FDA Updates 'Healthy' Label, Olive Oil Benefits

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its definition of the 'healthy' claim that can be used on food labels. The new definition requires foods to contain a certain amount of a food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups described in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, such as fruits, vegetables, protein foods, dairy, and grains. Foods that qualify for the health claim must also meet certain limits for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. For vegetable oils, those containing less than 20% saturated fat can be labeled as 'healthy'. This rule will help ensure consumers have access to more complete, accurate, and up-to-date nutritional information on food labels.