New dietary advice: less, less, less!

The guidelines, announced Thursday, aim to help Americans reduce obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, and encourage both long-term healthy eating patterns and making small changes in the short-term.

Glunz said it can be confusing for some to see the guidelines in the news and other studies and reports over the course of the year. On the other hand, the Mediterranean diet stresses on to have moderate fish and chicken consumption and whole grains and little sugar. Many foods with high cholesterol also have lots of saturated fat which can increase your blood cholesterol.

This year, the Agriculture Department also revamped its messages to emphasize that Americans should be able to choose a eating style that works for them, while still following the main recommendations.

The full list of dietary guidelines for Americans can be found online.

“We know that about half of the added sugars in people’s diets comes from sweetened beverages, usually sodas”, said Dr. Karen DeSalvo, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health.

After a significant backlash from the meat industry and Congress, the administration ignored several suggestions from a government advisory panel.

“I’m very pleased the secretaries went back and reviewed the large body of science that does exist supporting lean meats like beef in a healthy dietary pattern”, said Jennifer Leheska, a dietitian for TCFA. But most Americans are well above 2,300 milligrams.

For the first time, the government gives a limit to the amount of added sugar that people should consume on a daily basis. Women are advised to drink no more than one alcoholic drink per day, while men can have up to two.

Still pushing fruits and vegetables, the newest recommendation appears to target added sugar. The report revealed the average American adult gets about 13 percent of their calories from hidden added sugar and for teenagers that number is closer to 17 percent.

Most Americans also consume too much sodium.

New figures from the Centers for Disease for Disease Control and Prevention show that around 90 percent of people eat too much. The new Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting salt intake to less than 2,300 a day, regardless of age or health status.

Good news for coffee drinkers: Caffeine intake (equivalent to three to five cups of coffee per day) is not only safe, but appears to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The new guidelines delete that lower amount as part of the top recommendations.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

The United States Department of Agriculture has announced the release of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a report created to help USA consumers make healthier choices and avoid chronic diseases.