The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Thursday (December 19) a final rule that updates the new standards food producers must comply with in order to use the “healthy” label on their products.
In a statement released on Thursday, the FDA stated that this update marks the revision of the definition of “healthy” for food set by the agency 30 years ago. The agency mentioned that the latest standards align with current nutritional science and the federal dietary guidelines, replacing outdated “healthy” standards, and helping consumers establish healthy eating patterns.
According to the statement, in order to meet the latest standards for claiming “healthy,” foods must meet two requirements:
1. Contain a certain amount of foods from at least one food category or subcategory recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), such as fruits, vegetables, grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy, and protein foods.
2. Comply with specific limitations on added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are published every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving as the official standards set by the U.S. federal government.
Under the new rule released on Thursday, almost all products in the produce section of grocery stores, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meet the standards. Other nutrient-rich foods such as whole grains, dairy products, eggs, legumes, lentils, seafood, lean meats, nuts, and seeds can also pass the test as long as added sugars, salt, and saturated fats are limited.
Frozen and canned fruits, vegetables, and fish are also classified under the new “healthy” category.
Some foods that met the “healthy” standards in the original rules no longer meet the criteria under the updated regulations, such as fortified white bread, high-sugar yogurt, and sugary cereals.
The new rule will come into effect within two months, and food producers must comply with the regulation by February 2028.