The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been developed jointly by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), to provide recommendations based on current scientific knowledge about how dietary intake can reduce risk for major chronic diseases.
The most recent publication was released in 2015 (they come out every 5 years).
It’s a hefty publication. So, today, I wanted to share with you simply their key recommendations:
- Consume a healthy eating pattern that accounts for all foods and beverages within an appropriate calorie level.
- A healthy eating pattern includes:
- A variety of vegetables from all of the subgroups—dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other
- Fruits, especially whole fruits
- Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
- Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages
- A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), and nuts, seeds, and soy products
- Oils
- A healthy eating pattern limits:
- Saturated fats and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium
Key Recommendations that are quantitative are provided for several components of the diet that should be limited. These components are of particular public health concern in the United States, and the specified limits can help individuals achieve healthy eating patterns within calorie limits:
- Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars
- Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats
- Consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium
- If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.
Essentially, with these last items, moderation should be the plan and execution within your nutrition intake. (Y’all know I don’t like the word, “diet,” haha!)
To read more into the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, check it out here! (http://bit.ly/2vFen14)
Education is powerful. When we know better – when we know the scientific recommendations for healthful eating – we can do better. Are there any areas that you need to adjust your habits to? How could you implement a few changes starting just today, just this week? New habits are easier to maintain once started – many times it takes a lot more energy to get the change going, until we are simply maintaining it.
Healthy feels good!
Have a wonderful rest of your week! If you have any specific questions regarding health, fitness, and wellness, please reach out to me and let me know! I would love to cover it!