HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have released the "2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" — the 8th edition of the country's resource for evidence-based nutrition recommendations for the general public, policymakers and healthcare professionals.
The guidelines reaffirm familiar recommendations such as consuming a variety of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and shifting to healthier beverage choices.
However, the 2015 edition also includes new suggestions for added sugars, sodium and cholesterol and new information on caffeine. For example, this is the first time the government has recommend a quantitative limit on consuming less than 10 percent of calories from added sugars.
According to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, a big part of protecting the health of Americans is providing them with the resources to make health choices every day.
"By focusing on small shifts in what we eat and drink, eating healthy becomes more manageable," said Secretary Burwell. "The Dietary Guidelines provide science-based recommendations on food and nutrition so people can make decisions that may help keep their weight under control, and prevent chronic conditions, like Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease."
To access the full "2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans," click here.
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