How to choose foods that are actually healthy and good for you

When it comes to food and nutrition, figuring out which foods are healthy can be confusing. The government’s definition of healthy food is outdated and health experts don’t seem to agree on what makes a food healthy.

How do we cut through the jargon and hype to choose foods that are actually healthy?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s existing definition of “healthy” is from 1994. It provides limits for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. To qualify, foods must also provide a certain amount of vitamin A, calcium, iron or fiber, meeting at least 10 percent of the Daily Value for these nutrients. But these parameters are 30 years old and both the science and consumers have evolved and changed considerably since then.

It’s important to realize the distinction between a healthy food and a healthy diet. A healthy diet includes a variety of nutritious foods that provide all the nutrients needed to maintain health and energy levels while preventing or managing certain diseases. Foods that are not deemed healthy can still fit into a healthy diet. Of course, there are different opinions on what makes a food or beverage “healthy.”

Last year, the FDA proposed an updated definition of “healthy” claims on food packages with a focus on reducing chronic disease. Changes to the definition of “healthy” would be based on the latest nutrition science, federal dietary guidelines and the current Nutrition Facts label.

Under the proposed definition of “healthy,” a food product would have to contain a specified amount of food from at least one of the food groups such as fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein. It would also include specific limits for added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. All raw whole fruit and vegetables would qualify for the “healthy” claim. Foods and beverages that don’t qualify for the “healthy” claim under the current definition, but would qualify under the proposed updated definition include water, avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish like salmon and some oils. Foods that currently qualify as “healthy” under the current definition, but would no longer be considered healthy under the proposed definition include white bread, highly sugar-sweetened yogurts and highly sugar-sweetened cereal.

While experts work to align the “healthy” claim for food and beverage products with current scientific evidence, there are steps we can make to ensure we are eating a diet based on nutritious, health-promoting products.

1. Check the Nutrition Facts label for sodium content. Products with more than 400 mg of sodium per serving are considered high in sodium and products with 140 mg of sodium or less are low in sodium.
2. Read for Nutrition Facts food label for sugar content. Ideally, for those two years and older added sugars should be limited to less than 10 percent of total daily calories. This is about 24 grams of sugar or less for women and 36 grams of sugar or less for men daily.
3. When purchasing grain products like bread, cereal, crackers, tortillas and pasta, choose products made with whole grains that contain at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
4. When possible, opt for fresh, frozen and canned meat, poultry and seafood products with minimal added ingredients. Additional ingredients often contribute to excess sugar, salt and fat.
5. Use the ingredient list on the food package to know what is in the product. Pay attention to the first three ingredients as they make up the largest part of the product.
6. Look for whole food ingredients from the food groups such as vegetables, fruit, dairy, grain and protein.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.