INC backed the change submitting comments in favor of the new definition

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a rule under which nuts now qualify to bear the “healthy” nutrient content claim. Issued on December 19, 2024, the new rule is intended to help consumers identify foods that are particularly useful as the foundation of a diet that is consistent with dietary recommendations.

The updated criteria for the “healthy” claim are aligned with current nutrition science, the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and the updated Nutrition Facts label. Nutrient-dense foods that are encouraged by the Dietary Guidelines, with no added ingredients except for water, automatically qualify for the updated “healthy” claim because of their nutrient profile and positive contribution to an overall healthy diet.

Nuts are an example of a foods that did not previously qualify as “healthy” but are foundational to a healthy eating pattern and recommended by the Dietary Guidelines —and, as such, now qualify to bear the claim. In February 2023, the INC submitted comments to the FDA arguing in favor of updating the “healthy” claim definition.

To bear the “healthy” claim, a food product needs to:

  • Contain a certain amount of food (food group equivalent) from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.) recommended by the Dietary Guidelines.
  • Adhere to specified limits for the following nutrients: saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

The FDA is looking into creating a symbol that manufacturers could use on food labeling to show that a product meets the criteria for the “healthy” claim.

In response to public comments submitted to the FDA regarding the need to add sugars to dried cranberries to enhance their palatability, the FDA clarified that sweetened dried cranberries can be considered healthy under the new rule as long as they “contain added sugars for palatability in an amount that is no greater than the amount of total sugars in comparable products with endogenous (inherent) sugars but no added sugars” —for example, raisins.

More information

FDA Updated “Healthy” Claim – Factsheet

FDA Updated “Healthy” Claim – Infographic

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