How you should eat according to USDA 2020 dietary guidelines

U.S. The government publishes dietary rules every five years and 2020 edition it just came out yesterday. There are no huge changes, but babies and young children are included for the first time and once again we are reminded that almost all of us eat too much sugar.

Dietary guidelines are the basis for what is included in federal programs, such as school lunches, but few people actually follow them. The government reports that the average diet of Americans is only about 59% in line 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 like they say we should..

There is no pyramid or graphics board with the current edition, only tips such as the following “four general guidelines”:

• Follow a healthy diet at every stage of your life.
• Personalize and enjoy nutrient-rich foods and beverages to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budget considerations.
• Focus on meeting the needs of the food group with nutrient foods and drinks and stay within your calorie limits.
• Limit foods and beverages richer in added sugars, saturated fats and sodium and limit alcoholic beverages.

Regarding the specifics: added sugars and saturated fats are each limited to 10% of calories from the age of 2; sodium should be less than 2,300 milligrams per day (less if you are under 14) and the maximum number of drinks per day is one for women and two for men. That’s it per day, not an average for the week.

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 poultry. yard ”When cooked without too much sugar, fat or extra sodium.

There are recommendations for pregnant or breastfeeding people and for older adults. This set of guidelines is also the first to include babies and toddlers and I reported on that recommendations for the little ones because they were discussed earlier this year.