This week the FDA finalized its new definition for the term “healthy” (first proposed back in 2022) – marking the first update to those rules since Forrest Gump was in theaters. The updated rule opens use of the word up for a broad slate of foods that didn’t qualify under the administration’s old standard, including seemingly obvious items like eggs, salmon and water. Yeah… water wasn’t “healthy” before. Avocados, nuts and seeds, higher-fat fish, lean game meat, fat-free and low-fat dairy and olive oil also all join the ranks of “healthy” food – so long as products adhere to limits on the amount of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars and contain a certain amount of food from at least one recommended food group or subgroup, like fruits, vegetables or low- and no-fat dairy. A full table of the limits is available on the FDA website. For context, the old standard was based on 1990s nutrition guidelines (we still printed the Food Pyramid on the sides of snack boxes back then) and required that qualifying items meet limits for fat, sodium and cholesterol, and provide at least 10% Daily Value for at least one of a select list of nutrients. It’s more than a bit obvious to say the ramifications for brands are huge, as using “healthy” on a label has long been a risky headache despite the perceived upside for marketing and messaging. The FDA also now has its eyes set on creating and releasing a healthy “icon,” according to Claudine Kavanaugh, the administration’s director of the office of nutrition and food labeling. This is all very exciting, no doubt, but we should also remember that we’re in the middle of a lame duck presidential term and there’s about to be some big, unpredictable changes to government policy across all agencies and departments beginning this time next month. While we can’t say anything for certain, Donald Trump’s pick for the next FDA commissioner – surgeon and author Martin Makary – doesn’t appear likely to take issue with a refreshed focus on “healthy” foods. Although he made a name for himself as a vocal opponent of COVID vaccine mandates and other political lightning rods, Makary has previously voiced support for solving chronic illness by pushing the U.S. food industry to embrace healthier products and encouraging better diets. Where the administration could seek to alter food packaging rules, however, is in chemical additives, and that’s a particular space where Trump’s Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been vocal about cracking down. All this is to say, radical changes to how the FDA operates can be expected down the line – although how quickly those changes can be made is up in the air. But for now, take solace that water is officially good for you. Go Deeper: FDA Defines Healthy On-Pack. | 
