Heart-Check Mark Non-Certifiable Products

grocery car on isle of grocery store

The Heart-Check Food Certification Program does not certify:

  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Candy and confections
  • Desserts, including:
    • All cakes (including angel food, chiffon and sponge cakes; cheesecake; pineapple upside-down cake; fruit, nut and vegetable cakes; Boston cream pie; and cupcakes)
    • Brownies
    • Candied fruit
    • Coffee cakes
    • Cookies
    • Crumb cakes
    • Custard, pudding, gelatin
    • Doughnuts, Danishes, sweet rolls, toaster pastries
    • Eclairs and cream puffs
    • Grain-based dessert bars, such as fig bars
    • Ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt and sherbet; frozen flavored ice and pops; frozen fruit juice bars; gelato
    • Pie filling
    • Pies, cobblers, fruit crisps, turnovers and other pastries
  • Dietary supplements
  • Diet-branded and weight-loss products
  • Foods containing partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat)
  • Medical foods
  • Meal replacements

In addition, a product may not be eligible for certification if:

  • It does not align with American Heart Association diet and lifestyle recommendations.
  • Government regulatory requirements limit the use of a heart symbol in the product category.
  • Program nutritional requirements have not been developed for the category.
  • The product is produced by a tobacco company or subsidiary of a tobacco company.

View the current list of Heart-Check certified foods.