Dietary “Patterns” Figure Prominently In Upcoming Guidelines For Americans

A nutritional advisory panel has taken a different stance in its recommendations to the federal government for the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Rather than offer advice on individual foods and nutrients, the committee based its recommendations on general dietary practices that correlate with positive health outcomes. What’s important is “the totality of diet” because we eat complex meals with combinations of foods and nutrients. The panel focused on three dietary patterns: the healthful U.S.-style, the healthful Mediterranean-style, and the healthful vegetarian. The three encourage a high intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, legumes and nuts; moderate intake of low-fat and nonfat dairy products and alcohol; and low intake of red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, and refined grains.