The U.S. the government publishes dietary guidelines every five years and the 2020 edition just came out yesterday. There are no huge changes, but babies and toddlers are included for the first time and once again remind us that almost all of us eat too much sugar.
Dietary guidelines form the basis of what is included in federal programs such as school lunches, but few people follow them. The government reports that the average diet of Americans only aligns around 59% with the guidelines. And while the guidelines are always controversial in one way or another, we’d probably all be at least a little better off if we ate more as they say we should.
There is no pyramid or graph to traverse with the current edition, only tips like the following “four general guidelines”:
- Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every stage of life.
- Personalize and enjoy nutrient-dense foods and beverages to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budget considerations.
- Focus on meeting the needs of the food group with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and stay within calorie limits.
- Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium, and limit alcoholic beverages.
Regarding the details: added sugars and saturated fats are limited to 10% of calories from 2 years; sodium should be less than 2,300 milligrams a day (less if you are under 14) and the maximum number of drinks a day is one for women and two for men. Of course per day not even an average for the week.
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Nutrient-dense foods, according to the USDA, include “vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, eggs, beans, peas and lentils, unsalted nuts and seeds, low-fat, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry. “When cooked without too much sugar, fat or additional sodium.
There are recommendations for pregnant or lactating people and for older adults. This set of guidelines is also the first to include babies and young children, and we reported it recommendations for the little ones as they were being discussed earlier this year.