How Much Cholesterol Must a Food Have to Be Labeled as Healthy by the FDA?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has very specific requirements for which foods can be labeled as healthy. According to the FDA, a food must meet the criteria for dietary fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and other nutrients in order to be considered healthy. One of the most important criteria is the amount of cholesterol in a food.

The FDA requires that a food have less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol per serving in order to be labeled as healthy. This amount is not too hard to achieve since many foods naturally contain little or no cholesterol. For example, fruits and vegetables are naturally low in cholesterol and can easily meet this requirement.

However, some foods that are high in dietary fat can also meet the FDA’s requirements for healthy labeling if they contain less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. For example, some types of cheese and yogurt can be labeled as healthy if they contain less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. Even some processed meats such as ham and bacon can meet this requirement if they are made with lean cuts of meat and are low in fat and sodium.

In addition to containing less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol per serving, a food must also meet other criteria set forth by the FDA in order to be labeled as healthy. For instance, a food must contain no more than 4 grams of total fat per serving, no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving, and at least 10 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for certain vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A or calcium. Foods that do not meet these criteria cannot be labeled as healthy by the FDA.

It is important to remember that just because a food meets all of the FDA’s criteria for healthy labeling does not necessarily mean it is good for you. Eating too much saturated fat or too much sodium can still increase your risk of heart disease even if it has been labeled as healthy by the FDA. Therefore it is important to read nutritional labels carefully when making food choices so you can make informed decisions about what you eat.

In conclusion, foods must have less than 20 milligrams of cholesterol per serving in order to be labeled as ‘healthy’ by the FDA. In addition to this requirement, the food must also meet other nutritional guidelines set forth by the agency such as containing no more than 4 grams of total fat per serving and at least 10 percent DV for certain vitamins and minerals. Although meeting these requirements makes a food eligible for healthy labeling by the FDA, it does not guarantee that it is actually good for you so always read nutritional labels carefully when choosing what foods to eat!