
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not allow almonds to be
called "healthy" on food labels, due to the agency's regulatory
definition of the term that considered foods' total fat rather than
distinguishing among different types of fat.
Almonds now meet FDA's new guidance as they contain predominantly
"good" monounsaturated fats and provide 14 percent of the Daily Value
for fiber.
"At the Almond Board of California and in the nutrition science community, we applaud the FDA's decision to redefine the term 'healthy' to reflect the evolving state of the science," commented Karen Lapsley, D.Sc., Chief Scientific Officer at the Almond Board of California.
Healthy dietary patterns now focus on food groups, the type of fat rather than the total amount of fat consumed, and now address added sugars in the diet, it said. Nutrients of public health concern - meaning nutrients for which most consumers don't meet recommendations -- have also changed.
With these steps, the agency said it hopes to provide consumers with information and tools to enable them to easily and quickly make food choices consistent with public health recommendations, as well as to provide current guidance to the food industry to help it focus on foods and ingredients that support healthy dietary patterns.
Source: Medindia
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