Cranberries can be labeled 'healthy,' FDA says
By: David Wahlberg
Cranberries can be labeled “healthy” after all, which is welcome news in Wisconsin, the nation’s top grower of the tart, red fruit.
A rule proposed by the Food and Drug Administration would have prevented most cranberry and tart cherry products from being labeled “healthy” because manufacturers add sugar to make them palatable. But the rule was amended to allow the products to be considered healthy if processors don’t add more sugar than what is found naturally in comparable fruits, like raisins.
The change, part of a final rule released by the FDA Dec. 20, is “wonderful news,” said Holly Herline, spokesperson for the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association.
Cranberries are high in fiber and have vitamins and antioxidants, making them part of a healthy diet, Herline said. “Some people enjoy cranberries in their natural state and others prefer them sweetened,” she said.
“I’m glad that the Biden administration heeded my calls and recognizes our cranberries as the nutrient-dense products they are,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, said in a statement.
Two years ago, Baldwin and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Black Earth, and Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, joined members of Congress from other states that are top producers of the fruits in asking the FDA to reconsider its definition of healthy foods.
The final rule, an update of the agency’s definition established 30 years ago, is meant to help Americans make food choices aligned with federal dietary guidelines and reduce diet-related chronic diseases.
The change allows avocados, salmon, eggs, olive oil and some trail mixes to be labeled “heathy" and removes white bread, sugary cereals and highly sweetened yogurts from the list.
The new rule will take effect within two months, but manufacturers have until February 2028 to comply.
The FDA said it will allow cranberries and tart cherries to be claimed “healthy” if they meet the limits for sodium and saturated fat and add sugar “in an amount that is no greater than the amount of total sugars in comparable products.”
Unsweetened raisins are comparable in sugar content to sweetened dried cranberries and sweetened dried cherries, and unsweetened 100% grape juice is comparable to a sweetened 27% cranberry juice drink, the FDA said.
Cranberries are believed to have health benefits stemming from polyphenols, micronutrients that act as antioxidants, which can protect cells from damage. Some studies suggest cranberries might help the gut, blood vessels, teeth and gums.
Cranberry products can help to prevent urinary tract infections in women with frequent UTIs, in children and in people who have undergone an intervention involving the bladder, according to a review in 2023 by the London-based Cochrane Collaboration.
Wisconsin was the top cranberry state in 2023, producing 62% of the nation’s crop, more than twice as much as the second state, Massachusetts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Michigan produces the most tart cherries.
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