The FDA’s Healthy Claim Rule is Final

Here’s what the FDA says about Use of the Term Healthy on Food Labeling.

To meet the updated criteria for the claim, a food product needs to

1. contain a certain amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (such as fruit, vegetables, grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy and protein foods) recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and
2. meet specific limits for added sugars, saturated fat and sodium.

To qualify, a breakfast cereal, bread, or any other grain food would need to have 3/4 ounce of whole grains, and have less than 10% of the Daily Value for added sugars (5 grams per serving), less than 10% for sodium (230 mg per serving), and less that 1 gram of saturated fat (5% DV).

On this basis, kids cereals won’t qualify.

Oh.  And the FDA is still working on the symbol.

Resources

• Use of the Term Healthy on Food Labeling | FDA
• FDA Finalizes Updated “Healthy” Nutrient Content Claim | FDA
• Constituent update
• FDA’s Updated “Healthy” Claim Definition: Fact Sheet
• Federal Register: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-29957.pdf
• New York Times: What Are ‘Healthy’ Foods? The F.D.A. Updates the Labeling Terms
• The Hill: FDA updates definition of ‘healthy’ on food labels for first time in 30 years