US Government Releases Updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans

New this year, the guidelines say added sugar should be just 10 percent of your daily calorie intake.

A local clinical dietician, Tamara Giles at Peninsula Regional Medical Center says it can be hard to make cold turkey changes when it comes to added sugar intake.

“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is one of many important tools that help to support a healthier next generation of Americans”, said Secretary Vilsack.

Proposed recommendations to consume less red and processed meat did not appear in the final version. Basically, you should adopt the Mediterranean diet and not worry about exact amounts of each category of nutrient.

This year, one message the government wants to send is that people should figure out what type of healthy eating style works for them, while still hewing to the main recommendations.

However, the guidelines do speak to the role of diet in chronic diseases. You can find the excess salt in processed food like chips. “With shortcuts like frozen veggies, or pre-washed and packaged produce, preparing healthy meals for your family really can be easier than most people think”.

The government’s key regulations include more fruit and vegetables, less sugar, and limited saturated fat. When eating 6 ounce-equivalents of grains, half of them should be of the whole grain variety.

Then, stick to low fat or skim milk. This move is hoped to encourage people to check the amount of added sugars they consume, such as those from sugary drinks, which comprise 47 percent of all added sugars consumed daily.

Beverages are the major source of added sugar, accounting for 47 percent of all added sugars consumed by Americans. “What about recommending water as the drink of choice along with coffee and tea?”

Added sugars generally add empty calories to the diet. The new Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting salt intake to less than 2,300 a day, regardless of age or health status. They include burgers, sandwiches, tacos and pizza. “Many lean red meats have lower saturated fat compared with cheese and other dairy products”, Dr. Rader said.

Eating eggs is also considered part of a healthy eating pattern. “That’s un-American!” Nestle said. These guidelines act as a helpful reminder in achieving a balanced diet and a healthier lifestyle that will be far from disease.

On Thursday, the government released the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. But the guidelines recommend eating as little cholesterol as possible because cholesterol often goes hand-in-hand with saturated fat.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Health and Human Services announced their updated dietary guidelines for the next five years, which focus on preventing chronic disease.