Until now, foods like oranges, water, pistachios or bananas could not be called “healthy” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) American. A major change is about to shake up this situation. Indeed, a new rule, recently announced, will now allow whole foods to carry this label.
But, while some products will benefit from this new label, others will have to review their formulations to comply with the new standards, particularly with regard to added sugar and saturated fat content.
This change, which comes after 30 years without any modification, could call into question the practices of a certain number of companies, in particular those which use the term “healthy” to designate their foods. Moreover, the FDA is not only modifying its criteria: it is also working on a logo symbolizing the term “healthy” that manufacturers will only be able to use if they respect the new nutritional requirements.
Obsolete criteria
The old rule for a product to claim the “healthy” label stipulated that it had to contribute at least 10% of the daily value of a certain number of essential nutrients such as vitamins, calcium, iron , protein or fiber, while respecting specific limits for saturated fat, total fat, sodium or cholesterol. However, this rule did not take into account the natural origin of nutrients: a product could contain nutrients added to meet requirements, even if they did not come from natural sources.
« The current rule is dangerously outdated, focusing on 1980 dietary priorities regarding fats and saturated fats and the like. “, explains Dariush Mozaffarian, cardiologist and director of the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, in the United States. He said the update was necessary to account for the FDA’s new dietary recommendations, which prioritize nutrients naturally found in foods.
Favor whole foods like vegetables and whole grains
The new rule emphasizes whole foods, that is, those that have not undergone processing that could reduce their content of essential nutrients, such as fiber. It also encourages the consumption of foods low in added sugars and saturated fats, but containing sufficient protein, vegetables, fruits or whole grains.
One of the main developments is that now a product cannot be called “healthy” if it contains excessive amounts of added sugar. For example, a protein-based food like meat cannot contain more than 2% of the recommended daily amount of added sugar.
Additionally, dairy and grain products can contain up to 5% of the daily value of added sugar, while vegetable or fruit products should contain absolutely no added sugar. The saturated fat content is also strictly regulated: depending on the type of protein, the limit varies between 5 and 10% of the recommended daily value.
Added sugar provides no nutritional benefit
The FDA based this review on the findings of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report, which analyzed 23 studies showing that added sugar provides no nutritional benefits, unlike whole foods like vegetables and whole grains. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) also found that added sugar consumption contributes to overall calorie intake without improving diet quality.
Despite these advantages, the food industry strongly opposes these new standards, particularly regarding the restriction of added sugar, claiming that they could encourage consumers to buy fattier products. On the other hand, many nutrition experts welcome these new rules, believing that the “healthy” label could help consumers make more informed choices.
Source: www.topsante.com
