New Dietary Guidelines Call for Less Salt, Sugar and Fat and More Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts

Posted: Aug 31 in Post-Bariatric Diet by Staff

Are you trying to adjust your diet to lose weight, live longer, and feel better? The newly proposed 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services may give you some insight on what changes to make.

The government’s dietary recommendations are updated every five years, and this most recent report has undoubtedly been influenced by America’s obesity epidemic.

New guidelines from the proposed plan include reducing sodium intake from 2,300 milligrams to 1,500 milligrams per day. Experts note that meeting these new limits will require changes to food preparation and manufacturing, not just using less table salt. While we wait for food manufacturers to adjust their formulas, one way to start reducing sodium is to eat fewer processed foods and more whole foods that are naturally low in sodium.

The updated proposal also encourages Americans to focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. While proteins are still important, new recommendations suggesting limiting lean meats, proteins and eggs to more moderate proportions. People are encouraged to eliminate, or at least drastically reduce, the amount of sugary beverages and saturated fats from their diet.

While these guidelines are designed to help individuals make healthier food choices, experts note that a change in what is being offered is also important. Restaurants and food manufacturers are encouraged to offer more healthy foods with the occasional splurge instead of a wide variety of unhealthy options with a few healthy exceptions.