What’s Healthy?

You just got home from school, and your stomach is growling. You open the refrigerator, looking for a healthy snack. But you aren’t sure what to choose.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to help clear up the confusion. The FDA is a government agency responsible for protecting Americans’ health. It recently proposed changing the criteria that determine which foods can be labeled “healthy.” 

The new rules would differ depending on the type of food. For example, according to the proposal, a healthy cereal cannot have more than 2.5 grams of added sugars per serving. Many sugary cereals have more than four times that amount! Among other things, each serving must also have no more than 230 milligrams of sodium, a mineral in salt.

The FDA’s goal is to help Americans spot healthy foods at the grocery store—and make better choices about what they eat.

You just got home from school. Your stomach is growling. You open the refrigerator, looking for a healthy snack. But you aren’t sure what to choose.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to help clear up the confusion. The FDA is a government agency. It is responsible for protecting Americans’ health. 

It recently proposed changing the criteria that determine which foods can be labeled “healthy.” 

The new rules would differ depending on the type of food. For example, according to the proposal, a healthy cereal cannot have more than 2.5 grams of added sugars per serving. Many sugary cereals have more than four times that amount! Among other things, each serving must also have no more than 230 milligrams of sodium. That’s a mineral in salt.

The FDA’s goal is to help Americans spot healthy foods at the grocery store. That way, they can make better choices about what they eat.

Many kids—and adults—fall short in getting the important nutrients they need to be healthy. Studies show that children tend to consume a lot of highly processed foods, like potato chips, sugary drinks, and frozen pizza. These foods are packed with artificial ingredients that help improve the flavor of food and make it stay fresh longer. 

But those added ingredients have few health benefits. Kids who consume a lot of processed foods and drinks may not eat enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. That means they’re getting too much sodium and added sugars and not enough of the nutrients they need. 

“A healthy diet gives you energy,” says children’s nutrition expert Alexis Wood. “It helps your body and brain grow.”

Many kids fall short in getting the important nutrients they need to be healthy. Many adults do too. 

Studies show that children tend to consume a lot of highly processed foods. This includes potato chips, sugary drinks, and frozen pizza. These foods are packed with artificial ingredients that help improve the flavor of food and make it stay fresh longer. 

But those added ingredients have few health benefits. Kids who consume a lot of processed foods and drinks may not eat enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. That means they’re getting too much sodium and added sugars. And they are not getting enough of the nutrients they need. 

“A healthy diet gives you energy,” says Alexis Wood. She’s a children’s nutrition expert.  “It helps your body and brain grow.”

The FDA says its current definition of healthy foods is outdated. For one thing, it doesn’t include limits on added sugars. Yet scientists know that consuming too many sweetened foods and drinks can lead to type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, and other health problems. That’s why most sweetened foods would no longer qualify as healthy under the new proposal. 

So what would be considered healthy? Unprocessed, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans would make the list. Eggs, fish, and whole grain pasta would too. Certain low-fat cheeses and unsweetened yogurts would also meet the requirements.

The FDA says its current definition of healthy foods is outdated. For one thing, it doesn’t include limits on added sugars. Yet scientists know that consuming too many sweetened foods and drinks can lead to type 2 diabetes. It can also lead to tooth decay and other health problems. That’s why most sweetened foods would no longer qualify as healthy under the new proposal. 

So what would be considered healthy? Unprocessed, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans would make the list. Eggs, fish, and whole grain pasta would too. Certain low-fat cheeses and unsweetened yogurts would also meet the requirements.