As a result of the KIND Healthy Snacks company petition, the FDA has reconsidered the term “healthy” for labeling on food and beverages.
Under the FDA’s current application of food labeling regulations, whether or not a food can be labeled “healthy” is based on specific nutrient levels, rather than its overall nutrition quality. The “healthy” labeling requirements tied to nutritional content have not changed.
What has changed is a company’s ability to label its products as “healthy” in a way that is clearly presented as a corporate philosophy, but not as a nutrient content claim. It cannot be labeled in the nutrition facts portion of the label.