1/31/11 New Dietary Guideline 2010

 

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010". 

 

What is this: Every 5 years the government is required by law to review, update, and publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They use recent scientific evidence to help update these guidelines. It has 6 chapters and about 95 pages.

Why is it important:  It has tons of valuable advice for free. It is used for teaching the general public about healthy eating

I'll be blogging about different sections of the guidelines throughout the next month. For now I'll leave you with the Selected Messages for Consumers:
 
Below was taken from the Dietary Guidelines 2010 
Take action of the Dietary Guidelines by making changes in these three areas.
Choose steps that work for you and start today. 

Balancing Calories
  • Enjoy your food, but eat less.
  • Avoid oversized portions.

Food to Increase
  • Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
  • Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Food to Reduce
  • Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals - and choose the foods with lower numbers.
  • Drink water instead of sugary drinks. 
Above is a great start to a healthier new you! 
 
For those interested in reading all of the guidelines... go to www.dietaryguidelines.gov