Redefining Nutrition: How the FDA’s New "Healthy" Rule Will Transform Food Labeling

Food Labeling: Nutrient Content Claims; Definition of Term "Healthy"

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a transformative update to the definition of "healthy" for food labeling, aligning it with modern nutrition science and dietary guidelines. This change, effective February 25, 2028, reflects the evolving understanding of how dietary patterns, rather than individual nutrients, contribute to overall health.

For nearly 30 years, the term "healthy" on food labels adhered to outdated criteria, often excluding nutrient-dense foods like salmon due to fat content while allowing products high in added sugars to qualify. The new rule corrects this by focusing on whole foods and nutrient density.

What’s New in the Definition of “Healthy”?

The FDA’s updated criteria focus on making food labeling more reflective of balanced dietary patterns:

1. Food Group Equivalents (FGEs): Foods must provide meaningful amounts of recommended food groups, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and proteins.
2. Nutrients to Limit (NTL): Foods must not exceed specific limits for added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, expressed as percentages of the Daily Value (DV).
3. Combination Foods: Meals and mixed products must meet stricter standards, contributing from multiple food groups.

To qualify as "healthy," foods must meet the following requirements:

• Vegetables: Provide at least ½ cup equivalent per serving. Contain no more than 2% DV added sugars, 5% DV saturated fat, and 10% DV sodium.
• Fruits: Provide at least ½ cup equivalent per serving. Contain no more than 2% DV added sugars, 5% DV saturated fat, and 10% DV sodium.
• Whole Grains: Provide at least ¾ ounce equivalent per serving. Contain no more than 10% DV added sugars, 5% DV saturated fat, and 10% DV sodium.
• Dairy: Provide at least ⅔ cup equivalent per serving. Contain no more than 5% DV added sugars, 10% DV saturated fat, and 10% DV sodium.
• Protein Foods: Portion sizes vary by type, e.g., 1 ounce seafood, 1½ ounces game meat, or 1 ounce beans. Contain no more than 2% DV added sugars, 5%-10% DV saturated fat (depending on the source), and 10% DV sodium.
• Oils: Must be 100% oil to qualify. No added sugars or sodium allowed, and saturated fat must be ≤ 20% of total fat.

Foods like plain water, tea, and coffee with fewer than 5 calories per serving automatically qualify for the "healthy" label. Whole fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods also qualify if they contain no added ingredients.

Why Is This Change Important?

The FDA’s redefinition of “healthy” is more than just a regulatory shift—it’s a step toward public health empowerment:

• Improved Consumer Understanding: The new criteria align with the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans, emphasizing the importance of nutrient-dense foods and balanced dietary patterns.
• Addressing Chronic Disease: By encouraging healthier food choices, the FDA aims to reduce the burden of diet-related diseases like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
• Promoting Equity: The criteria consider affordability and cultural preferences, ensuring that canned, frozen, dried, and shelf-stable products can qualify as “healthy.”

How It Differs From the 1994 Standard

The original definition focused solely on nutrient-specific thresholds, requiring foods to:

• Be low in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
• Provide at least 10% of the DV for specific nutrients (e.g., vitamin A, calcium).

However, this approach excluded many nutrient-dense foods, such as salmon (high in beneficial fats), while permitting some products high in added sugars to bear the "healthy" label.

In contrast, the new rule prioritizes food groups to reflect current science on dietary patterns:

“Nutrient-dense forms of foods and beverages across all food groups, in recommended amounts, are the foundation of healthy dietary patterns” .

Inclusive and Equitable

Recognizing diverse dietary needs, the FDA’s update also ensures that frozen, canned, dried, and culturally preferred foods can meet the "healthy" criteria:

“Affordable, accessible, and culturally preferred nutrient-dense foods within different food groups… will qualify to bear the ‘healthy’ claim” .

Economic and Environmental Impact

This shift will have measurable impacts on public health and the food industry:

• Net Public Health Benefit: The FDA estimates $686 million in reduced mortality costs over 20 years, with a net annualized benefit of $19 million.
• Industry Costs: Manufacturers will incur costs of $403 million over 20 years for reformulating, relabeling, and recordkeeping.
• Minimal Environmental Impact: The rule is unlikely to significantly affect agricultural or manufacturing systems.

What the Future Holds

This update doesn’t just define "healthy"; it reshapes how consumers and the food industry approach nutrition. This update is to be published by December 27, 2024 and to be Effective as late as February 2028. There are a lot more changes that needs to be made when it comes to regulation but by emphasizing food groups and nutrient density, the FDA provides a clearer, more equitable path for Americans to make informed food choices.

As the FDA states:

“Foods that qualify for ‘healthy’ are those that are particularly useful in helping consumers create healthy dietary patterns” 【2024-29957】.

This change is a vital step toward a healthier, more informed future.