What Does The FDA’s Warning To KIND Mean For Other ‘Healthy’ Foods?

Apparently certain KIND bars have too much saturated fat to be labeled “healthy,” according to the FDA. But does this actually make sense, considering the saturated fat is from nuts? (Photo: KIND)

KIND bars may bill themselves as “healthy,” but the FDA has issued a warning letter to the brand demanding that it stop using the label for several of its snack bars.

The flavors currently under fire are KIND Fruit & Nut Almond & Apricot, KIND Fruit & Nut Almond & Coconut, KIND Plus Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein, and KIND Plus Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew + Antioxidants.

Here’s why: Among other reasons, the FDA says these bars in particular have too much saturated fat for the “healthy” label, which appears on its products as well as its website. KIND’s website includes statements such as “There’s healthy. There’s tasty. Then there’s healthy and tasty,” and “all of our snacks are pretty much the nirvana of healthful tastiness.”

FDA regulations state that “healthy” products need to have less than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving. These bars have anywhere from 2.5 to 5 grams of saturated fat per serving.

The FDA’s letter also warns KIND that several of its bars exceed the maximum of 3 grams of total fat per serving allowed in order to be classified as “low” in fat. According to FDA regulations, KIND must disclose this information next to claims that its bars are a “good source of fiber.”

Of course, these bars contain nuts, which are typically high in fat. However, nuts contain mono- and polyunsaturated fat (aka “good” fats) and saturated fat (“bad” fat). One cup of peanuts, for example, contains 10 grams of saturated fat and 30 grams of monounsaturated fat, and one cup of almonds has nearly 4 grams of saturated fat and 28 grams of monounsaturated fat.

Related: 6 Healthy Nuts That May Help You Live Longer

Research has shown that nuts are nutrient-rich foods that can lower a person’s risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. There is also evidence that they may help reduce the likelihood of developing hypertension, cancer, and inflammation.

So what are consumers supposed to think?

“Foods are made of a mix of all kinds of different nutrients, so reducing a food down to grams of one single nutrient sends an extremely confusing message,” says nutritionist Karen Ansel, RDN, co-author of The Calendar Diet: A Month-By-Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life.

Worth noting: A single-serve container of Greek yogurt, 1 ounce of walnuts, or a salmon fillet wouldn’t qualify under FDA “healthy” standards, even though all are known to have multiple healthy properties. “Even an egg and a cup of 1 percent milk contain roughly 2 grams of saturated fat, but they’re still extremely healthful,” Ansel tells Yahoo Health.

Related: Cholesterol, Fat & Salt Making Comeback, But Eating Right At Core Of New Dietary Guidelines

Samuel Accardi, lead dietitian for nutrition intelligence company Mind Plus Matter, says consumers shouldn’t automatically think that products that contain some amounts of saturated fat are unhealthy. “There is a lot of emerging research that shows that saturated fat from the proper sources is not as detrimental to the body as we have come to believe for so many years,” he tells Yahoo Health.

While experts agree that consuming high levels of saturated fats isn’t healthy, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a study in 2010 that found there wasn’t enough evidence to link saturated fat to heart disease or stroke, as previously thought.

KIND is working collaboratively with the FDA to meet regulations, the brand’s senior VP of communications Joe Cohen tells Yahoo Health. Cohen says the brand wants to be “open” about the letter, saying, “our products are nutritious and the ingredients will stay the same.”

KIND has posted a message on its website, acknowledging the letter:

(The brand still has messaging on several pages of its website that refers to its products as “healthy.”)

Despite the FDA warning and potential loss of the official “healthy” label, Ansel says KIND bars’ “healthful nutrients far outweigh the small amount of saturated fat they contain, especially since studies show that nuts are one of the top foods for heart health and are may also help people maintain a lower body weight.”

KIND has 15 days to respond to the letter, per the FDA.

Read This Next: Peanut Eaters May Live Longer, Study Finds

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