FDA Rethinks “Healthy” Food Label
By
Natalie Moore
Posted October 8, 2016
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Have you ever looked at a box of organic, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, vegan, natural, healthy chocolate chip cookies and had the gut feeling it’s nothing but garbage food?
And even though the biggest and brightest word on the package is “healthy,” you still get that nagging feeling that this food really isn’t good for you.
Well, chances are your intuition is spot on.
Once you get past all the boldly highlighted nutritional claims and take a closer look at the nutritional facts, many of these snacks, energy bars and convenience foods quickly confirm your suspicions.
You find they are full of sugar, processed ingredients and added preservatives.
Recently, it seems that you’re not alone in your mislabeled snack discoveries. The FDA has caught on too. And they plan to do something about it…
But as usual, they’re not sure how to do it.
And that’s why they need your help…
Time for a Change
Back in May, the FDA challenged Kind Bars’ labelling. The label, which read “healthy and tasty,” was deemed inaccurate by the FDA because of fat content, which is higher than the extremely low amount the FDA considers “healthy.”
Shortly after Kind Bars pushed back on the FDA’s complaint, they dropped it. And not just because fats are healthy.
You see, the FDA is in the process of redefining foods labelled as “healthy” because our definition of nutrition is evolving. And as our understanding of how food nourishes the body changes, so should the labels on packaging.
Fat, for example, was once the FDA’s biggest target. But fat-free foods are no longer considered the standard for “healthy” foods. So now new parameters need to be set for product labelling.
But the FDA can’t (and shouldn’t) do this on their own. So they’ve asked for your help.
You can submit your ideas on what factors should be considered for healthy food here.
Personally, I will be requesting foods have clearer labels with fewer symbols and more detailed definitions. Today’s food labels can be quite confusing.
That’s why a renegade health researcher created an easy-to-read and simple-to-understand guide to food labels. To discover more about this helpful guide and how you can claim your copy, click here.
Or you can just wait for the FDA to tell you what to eat… but we know from experience that usually ends badly.
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Written By Natalie Moore
Natalie Moore is a dedicated health researcher with a passion for finding healthy, natural, and science-based solutions. After a decade of direct healthcare experience in western and natural medicine, she was involved in public health research before joining Living Well Daily.
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