Food Guidelines

How do the new food guidelines affect people with diabetes?

The new Dietary Guidelines released by USDA and HHS confirm that a healthy diet for people with diabetes is a healthy diet for everyone. The new guidelines are consistent with ADA's nutrition recommendations so you and your family are likely already following them.

The Dietary Guidelines can be accessed at www.healthierus.gov. A rundown of the key messages include:

• Choose a variety of nutrient dense foods and beverages among the basic food groups
  
• Balance calories from foods and beverages with physical activity to manage body weight.
  
• Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains often
  
• Eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables daily (for someone eating 2,000 calories)
  
• Make at least half the grains you eat whole grain
  
• Decrease saturated fats and trans fatty acids by choosing lean meats and poultry, low-fat or non-fat dairy products
  
• Substitute monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats (from fish, nuts and vegetable oils) for saturated and trans fat fats
  
• Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners
  
• Eat less than 2,300 mg per day of sodium
  
• Limit alcohol to no more than 1 drink for women and 2 drinks for men
  
• Regular physical activity of at least 30 minutes a day for adults and 60 minutes for children

The revised Food Guide that will compliment the Dietary Guidelines is expected this spring. It will provide an updated graphic and guidance to the current USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The revised food guide is expected to provide amounts from each food group Appendix A-2 (page 53) in the Dietary Guidelines, contains the suggested amounts of food from each food group based on calorie levels that will be illustrated by the new food guide.

To view a joint response to the guidelines from the American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society and the American Heart association, read the Assocation's press release.