Dietary Guidelines and Dietary Patterns

Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025-2030)

Key Recommendation	Detail
Eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods	Across all food groups
Limit added sugars	< 10% of daily calories
Limit saturated fat	< 10% of daily calories
Limit sodium	< 2,300 mg per day
Limit alcohol	≤ 2 drinks/day men, ≤ 1 drink/day women
Balance calories	Maintain healthy weight

Food Groups and Recommended Daily Amounts

Food Group	1,600 kcal	2,000 kcal	2,400 kcal	2,800 kcal	1 serving =
Vegetables	2 cups	2.5 cups	3 cups	3.5 cups	1 cup raw or 0.5 cup cooked
Fruits	1.5 cups	2 cups	2 cups	2.5 cups	1 cup or 1 medium fruit
Grains	5 oz-eq	6 oz-eq	8 oz-eq	10 oz-eq	1 slice bread or 0.5 cup rice
Dairy	3 cups	3 cups	3 cups	3 cups	1 cup milk or yogurt
Protein foods	5 oz-eq	5.5 oz-eq	6.5 oz-eq	7 oz-eq	1 oz meat, 1 egg, 0.25 cup beans
Oils	22 g	27 g	31 g	36 g	1 tsp = 4 g

MyPlate

Component	Recommendation
Fill half your plate	Fruits and vegetables
Fill one-quarter	Grains (at least half whole grains)
Fill one-quarter	Protein (variety)
Side of dairy	Low-fat or fat-free

Dietary Patterns

Mediterranean Diet

Feature	Description
Key foods	Olive oil (primary fat), fish, legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, moderate wine
Limited	Red meat (< 1x/week), processed foods, sweets, dairy (in moderation)
Health benefits	↓ Cardiovascular disease, ↓ cancer, ↓ cognitive decline, longevity
Evidence	PREDIMED trial: 30% ↓ major cardiovascular events

DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

Feature	Description
Key foods	Low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, nuts, legumes
Limited	Sodium (1,500-2,300 mg/day), saturated fat, sweets, red meat
Health benefits	↓ Blood pressure (8-14 mmHg systolic), ↓ LDL cholesterol
Evidence	DASH trial, DASH-Sodium trial (NIH)

Vegetarian and Vegan Diets

Feature	Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian	Vegan
Includes	Dairy, eggs, plant foods	Plant foods only
Nutrients to monitor	Iron, zinc, B₁₂ (especially vegans)	B₁₂ (must supplement), iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin D, omega-3 (DHA/EPA)
Health benefits	↓ BMI, ↓ heart disease, ↓ type 2 diabetes	Similar but more pronounced
Complete protein	Combine legumes + grains	Same, plus fortified foods

Other Patterns

Pattern	Description	Benefits
Nordic diet	Rye, oats, berries, fish, rapeseed oil, root vegetables	↓ Inflammation, ↓ CVD
Japanese diet	Fish, rice, vegetables, soy, seaweed, green tea	Longevity, ↓ CVD
MIND diet	Mediterranean + DASH (focus on brain-healthy foods)	↓ Alzheimer risk (53% with high adherence)

Nutrition Facts Label

Component	What to Look For
Serving size	All values based on this amount
Calories	Per serving
Total fat	< 10% saturated, 0% trans fat
Sodium	< 5% DV (low) to > 20% DV (high)
Added sugars	< 10% of daily calories
Dietary fiber	≥ 10% DV (good source), ≥ 20% DV (excellent)
Vitamin D, Ca, Fe, K	≥ 10% DV (good source)

Daily Value (DV) Reference

Nutrient	DV (based on 2,000 kcal)
Total fat	78 g
Saturated fat	20 g
Cholesterol	300 mg
Sodium	2,300 mg
Total carbohydrate	275 g
Dietary fiber	28 g
Added sugars	50 g
Protein	50 g
Vitamin D	20 mcg
Calcium	1,300 mg
Iron	18 mg
Potassium	4,700 mg