Do you find the title shocking? Who won’t be! It is a real surprise to find out that walnuts, one of the most widely consumed nuts are considered drugs. But, is this claim true! This article will provide the right answer for you.
According to FDA, walnuts must be subjected to some drug-specialized screening process before they are legally marketed. Mainly this FDA’s claim has to do with Diamond Foods, a company specialized in distribution of packaged walnuts.
The main cause of this complaint is that Diamond Foods made a truthful claim about the health benefits of walnuts which the FDA did not approve.
You would probably ask, why is that so? We all know that walnuts have a significant impact on the health of our brain, blood, liver, kidneys etc. In fact, this is what Diamond Foods mentioned or that walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These acids can further reduce the risk of heart disease and even cancer.
These claims were supported by a number of articles and studies, some of them can be found in the US National Library of Medicine.
However, the FDA sent Diamond Foods a very personal letter. It stated that their walnuts are considered drugs and they can’t be legally marketed in the US.
Unfortunately, the last thing that every country needs is to classify healthy foods as drugs. So, it not fair that the FDA classifies some healthy foods along with some highly dangerous prescribed drugs.
You won’t risk your health with some natural and organic foods such as walnuts but this can’t be said for some other products that the FDA classifies as “drugs”.
According to the FDA, these walnuts are “misbranded” because of these unauthorized health claims. In fact, the FDA did not like the fact that Diamond Foods have promoted such health claims which this Agency did not approve, despite the scientific support.
The Reason for This Concern
It is unreasonable that the FDA has the highest and final authority over something that is or is not good for your health despite the criticism this agency got for their decision.
If Diamond Foods do not comply with the FDA’s warnings, the company was threatened with a possible seizure.
In the letter, the FDA explained that Diamond Foods’ walnut products are considered drugs because of some conditions.
Also, they are intended for use in the mitigation, prevention, and treatment of different diseases, conditions in which they should not be practiced by people who are not medical practitioners. That’s why peeple can’t use walnuts safely for their intended purposes.
Can you imagine that your package with walnuts comes with a set of direction for use. Since now, the natural foods did not demand such a regulation.
So, while some highly dangerous addictive drugs come into the market, walnuts along with other healthy foods are pressured with some illogical demands that do not have any sense in the world of organic food.
Source Snopes | Snopes | Articles Mercola
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