SearchAlmost all federal food and nutrition policies and programs are based on the dietary recommendations set by the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines focus on making small shifts to your daily eating to improve your overall health. They are science-based and intended to help Americans choose healthy eating patterns to prevent disease. As a dietitian, I use these recommendations to educate the public on how to improve or maintain their health through nutrition, and I have compiled a summary of the guidelines for you.
- Follow a healthy eating pattern throughout life.
- A healthy eating pattern consists of eating all food groups and beverages within an appropriate calorie limit.
- Focus on a variety of nutrient-dense foods and pay attention to the amount of food you eat.
- Vegetables: Eat dark green, red and orange vegetables. Beans, peas and starchy vegetables are also good.
- Fruits: Whole fruits are preferred. They can be fresh, frozen, canned or dried.
- Grains: Make at least half of the grains you eat whole grains like oats, brown rice, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, quinoa, millet, barley, etc.
- Dairy: Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy such as milk, yogurt, cheese and soy beverages.
- Protein: Include a variety such as seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products.
- Oils: Oils are unsaturated fats and considered “healthy fats” that supply essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
- Reduce added sugars, saturated fats and sodium intake as part of a healthy eating pattern.
- Consume less than 10% of calories from added sugar per day
- Consume less than 10% of calories from saturated fats daily
- Consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day
- Switch to healthier food and drink options.
- Choose healthier options like fruit, whole grains, unsalted snacks, oils, no sugar added drinks and nutrient-dense snacks instead of baked goods with fruit, refined grains, snacks with added sugar, solid fats and sugar sweetened drinks.
- Support healthy eating patterns for everyone.
- All of us have a role to play, whether in our homes, schools, workplaces, communities or even restaurants we need to find ways to encourage affordable, accessible and easy healthy options.
- Don’t forget physical activity.
- When you are trying to improve your health, physical fitness is an important component of healthy living.