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U.S. Nut Sellers to Promote Health
Benefits
The labels on packages of peanuts and certain other nuts can
tout that a handful a day just might help your heart, even though
that possible benefit isn't yet proven.
It's the first "qualified" health claim allowed under a controversial
new U.S. Food and Drug Administration program that loosens restrictions
on how much scientific proof is required before possible health
benefits can appear on food packages.
The claim approved Tuesday
is for almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts and peanuts.
Their packages now may bear the following line: "Scientific evidence
suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of
most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol
may reduce the risk of heart disease."
That's about a third of a cup, or a handful.
It may sound like surprising advice considering that nuts tend
to be high in calories and fat.
Indeed, FDA didn't approve the claim for some of the fattiest
nuts, agency nutrition chief Christine Taylor said. Macadamias,
for instance, contain too much heart-damaging saturated fat to
make the cut.
But the American Heart Association has long said certain nuts
contain mostly different types of fat that are heart-healthy polyunsaturated
or monounsaturated fat. The nut industry cited the AHA position
and some studies that back nut-rich diets in seeking FDA permission
to promote the possible benefit.
Only packages of approved nuts can bear the claim, not fat-packed
ice cream with a nut sprinkle, and packages must direct consumers
to check the back label for full calorie and fat disclosure, said
FDA's Taylor.
Given new understanding of the role of different fats, "the feeling
was as long as they help consumers to understand this contributes
quite a bit of calories, they probably should be allowed to make
the claim," said Taylor.
The decision drew the ire of consumer groups, who say at best,
looser health claims will confuse Americans reading wishy-washy
advice on food packages that once could bear only scientifically
proven statements.
"It would be unfortunate if the claim turned out later to be
untrue. No one's going to get their money back," said Bruce Silverglade
of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
It's also unclear if consumers will understand the disclaimer
that nuts' benefits are as yet unproven, Silverglade said.
The nut industry is talking with FDA about more research to hunt
proof of nuts' benefits, Taylor said.
Meanwhile, the Almond Board of California suggests one way consumers
could make use of the new information: Substitute a handful of
nuts instead of a less healthful snack.
Food makers had long lobbied FDA to allow packages to advertise
possible health benefits, arguing that people can make sense of
evolving or uncertain science.
Faced with court decisions that limit restrictions on product
labeling, FDA designed a program that will allow such unproven
claims, but with disclaimers designed to discourage the chanciest
ones. FDA will rank claims from scientifically proven "A" ratings
down to "D" ratings with almost no evidence.
The new program formally starts in September, but the nut industry
had sought its heart-health claim last fall and was allowed in
early when FDA decided the benefit is backed only by B-level promising
evidence, not A-level proof.
Next on the list to be considered: that eating several servings
a week of salmon and certain other fish rich in omega-3 fatty
acids is thought to, but not proved to, reduce the risk of heart
disease.
Reference
Source 102
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