The NEW Dietary Guidelines & Food Guidance System: Applications for Dietitians

by Tracy Noerper MS, RD, LDN

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, provide a science-based blueprint for a healthy diet. The Guidelines are a food-first flexible guide - not a prescription. They offer advice to Americans ages 2 and over, and serve as a practical plan for achieving good health and disease prevention through the diet.

April 2005 brought the release of USDA's long-anticipated Food Guidance System which mirrors the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines. The new Food Guidance System is called " MyPyramid: Steps to a Healthier You " and includes a comprehensive interactive website that features a MyPyramid Meal Plan and MyPyramid Tracker, among many other helpful, individualized components. Importantly, the new pyramid is not a o ne-size-fits-all plan. In fact, MyPyramid can help individuals choose from twelve differing plans that customize foods and amounts that are right for the individual. MyPyramid also visually emphasizes the importance of being physically activity each day.

The Guidelines and MyPyramid both suggest eating more nutrient-rich super foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy foods while choosing foods that limit intakes of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol. Specific dietary recommendations include:

• Focus On Fruits and Vary Your Veggies: Each day, eat at least 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables. Select from fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits rather than fruit juice. Choose more vegetables that are dark green or orange in color as well as peas and beans.
• Whole Grains: At least half all grain choices should be from whole grain sources. Look to see that grains such as wheat, rice, oats or corn are referred to as "whole" on the ingredient list.
• Milk and Milk Group Foods: Consume at least 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods daily to ensure adequate consumption of important nutrients such as calcium, vitamin A, magnesium and potassium. Science shows that consuming at least 3 servings of dairy foods every day helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, hypertension and obesity.
• Fat: Total fat should be between 20-35 percent of calories with most fats coming from poly- and monounsaturated fat sources. Read food labels to keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
• Sugar: Choose and prepare foods with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners.
• Salt: Consume less than 2,300 mg of salt per day and include potassium-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.
• Alcohol: If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Moderation is defined as up to one drink/day for women and up to two drinks/day for men.

In summary, the Dietary Guidelines and Food Guidance System are ultimately designed to help individuals make smart choices from every food group, find a balance between food and physical activity, and get the most nutrition out of calories consumed. To learn more about the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid , go to www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines and www.mypyramid.gov, respectively.