US Dietary Guidelines
New US 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines! What is the latest dietary advice from the US government? Click Here for your free PDF: Dietary Guidelines For Americans 2015-2020. Every five years the US government revises its dietary guidelines. The newest guidelines were issued on January 7, 2016. This update focuses on food and food patterns rather than nutrients. These food patterns are customizable so they can be altered to suit our individual needs. Getting the right food combinations means that the nutrients should be taken care of. Some of the highlights of this new update are listed below. More Fruits and Vegetables: The latest guidelines recommend more fruits and vegetables in the American diet.  A plant based diet is recommended which is low in red meat and processed meat. A plant based diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and grains. About 2 1/2 cups per day are recommended from vegetables and starches and about 2 cups per day from whole fruits. Lower Sugar Intake: Americans are advised to reduce sugar intake to about 10% of their total diet. The World Health Organization suggests 5%. Americans are reportedly consuming an average of about 22 teaspoons of sugar per day. Based on a 2000 calorie per day diet, a 10% intake means about 12 teaspoons per day, 5% is about 6 per day. No Limit on Cholesterol: Although there is no limit on cholesterol, the government did add, "individuals should eat as little dietary cholesterol as possible" because "foods that are higher in dietary cholesterol, such as fatty meats and high-fat dairy products, are also higher in saturated fats." Eggs, for example, are high in cholesterol and not high in saturated fat. Eat Protein: The 2015-2020 guidelines emphasize eating protein from lean meat, poultry, and seafood,. It specifically mentions eating at least 8 ounces of seafood per week. The guidelines also indicate that American men and boys are eating too much protein. How much protein is enough? If you are a meat eater, the guidelines recommend that this food subgroup of meat, poultry, and eggs should be 26 oz. per week (based on a 2000 calorie diet). Alcohol is OK: According to these guidelines, alcohol in moderation is alright. This means about one drink per day for women and two for men. Coffee is In:  Drinking coffee in moderation is OK. About three to five cups per day is considered moderate and acceptable. Coffee is believed to possibly help reduce our risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease as well as Parkinson's disease. Rethink Fat: Although fat guidelines are still at 10% of our caloric intake, the new guidelines put more emphasis on "good fat" such as Omega-3 from fish. "Bad fat" is saturated fat which can come from meat. poultry, and dairy. Fat free or low fat dairy product such as milk, yogurt, and cheese is OK, amounts depend on age. Reduce Salt: The new guidelines recommend that Americans eat no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day. The American Heart Association recommends that we limit our intake to 1500 milligrams per day. Salt is suspected of leading to high blood pressure. Three Diet Models: The US dietary guidelines models three different diets. The Healthy American Diet, The Mediterranean Diet, and The Vegetarian Diet. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/ Advertisement: |
