FDA updates definition of 'healthy' on food labels for first time in 30 years

A new rule from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will update what it means for food to be labeled “healthy” for the first time in 30 years, a move that aligns with current nutrition science and is meant to help consumers better navigate food labels. 

The “healthy” claim “can empower consumers” and help them identify a nutritious diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations, the agency said.  

“It’s critical for the future of our country that food be a vehicle for wellness. Improving access to nutrition information is an important public health effort the FDA can undertake to help people build healthy eating patterns,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement. 

Under the final rule, foods that are labeled “healthy” must contain a certain amount of food from at least one of the major groups such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein. For the first time, the food must also adhere to specified limits for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. 

Nuts and seeds, salmon and other higher-fat fish, olive oil and even water are examples of foods that did not qualify for the “healthy” claim before but are now eligible. 

The change will remove foods including sugary cereals, sweetened yogurts, white bread and some granola bars from being called “healthy.” 

The FDA said the program is voluntary, and there’s no standardized label companies need to use.

But companies can’t label foods as “healthy” unless they meet the new criteria. They will have until 2028 to comply. 

“Food labeling can be a powerful tool for change,” FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones said in a statement. “Food labeling, like ‘healthy,’ may help foster a healthier food supply if manufacturers choose to reformulate their products to meet the new definition.” 

Diet-related chronic diseases in the U.S. are the leading causes of death and disability, the FDA said, and contribute to America’s status as having the lowest life expectancy among large, high-income countries.  

Jones told reporters during a briefing that the FDA is routinely conducting surveillance of the food supply, so it will crack down on companies that don’t comply with the new criteria once the rule is effective.  

The change comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has lambasted the food industry for poisoning children with highly processed foods. If he is confirmed, Kennedy is likely to make regulating the industry a major priority as part of his "Make America Healthy Again" agenda. 

Jones said Kennedy’s comments "seem very much aligned” with the agency’s nutritional priorities such as sodium reduction efforts and the new “healthy” guidelines. 

"But until there's new leadership giving us their new policy direction, it is premature to say exactly how well these activities will align with their goals," he said.