The United States is redefining ‘healthy’ foods for the first time in 30 years, excluding items such as white bread and welcoming nutrient-dense foods such as eggs and salmon, officials said. said on thursday.
The move comes amid a growing domestic crisis of preventable diet-related chronic diseases, with experts calling for immediate action.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also presentation Manufacturers are developing new symbols to quickly let consumers know that food meets “healthy” standards.
“Diet-related diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are leading causes of disability and disease in the United States, contributing to our country’s life expectancy being among the lowest among large high-income countries,” said FDA senior official Jim Jones. said. reporter.
Alarming statistics highlight the urgency of this problem. 77% of Americans exceed the recommended intake of saturated fat, 63% exceed the limit for added sugars, and a whopping 90% consume too much sodium.
Nearly 80% lack dairy, fruit and vegetables.
“Health claims have been updated to help consumers access more complete, accurate, and up-to-date nutritional information on food labels,” Jones added.
under new rulesFoods marked with ‘healthy“must include a meaningful amount of one or more food groups recommended by the FDA’s dietary guidelines, including vegetables, proteins, dairy products, and grains.
They must also stay within certain limits for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
FDA’s Claudine Kavanaugh emphasized that not all fats are created equal. When the original rule was introduced in the 1990s, “the focus was on lowering all fat. Today, the focus is on reducing saturated fat while recognizing the benefits of healthy fats.”
This change means that avocados, nuts, seeds, high-fat fish, eggs, and olive oil are now “healthy” foods.
Conversely, high-sugar fruit snacks, highly sweet snack bars, fortified breakfast cereals, yogurt or fruit punch with high added sugars (all of which previously earned the label) are no longer eligible.
First of all, let me introduce it: new symbol Kavanaugh said it would be a “quick cue for consumers, including those unfamiliar with nutritional information, to identify foods that are the foundation of a healthy eating pattern.”
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However, the FDA has not provided a timeline for when the symbol will be ready.
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Health, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has shown a strong interest in promoting healthy food and eating habits, which could mean the issue will continue to be a focus in the next administration. It suggests that there is.
© Agence France-Presse
