2015 Dietary Guidelines

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 vegetables
2 cups of fruit
6 ounces of grain, preferably 50% of these will be whole grains
6 cups of dairy
5.5 ounces of protein

Per week while adhering to the American diet one should consume:
5 cups of starchy vegetables
5.5 cups of red and orange vegetables
1.5 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