Do Americans really need federal bureaucrats to tell us what’s good for us?
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InDecember2024,theFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)releaseditsfinalguidelinesforwhatfoodscanbelabeledas“healthy”inAmericangrocerystores.Thenewrule,whichistheFDA’sfirstsubstantialupdatetohealthylabelingrequirementssince1994,setsstricterlimitsonaddedsugars—the1994rulehadnolimitonsugar(addedornatural)—andsodium.Italsoremovescapsontotalfat(butnotsaturatedfat).
Withtheselimitsinplace,theFDAhasdeemedthatfoodssuchassalmon,avocados,oliveoil,andwater—yes,water—cannowbebranded“healthy”ingrocerystores.(Breatheasighofrelief,millennialsandGenZ.Thegovernmenthassaidyouravocadotoastishealthy,solongasyouusetherightbread.)
Thesefoodsbeingdeemedhealthyshouldcomeasashocktonoone. Since2002,theAmericanHeartAssociationhasrecommendedthatAmericanseatsalmonandotherfishrichinomega-3satleastonceperweek.TheMediterraneandiet,whichislowinsugary,processedfoodsandrichinhealthyfatssuchasoliveoilandavocados,ha
