The FDA Announces A New Definition Of What’s ‘Healthy’

The FDA have announced a new definition of what they consider healthy. Recent dietary recommendations emphasize a plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

New guidelines for nutrition labels that can be placed on the front of food containers to suggest that they are "healthy" were released by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday.

Manufacturers can brand their products as "healthy" if they contain a significant amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (such as fruit, vegetables, or dairy) suggested by dietary guidelines. They must also conform to particular dietary restrictions for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. For example, for a cereal to be labeled "healthy," it must include three-quarters of an ounce of whole grains and no more than 1 gram of saturated fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2.5 grams of added sugars per serving.

The labels are intended to make it simpler for consumers to...

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