Dietary Guidelines

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, gives science-based advice on food and physical activity choices for health. To see the full 80-page Dietary Guidelines report, click here.

What is a "Healthy Diet"?

The Dietary Guidelines describe a healthy diet as one that

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

The recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines and in www.mypyramid.gov are for the general public over 2 years of age. MyPyramid is not a therapeutic diet for any specific health condition. Individuals with a chronic health condition should consult with a health care provider to determine what dietary pattern is appropriate for them.

Development of Authoritative Statements: The content of this website is not appropriate for use in the development of authoritative statements, as provided for in the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act. This content has been developed based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, which has the potential to provide authoritative statements. Only statements included in the Executive Summary and Key Recommendations boxes of the Dietary Guidelines can be used for identification of authoritative statements.