FDA New Food Label: Only 3% Of Our Food Supply Is Considered "Healthy"

On this week's episode of the Harmony With Food radio show, we talked about the new FDA food label, what you need to know about statins and cholesterol, and ultra-processed foods.

New FDA Food Label

The FDA is rolling out a new logo to put on foods that they consider to be healthy. Only 3% of manufactured foods qualify for the logo. In the 90s, the FDA set criteria for saying food is healthy, but that definition will be slightly updated to reflect current science. This includes certain amounts of nutrition and caps on things like added sugars and sodium. However, these new rules won't really change the number of foods that can be deemed healthy. So, while it seems like the FDA may be making positive changes, it really only looks that way.

What You Don't Know About Statins and Cholesterol

When you get your bloodwork done in a traditional doctor's office, they'll typically check your cholesterol levels, which includes your total cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and triglycerides. Often, people are put on statins without a closer look at their blood work, or even trying to change their diets.

That's why with my clients, I like to do a specific type of testing that gives us two pages of information about your cholesterol, and measures your nutrients. This gives us more information to fix your cholesterol naturally, and figure out how much of a problem your cholesterol really is. For example, high HDL cholesterol runs in my family, but that doesn't necessarily mean I am not healthy or that I need a statin. With more information, we are able to make better decisions.

If you're already on a statin, you may not know that certain foods like grapefruit can affect how your statin metabolizes. Specifically, eating grapefruit can actually cause higher concentrations of the medication to enter your bloodstream.

Did you know that statins can also affect your micronutrient levels? This includes vitamins, A, B1, E, and K, as well as magnesium. So if you are on a statin, you'll want to keep a very close eye on your micronutrient levels.

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Ultra Processed Foods

A new study found that the consumption of ultra-processed foods like soda, candy, and pre-packaged meat can lead to an increased risk of health issues like cancer and heart disease. The study found that ultra-processed food accounts for up to 58% of daily calorie intake in high-income countries like the US. It also found that eating large amounts of ultra-processed food was linked to a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death.

High exposure to ultra-processed foods like soda, candy, prepackaged meat, sugary cereals, chips, et cetera, is connected to an increased risk of 32 health issues, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders and respiratory disorders, depression, anxiety, and early death by as much as 66%.

Ultra-processed foods are hyper-palatable because food companies hire chemical engineers to make you want to keep eating more. This means it's hard to stop eating these foods. It is hard to stop eating them because they are addictive. They can numb your feelings and help you feel calm and content while you're eating them. But in the long run, they can actually contribute to depression and anxiety.