By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Feb. 20, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Stop chugging sugary soda and munching sweet treats. Cut back on red meats, butter and other sources of saturated fat. Lay off the salt shaker. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. And don't worry about having an egg and an extra cup of coffee with your breakfast.
These are the conclusions of the advisory panel that helps shape America's official dietary guidelines, and they appear to be about the same as they were back in 2010, the last time the guidelines were updated, dietitians say.
"What's good about the report is that much of it is reinforcing what we saw in 2010," said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis.
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee's report this year concludes that Americans are still eating far too much sugar, salt and saturated fat, increasing their risk of chronic and deadly illnesses.
Americans also aren't getting adequate levels of important nutrients such as vitamin D, calcium, potassium, fiber and iron, the committee found.
This consistent message could help Americans who want to eat right but are confused by constantly changing recommendations, Diekman said.
"What the committee has recommended is what the current science supports, which is our intake of added sugars and saturated fats is still too high. If we expect to reduce our risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity, we need to make a shift to more plant foods," she said. "Maybe if we go a second time around on 'this is what the science shows,' the consumer will hear the science-based message and consider change."
The worst foods for the American diet are burgers, sandwiches, tacos, pizza, desserts and sweet snacks, and sugar-sweetened beverages, the committee found.
Foods like burgers, tacos and pizza -- what the report calls "mixed dishes" -- are the main source of salt and saturated fat in the U.S. diet. They contribute 44 percent of Americans' sodium intake and 38 percent of saturated fat intake, according to the report.
Sugary soft drinks also are a major source of salt, and also supply 47 percent of Americans' added sugars. Snack cakes and sweets contribute 31 percent of added sugars and 18 percent of saturated fats.
source : U.S. Dietary Guidelines Take Aim at Sugar
