The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released today.

WASHINGTON — The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans released today differ from the 2010 version in that they do not refer to any limit on cholesterol. The new guidelines also include changes on sodium consumption that differ from the 2010 guidelines. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends less than 10% of daily calories should come from added sugars and less than 10% of daily calories should come from saturated fat.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture jointly publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years. Each edition reflects the body of nutrition science. The Dietary Guidelines provides evidence-based food and beverage recommendations for Americans ages 2 and older. The recommendations aim to promote health, prevent chronic disease, and help people reach and maintain a healthy weight.

While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommended people consume less than 300 mg per day of dietary cholesterol, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines do not.

“The U.S. has joined many other countries and expert groups like the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology that do not have an upper limit for cholesterol intake in their dietary guidelines,” said Mitch Kanter, Ph.D., executive director of the Egg Nutrition Center, which is funded by the American Egg Board.

The sodium recommendations changed, too. The new version recommends adults and children ages 14 years and over should limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. Children younger than 14 should consume even less sodium.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines said people should reduce sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day and that intake should be reduced further to 1,500 mg per day among people who are 51 and older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a healthy eating pattern includes:

*A variety of vegetables: dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy and other vegetables;

*Fruits, especially whole fruit;

*Grains, at least half of which are whole grain;

*Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages;

*A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), soy products, and nuts and seeds;

*Oils, including those from plants: canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower. Oils also are naturally present in nuts, seeds, seafood, olives, and avocados.