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New US Dietary Guidelines Crack Down On Sugar

The federal government released an updated dietary guideline today but for many of us, the information wasn’t new. It also wasn’t as complete as we would like to see but, baby steps.

Their advice focused on ways to prevent chronic illness, how to establish healthy eating plans for a long life, and limiting calories, especially from saturated fats, trans fats and added sugars. In fact, the report issued says that “less than 10 percent of calories per day” (and we currently consume almost twice that much) should come from sugar. The report also points to studies showing a link between trans fats and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, the hope being rooting out chronic diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.

Sadly, the guide won’t recommend eating a limited amount of red meat but does suggest that Americans use multiple protein sources like seafood, lean meats, poultry, eggs, legumes, soy and nuts and seeds. It also seems to list suggested foods in order of importance (maybe that’s wishful thinking). If that is the case, it’s nice to see the top turned over. Gone is a meat heavy dietary base. From health.gov:
  • 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

It is also recommended that Americans eat far less sodium; we currently consume an average of 3,440 milligrams per day but the new guideline suggests less than 2,300 milligrams per day for adults. “Alcohol consumption, if any, should be moderate, but “it is not recommended that individuals begin drinking or drink more for any reason,””, reports The Daily Meal, about the guideline.

It is comforting to know that the US Dept. of Health and Human Services is attempting to protect our health and give people who don’t seek out the information on their own, better tools to treat their bodies with better care. As I mentioned at the top of the article, baby steps…and in this case, those steps are better than nothing and might save a life.

To see the new dietary guideline for Americans, click here.

Source: The Daily Meal and Health.gov