The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced significant updates to its definition of 'healthy' food on December 19, 2024, aiming to reflect contemporary nutritional science and address the nutritional habits of Americans.
This new definition enables various foods like olive oil, salmon, and walnuts to be classified as healthy, signifying their role within a balanced diet. The aim is to encourage consumers to make informed dietary choices, as the FDA noted the alarming statistics surrounding American dietary habits: 75% of individuals fail to consume adequate amounts of vegetables, fruits, or dairy, 63% eat too much added sugar, 77% exceed recommended saturated fat levels, and a staggering 90% ingest excess sodium.
Historically, the FDA's guidelines limited the label 'healthy' to foods under stringent criteria based on specific nutrients such as saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. The revised approach steers away from focusing solely on individual nutrients. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of incorporating major food groups recommended under the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
According to the FDA, the updated guidelines stipulate, "Healthy diets are made up of a variety of food groups and nutrients, and the 'healthy' claim can help consumers identify those foods which are the foundation of healthy dietary patterns." This change, recognizing diverse food groups like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy, aims to simplify the definitions around healthy eating.
Under the new definition, various specified foods are now officially recognized as part of healthy eating, including water, avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and olive oil. Foods excluded from this enhanced classification include yogurts with added sugars, sugary cereals, fortified white breads, and processed snack products high in sugar.
“Healthy eating habits, such as eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and obesity,” the FDA emphasizes. It also noted the importance of increasing the accessibility and visibility of healthy food options by considering adopting symbols to indicate 'healthy' products clearly.
Experts and industry advocates have welcomed these updates, considering them long overdue. Emily Metz, president of the American Egg Board, expressed enthusiasm about the FDA’s inclusion of eggs as “healthy, nutrient-dense foods.” She remarked, “This is an important milestone for eggs, bringing current nutrition science and federal dietary guidance…into alignment.”
The agency’s definition of healthy has been around since the early 1990s, initially focusing more on nutrients rather than whole foods. According to nutritionists, this revision reflects recent research outcomes highlighting the importance of replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats rather than restricting them altogether.
Nutritionist Tanya Freirich emphasized this point, stating, “Current studies and recommendations support consuming up to one egg every day.” This statement underlines the FDA’s intent to clarify and encourage healthier eating patterns without fostering misconceptions about individual foods like eggs, which historically faced negative connotations due to cholesterol fears.
Interestingly, these updates have been influenced by broader dietary patterns and food availability concerns amid rising chronic diseases linked to poor nutrition. The American Heart Association, through its CEO Nancy Brown, acknowledged there is still room for improvement. She argued, “While the updated 'healthy' claim is important, it remains voluntary, resulting potentially in limited application on food labels.”
Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group echoed similar sentiments, stating, “The FDA’s new rule still falls short, particularly by allowing products with harmful food chemicals to be labeled as ‘healthy.’”
Others, like nutrition expert Marion Nestle, viewed the adjustments more positively, saying, “This new rule does include real, unprocessed foods, which is preferable to previous definitions focused on nutrient alone.”
Despite these divides, the FDA posits these alterations — set to be available for manufacturers over the next three years — represent substantial progress. The agency is also venturing to develop more straightforward front-of-package labeling to assist consumers quickly recognize healthier options amid the myriad of products available on supermarket shelves.
While these updates promise clarity and nutritional guidance, the work continues, as governmental and health organizations remain vigilant for more definitive changes to food labeling standards moving forward. The FDA’s commitment to revising its nutrition policies moves as part of the broader initiative aiming to combat diet-related chronic diseases, underscoring the importance of adopting healthier eating habits among Americans.
