In an effort to improve Americans’ eating habits, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday released a new definition of “healthy” for food.
Products such as fruity yogurt, fortified white bread and sweetened energy bars will no longer be allowed to carry health labels if they contain saturated fat, sodium and added sugar above certain limits.
Meanwhile, foods such as salmon, almonds and even water will be recognized as healthy foods for the first time.
The new definition reflects recommendations provided in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA said it hopes consumers who consider health claims about packaged foods when filling their shopping carts will switch to more nutritious eating patterns.
There’s no doubt that Americans could use some help with their diet. For example, less than half of U.S. adults eat a piece of fruit on any given day, and only 12% consume the recommended 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day, according to a national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Americans are even further behind on vegetable intake, with only 10% reaching the 2 to 3 cups per day goal.
On the other hand, the FDA says 90 percent of people eat too much sodium, 75 percent eat too much saturated fat, and 63 percent eat too much added sugar.
The new definition of healthy food aims to reverse this by excluding foods with excess sodium, saturated fat and added sugar, even though they also contain valuable nutrients like protein and whole grains.
Specific restrictions vary by food group. The restrictions also depend on whether the product is a standalone food (like cheese), a “mixed product” (like trail mix), or a complete meal (like frozen dinners).
For example, in order for dairy products such as yogurt to meet health standards, a single 2/3-cup serving cannot contain more than 5% of the daily recommended amount of added sugar, 10% of the daily recommended amount, and no more than the recommended daily amount of sodium or saturated fat. 10%.
These limits translate to 2.5 grams of added sugar, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2 grams of saturated fat. A single serving of Chobani Strawberry Greek Yogurt falls short because it contains 9 grams of added sugar. The same goes for Chobani’s “low-sugar” variety, which contains 5 grams of added sugar.
Sugar, salt and fat are just part of the new standard. To meet the new definition of healthy, foods must contain minimum amounts of protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables or fat-free or low-fat dairy products, the FDA said.
Whole foods such as eggs, beans, seafood and nuts are automatically considered healthy if they are sold without any added ingredients (other than water). This makes fatty fish such as avocados, olive oil and salmon eligible for health labels for the first time. The agency said fresh, frozen or canned fruits, vegetables and fish could be included in the standards, making them accessible to people of all budgets.
However, products such as fortified breads, cereals, fruit snacks, granola bars and juice punches will lose the label unless reformulated to meet the new definition.
American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown said the new definition is long overdue and hopes it will inspire food manufacturers to produce healthier products that will improve Americans’ eating habits. However, she added that it would make more sense to require products to carry nutrition labels on the front of packaging, which she believed would make it easier for consumers to identify and choose healthier options.
The previous definition of healthy food, released in 1994, focused more on total fat and cholesterol. Since then, nutritional scientists have realized that not all fats should be treated the same and that unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, fish and certain vegetable oils may reduce disease risk.
The old definition also required foods to provide at least 10 percent of the recommended daily 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 establish healthy eating patterns.
Poor diet is a risk factor for many of the leading causes of death in the United States, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
The FDA said food manufacturers will have three years to comply with the new definition, although those that meet the new standards won’t have to wait that long to start using “healthy” labels.