Nuts, avocados, and salmon are all
healthy foods, right? Well, not
according to the Food and Drug Administration.
For companies that want to use “healthy” as a nutrient content claim,
the FDA regulations state that a certain food must contain no more than 3 grams
of fat and 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.
According to this statement, nuts, avocados, and salmon do not fit the bill,
but certain varieties of Pop-tarts, Frosted Flakes, and even various Spaghetti
O’s do! How is it that some processed
foods are considered to be healthier than certain whole foods?
As it turns out, the FDA’s current
regulations are more than 20 years old. No
wonder many Americans are confused when they visit the grocery store! These regulations were created back in the
90’s, when fat was the macronutrient to be feared and the sales of low-fat and
fat-free products were skyrocketing. The
science regarding nutrition changes, and it absolutely did within the past 20
years. We now know that certain types of
fat, like unsaturated fats, are actually good for you and should be consumed as
part of a healthy diet. Due to the
pressure from consumers and even Congress, the FDA recently released a
statement saying it will reevaluate their nutrient content claim regulations
including labeling something with the term “healthy.” Looks like a step in the right direction.
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