05.01.04
Toward the end of March, FDA announced that a qualified health claim would soon appear on product labels for walnuts and the reduced risk of coronary heart disease. This qualified health claim is part of FDA’s initiative to provide Americans with better information to help them make healthier dietary choices. FDA’s review concluded that supportive research shows that walnuts may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease when consumed as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet and not resulting in increased caloric intake. While this research is not conclusive, FDA believes that consumers will benefit from having information that may help them improve their dietary health. As a result, consumers will soon see claims on walnuts stating: “Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, 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.”