ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New dietary guidelines are out from the U. S. departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, and they include some firsts.
These guidelines, which are updated and released every five years, include healthy dietary patterns by life stage, from birth to adulthood.
The theme is "make every bite count," and though the guidelines recommend limiting added sugars, saturated fat, and alcohol, instead of focusing on more restrictive rules, they're instead trying to get people to enjoy nutrient-dense foods at every stage of life.
"It's not what you should do. It's what you can and want to do. So, if you look at these guidelines and something resonates with you, start to move toward it. Because that's the overall message is what can we do at each stage of our life that can improve our health long-term," said Jill Chodak, UR Medicine Center for Community Health and Prevention clinical dietitian.
It's also important to keep in mind that these guidelines are set for healthy Americans.
If you have a chronic condition, you're encouraged to talk with your doctor, or a licensed clinical dietitian.
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