Yesterday was a big day for the USDA as they officially released their new Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Every 5 years the USDA is required by law to review and update if necessary their Dietary Guidelines. This report weights in at 453 pages and states it is a science-based report ready to help provide the American people with the guidelines they need to take control of their health.
Take the time to read through all 453 pages and you will find the report able to help you in 2 areas of your life, it will put you to sleep and you can drop it on bugs to squish them. Now I know that I am sounding anti-USDA, but what frustrates me about the report is why do we need 453 pages to tell us how to eat better? And believe it or not over 100 pages of the document just lists credits.
After going over the document I did find some good information that you may find useful and agree with. I will post it here in less than 1 page.
- Energy intake balanced with expenditure
- More hours of active play
- Greatly reduced intake of sugar-sweetened beverages
- Increased intake of vegetables and fruits
- Smaller amounts of fruit juice, especially for overweight children
- Smaller portions of foods and beverages
- Infrequent consumption of meals from quick service (i.e., fast food) restaurants
- Habitual consumption of breakfast
- Fewer hours of screen time (e.g., television, computer)
If you look over the list above I think you will find that you agree and understand most of the points the USDA makes. One I would like to bring to the focus is “Smaller amounts of fruit juice”. This is one many don’t understand because we are told fruit juice is natural so it is good for us. The issue is the large amount of sugar (fructose) contained in the juice, which puts a large burden on the liver. To understand more about this read the article, Fructose: Is it Killing Your Liver?
Keep in mind the basics of a healthy Lifestyle (Diet & Lifestyle) and you will be well on your way to a better healthy life. Don’t forget we offer the free Advancing Your Health With RealFoods eClass. Take the quiz to see how health knowledgeable you are.