What Are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?

“Make every bite count.” You might think that phrase came from one of the many nutritional gurus on the Internet or in the thousands of books written about the best way to eat. Fact is, that’s the tagline from the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 (DGA). Do you know what’s contained in those guidelines? We often see criticism of the DGA by those gurus, but they seem to be obsessed only with the supposed high carbohydrate levels and how bad that is for us. I thought we should review the guidelines so we understand the facts.

The most important change I see is an emphasis on nutrition in a baby’s first year and then at various life stages. The main focus, whatever the age group, is to focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages, and stay within calorie limits. Two concepts there that we shouldn’t miss: food first and don’t overeat for your health and activity pattern. A healthy dietary pattern consists of the same nutrient composition in the foods and beverages across all food groups, in recommended amounts, and within calorie limits.

Here are the core elements that make up a healthy dietary pattern:

■ Vegetables of all types: dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables

■ Fruits, especially whole fruit

■ Grains, at least half of which are whole grain

■ Dairy, including fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, and/or lactose-free versions and fortified soy beverages and yogurt as alternatives

■ Protein foods, including lean meats, poultry, and eggs; seafood; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products

■ Oils, including vegetable oils and oils in food, such as seafood and nuts That’s it. Sounds reasonable to me—how about you? I’ll talk about what is unreasonable and the most important recommendation of the DGA on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?