The producers of high-fat food like nuts, eggs, and avocados are thrilled that their products are overcoming their history as dietary villains. The Food and Drug Administration wants to redefine the word “healthy,” and these foods may get to join the club.
High levels of fat, sodium, and cholesterol used to disqualify foods from using the word “healthy” on their packaging. But when the FDA tried to crack down on KIND bars, which are full of nuts and thus high in fat, KIND responded by telling the FDA their definition is outdated. The FDA, amazingly, agreed, and has been trying to figure out a better definition of the word. They held a meeting last week that included existential questions like “What are the public health benefits, if any, of defining the term ‘healthy’ or other similar terms in food labeling?”
The 874 public comments are mostly from individuals and range from the thoughtful to the chemtrail-panicked. Several grammar sticklers commented that the word should be “healthful.” Six comments were from growers or marketers of foods, all high fat foods that until recently were left out of the “healthy” definition. Here are some choice quotes:
- Blue Diamond [Almond] Growers: “While the current definition [of healthy] does include some of our products, it is believed the definition of healthy should be broadened to include [multi-ingredient] products that contain almonds.”
- International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation: “[C]urrent FDA regulations governing “healthy” claims are outdated and do not align with the current U.S. Dietary Guidelines or the latest scientific research supporting the contributions made by nuts in achieving an overall healthy dietary pattern.“
- Hass Avocado Board: “Avocados are virtually the only fruit with unsaturated fats and are a delicious way to help consumers meet the [dietary guidelines’] recommendations to shift from eating saturated fat to unsaturated fat.”
- Egg Nutrition Center (funded by the American Egg Board): “Eggs are repeatedly defined to be a ‘nutrient-dense food’ in the most recent [dietary guidelines], which establishes nutrient-dense foods as central components of a ‘healthy’ diet.”
- United Egg Producers: “Eggs are among the most affordable sources of protein and also have significant amounts of other nutrients, including vitamin D. Other advantages of eggs include ease and speed of preparation, acceptability across a wide range of cultures, and popularity among population groups that may need additional protein, such as seniors because of the risk of sarcopenia.”
- Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs: “As the owner [of] Pete & Gerry’s Organics LLC, a Certified Humane, free-range, network of small family farms, it’s not often that I see eye to eye with the [United Egg Producers], as we disagree on farming practices. Where we do agree is that eggs are a very healthy food.”
Surprisingly, no sugar or candy makers piped up to defend their products. Two other comments from industry were requests (denied) for a longer comment period. Those were Herbalife International of America, which sells weight-loss shakes, and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, representing the makers of processed foods.
I have to respect the FDA for wading into this issue at all. “Healthy” is such a loaded term, and there is legitimate confusion around what it means. Nuts, avocados, and eggs probably do belong on the right side of that divide. But these decisions aren’t made in a vacuum, and it’s a little odd to think that when you buy a bag of almonds or a dozen eggs, some of your money goes toward lobbying government agencies over the exact words used in the fine print on the label.
