The definition of “healthy” on food packaging has been revised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), marking the first update in decades. Under the new guidelines, certain products like white bread, sugary cereals, and sweetened yoghurts will no longer qualify for the claim.

Previously, the FDA’s definition of “healthy” focused on individual nutrients, such as specific amounts of vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins. The updated criteria, however, take a broader approach by emphasising a balanced, nutrient-dense diet rather than isolated nutrients.

Livleen Gill, MBA, RDN, LDN, president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, explained that the definition needed to evolve to align with modern nutritional science and the latest Dietary Guidelines. Food manufacturers have until February 25, 2028, to adjust their packaging and comply with the new requirements, according to an FDA spokesperson.

Public health experts say the new definition will help guide consumers toward nutritious choices. “Having a healthy label with a very specific definition is a quick way to reference if you’re trying to shop for things and look for nutritious choices,” Melanie Hingle, PhD, MPH, RDN, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Arizona, told Verywell.

To meet the FDA’s updated definition of “healthy,” a product must contain a certain amount of food from one of the food groups—like fruits, vegetables, or dairy—and stay below specified limits for saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars.

Foods that qualify in this new definition include fresh or frozen whole fruits and vegetables, salmon, trail mix with nuts and dried fruits, eggs, and plain low-fat yoghurt. Even water counts. The limits on added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat vary for different food types. A 2/3 cup of yoghurt, for example, can have at most 2.5 grams of added sugar, 230 milligrams of sodium, and 2 grams of saturated fat.

The FDA wants to develop a symbol that food manufacturers could use on items that meet the “healthy” criteria. “Symbols may be particularly helpful for those who are less familiar with nutrition information to identify foods that can be the foundation of a healthy eating pattern,” an FDA spokesperson said.

Other countries already do this. The United Kingdom uses a traffic-light style system to indicate if foods have high (red), medium (amber), or low (green) amounts of salt, sugar, and fat.8 Australia and New Zealand use an image featuring one-half to 5 stars to grade the food’s overall nutritional quality.

In recent years, nutrition science has started prioritising a person’s overall dietary pattern instead of the consumption of individual nutrients, like calcium or vitamin A. This idea is reflected in the most recent Dietary Guidelines and the FDA’s new definition of “healthy.” “We know that it’s not a single food that makes or breaks your diet, but it’s your overall way of eating, consistently, that really impacts your health,” Hingle said. However, most Americans don’t follow the Dietary Guidelines’ recommendations. By updating the “healthy” definition, the FDA hopes to make it easier for consumers to find healthy foods on grocery store shelves, encourage nutritious eating patterns, and reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.