The proposed update aims to make it easier for everyone to make nutritious food choices.
Did you know the FDA hasn't changed its rules on foods labeled "healthy" on package labels since 1994? In essence, this means that the current regulatory definition of what constitutes a healthful ingredient or food does not reflect nearly 30 years of advances in the science of health and nutrition. But it appears the FDA's "healthy" standards are about to achieve a long overdue change.
The agency recently announced a plan to propose updating the definition of purported nutrient content for a "healthy" claim to align with current nutrition science and federal dietary guidelines. 2025), also an updated nutrition facts label.
This new classification aims to focus more on the value of eating specific food groups rather than trying to derive individual nutrients, a passionate point of view from Dawn Jackson Blattner, RDN, dietician and NOW Wellness expert.
"This is a big step forward," Plattner said. "The new definition will focus on actual food groups, which health professionals tell people to focus on for the sake of overall health. We now know that good nutrition does not come from consuming individual nutritious foods, but from consuming groups of foods. foods with many nutrients. Working together. "
Plattner explained that according to the proposed rule, foods should meet the following criteria to be labeled as "healthy":
1. It should contain high amounts of at least one food group recommended in current dietary guidelines (eg vegetables, dairy products, whole grains).
2. It should contain limited amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
Plattner added that the new label will no longer have whole fat and will start adding sugars. "[It's] a huge change because we now know it's not about eating too little fat, it's about eating the right kind of fat," he says. "And controlling added sugar is important, as 63% of us exceed recommendations for added sugar."
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What's behind the proposed changes?
The problem is that buying food and eating well is not too difficult. Rather, the goal is to help educate and empower consumers so they can easily discover and choose foods rich in nutrients and benefits, ultimately leading to longer and healthier lives.
"The proposed rule is part of the agency's ongoing commitment to help improve nutrition and diet to reduce consumers' chronic disease burden and improve health equity" and "adopt an updated definition that can help promote health better, "the FDA said in a Post. press release Formulated by some manufacturers. "If they have ... or if they produce products that conform to the updated definition."
The Food and Drug Administration is also working on a new "healthy" symbol for food, designed to help consumers make smart and nutritious choices easily.
Link the 3 essential macronutrients you should eat every day (and how they differ from micronutrients)
So what is a healthy diet according to the Food and Drug Administration?
The good news is that the Food and Drug Administration is still there in some ways, so it probably won't detract from their basic idea of a healthy, balanced diet. And it's certainly not promoting a trendy diet or a new list of trendy, expensive and hard-to-pronounce superfoods.
In fact, it will confirm what we know with a visible confirmation seal. Popular foods that we already perceive as nutrient-rich and good will meet newly developed regulatory definitions and will be able to literally use the "healthy" claim on the package.
The FDA explained that "Under the proposed definition, whole fruits and vegetables would automatically qualify for a 'healthy' claim due to their nutritional properties and their positive contribution to an overall healthy diet."
Common foods recommended such as nuts and seeds, eggs, oily fish (such as salmon, anchovies, and tuna), olive oil, low-sugar yogurt, and bottled water can all be reduced. Indeed, under the current definition (reaffirmed in 1994), foods such as avocados, oily fish and some oils are not technically suitable for claiming the "healthy" label, which could change the proposed rules. On the other hand, foods currently classified as "healthy" - white bread, sugary breakfast cereals and yogurt - would not be eligible.
“The proposed new definition will reinforce the strong nutritional advice we already provide; [O] vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy, lean meats, and poultry (when prepared with little or no added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. ) are nutrient-rich foods that can help you stay healthy, ”says Plattner
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Read the original article on Real Simple.