Nutty Health Claim

by Nutrition Focus

Unqualified health claims are based on significant scientific agreement on foods, like eating oats (every day) may contribute to lower risk of heart disease in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Qualified health claims have four levels of evidence and must include a disclaimer that the evidence is not as strong.

Finally, there are structure/function claims which allow claims that dietary supplements or foods "support" normal or healthy tissues or organ function but does not claim to prevent, treat or cure any disease.

So maintenance of normal cholesterol levels is a permitted structure/function claim but "lowers serum cholesterol" is not allowed.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a qualified health claim that eating walnuts may reduce the risk of heart disease. Some media reports stated this was the first time the FDA has allowed this type of claim, which is based on supportive but not conclusive evidence. Actually, this was the eighth qualified claim approved.

< http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/qhc-sum.html >

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Unfortunately, there is nothing on labels to tell consumers what type of claim is being used. The walnut claim has the highest of the four levels of evidence among qualified claims, but it is still one step below an unqualified claim. The authorized claim reads: "Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces per day of walnuts, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. See nutrition information for fat [and calorie] content."

Tags: health-claim