The long awaited 2015 Dietary Guidelines were finally released in early January. The USDA recommends three diet types: the Mediterranean diet; the American diet; and the Vegetarian diet. We, being big fans, were very pleased to see the Mediterranean diet on the list due to its known cardiovascular benefits. The big emphasis across all three diets in the 2015 dietary guidelines was on variety in food groups and choices.
Some takeaways from the American Diet, based on a 2,000kcal per day diet one should consume:2.5 cups of vegetables2 cups of fruit6 ounces of grain, preferably 50% of these will be whole grains6 cups of dairy5.5 ounces of protein
Per week while adhering to the American diet one should consume:5 cups of starchy vegetables5.5 cups of red and orange vegetables1.5 cups of dark green vegetables
For more information read CNN’s summary on all three diets and food group recommendations: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/health/dietary-guidelines-mediterranean-vegetarian-diet/index.html