. The agency is also considering how the symbol could be used with foods that qualify but do not always have packaging, such as in the produce or seafood department.
The FDA is encouraging the use of an online filter to help consumers as they search for foods and beverages that qualify for “healthy” as a start to building out a shopping cart. Education and effective communication with consumers about how to shop, cook and eat using “healthy” foods and beverages as a foundation.
The Impact and Implications
The updated definition of "healthy" and the introduction of a new food icon have significant implications for both consumers and the food industry. For consumers, these changes aim to provide clearer and more accurate information about the nutritional value of food products, empowering them to make healthier choices. The new criteria will also allow foods like avocados, nuts, seeds, higher fat fish, such as salmon, and olive oil to qualify to use the “healthy” claim.
For the food industry, the updated definition may incentivize manufacturers to reformulate their products to meet the new standards, leading to a healthier food supply overall. However, it is important to note that the ruling is voluntary, so retailers and product manufacturers have the option to call out items that meet the “healthy” criteria.
Potential Concerns and Criticisms
While the FDA's efforts are generally seen as a positive step, some concerns and criticisms have been raised. One concern is that the focus on packaged foods may overshadow the importance of whole, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables, which are often the healthiest options but do not always come with labels.
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Another criticism is that health claims on food products can be confusing. First, they are based on recommended daily values (DVs) of specific nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin A, niacin, or occasionally a specific food group (for example, fruits or vegetables). In addition, these terms are not required to be on labels, meaning manufacturers can voluntarily choose whether to use them.
The Importance of Context and Education
It is crucial to recognize that the "healthy" claim and the associated symbol are just one tool among many for promoting healthy eating patterns. A comprehensive approach to improving public health requires broader initiatives such as nutrition education, cooking classes, and integrating food and nutrition into the health care system.
Consumers should also be aware that foods and beverages that do not qualify are not necessarily “unhealthy” or unable to provide nutritional benefits to consumers. This is important to note as consumers build nourishing meals and snacks with a variety of choices on a foundation of “healthy” items.
A Historical Perspective: From the Food Pyramid to MyPlate
The FDA's updated definition of "healthy" is part of a larger historical trend of evolving dietary guidelines and visual aids for consumers. The traditional Food Pyramid, with its broad strokes of food groups, has given way to more nuanced approaches like MyPlate. MyPlate clearly shows what the balance of each food group should look like in a healthful eating plan. Overall, the new MyPlate visual should serve just as the start towards healthful food choices. For more information on serving sizes, and to plan a diet that is tailored to fit your needs, check out www.choosemyplate.gov.
Decoding Food Label Terms
Understanding common terms found on food labels is essential for making informed choices. Here's a quick guide:
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- Free: This means that a product does not have any of that nutrient, or so little that it’s unlikely to make any difference to your body. For example, “calorie-free” means less than 5 calories per serving. Note that this only refers to nutrients in food.
- High: This term can be used if the food contains 20% or more of the Daily Value of a certain nutrient per serving.
- Reduced: This term is used when a food has been altered to take out at least 25% of a certain component - like fat, salt, or calories.
- Light: This term means that a food, whether altered or not, contains 25% less of a nutrient or calories than another food. It could be the “regular” version of the same food, or a different food. The term “light” can also be used when the sodium (salt) content of a low-calorie, low-fat food has been reduced by 50%. “Light in sodium” may also be used on food in which the sodium content has been reduced by at least 50% even if it isn’t low-fat or low-calorie. “Lightly salted” means there’s half as much sodium than is normally added to the food.
If you’re watching what you eat to control or lose weight, the most important part of the label is the serving size. It can be found in the Nutrition Facts box on the label. Many people think that low-fat or low-calorie means that they can eat a lot of the food without taking in too many calories. Usually that’s not true. If you eat twice as much of the “light” version of a food, you often end up taking in more calories than a standard serving of the regular version.