The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that walnuts meet its updated criteria for foods that can be labeled or identified as “healthy.” This change is designed to align food labeling with the latest nutrition research and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It also aims to help consumers make more informed decisions when building healthy eating patterns.
According to the California Walnut Commission (CWC), this decision confirms long-standing beliefs that walnuts contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Robert Verloop, the CWC’s chief executive officer, explains that decades of research support the beneficial role walnuts can play in improving daily diets. Verloop notes that simply adding walnuts to meals and snacks can provide wide-ranging advantages.
Nutrition experts highlight that walnuts, like other nutrient-dense foods, can help Americans improve their eating habits. In particular, replacing foods high in saturated fat with walnuts may support heart health because walnuts are primarily made up of polyunsaturated fat, including omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Walnuts are the only tree nut offering an excellent source of omega-3 ALA.
Additionally, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has updated its child nutrition programs so schools can more easily serve plant-based protein sources like walnuts. Walnut butter has also been added to the foods available in the WIC program, opening further possibilities for families looking to improve their diets.
These achievements come after more than 30 years of scientific research funded by the CWC, which has shown potential benefits for heart health, cognition, cancer risk, gut health, body weight, and reproductive health. The new recognition and rules are expected to encourage more people to include walnuts in their everyday meals and snacks for better overall health.