Time for Americans to subtract someadded sugars

The U.S. government released new dietary guidelines on Jan. 7, 2016. The guidelines recommend vegetables, whole

grains and lean meats, and warn against added sugars. Photo: PIxabay

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A few more eggs a week may not be so bad for you, but watch out

for that sugary drink.

By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.12.16

Word Count 631

The U.S. government has released new dietary guidelines. They give suggestions on what

Americans should eat. The government comes out with new guidelines every five years.

Some guidelines have changed. Experts used to think dietary cholesterol was unhealthy. It

is found in food like eggs. Now research is not so certain that cholesterol is related to heart

disease. The science is more complicated than what researchers thought before.

New Advice: Added Sugars Are Bad For You

There is also new advice about sugar. Experts say that sugar added to food is not good for

you. This is different from the sugar that occurs naturally in foods like fruit and milk. The

guidelines say added sugar should be about one-tenth of your daily calories. That fraction

is about 200 calories a day, or the amount in one large sugary drink. Added sugars are

considered to be empty calories, which have no nutritional value.

A group of doctors and nutrition experts came up with advice about what the guidelines

should say. They urged people to eat food that is good for the environment. They said

Americans should eat less red meat. Some research studies have found that raising cows

for red meat leads to environmental problems because the cows give off methane gas,

which contributes to air problems.

Some people were not happy with this advice. People in the meat business and some

lawmakers fought against it. The advice was dropped. It was not included in the

guidelines. The government still says red meats are part of a healthy eating pattern.

Main Message Hasn't Changed Much

The guidelines are intended to prevent Americans from being overweight and getting

disease. The guidelines influence many other things, such as the way food is described on

packages to school lunches to the doctor's advice.

The main message of the guidelines has not changed much over the years. Eat your fruits

and vegetables. Eat whole grains and seafood, too. Do not eat too much sugar, fat or salt.

This year, the government has a new message. It wants people to figure out what type of

healthy eating style works for them because every person is different. The government still

wants people to follow its main suggestions, but it also encourages small changes.

"Small changes can add up to big differences," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He

runs the Agriculture Department, the government agency responsible for food guidelines.

The Department came up with the guidelines along with the Department of Health and

Human Services, the government agency responsible for protecting the health of

Americans.

Time To Cut Back On Salt

Americans also need to eat less salt. The Centers for Disease for Disease Control and

Prevention is a government agency that monitors the nation's health. It found that 90

percent of people eat too much salt. The average person eats 3,400 milligrams of sodium

a day, and the government guidelines say everyone should lower that amount to 2,300, or

about a teaspoon.

In the old 2010 government guideline, it recommended that people with heart problems

should take in 1,500 milligrams. This year's guidelines does not include that number

though. Still, they say that those with heart problems could benefit with a salt reduction.

Guidelines Based On Science

The writing of this year's guidelines led to some disagreements in government. Some

Republicans thought President Barack Obama had gone too far in telling people what to

eat. Republicans often disagree with Obama, who is a Democrat.

In the end, the two sides agreed that the guidelines would be based on science. They also

agreed that the guidelines would only discuss nutritional and dietary information, not the

environment.

Quiz

1 Read the sentence from the section "New Advice: Added Sugars Are Bad For You."

Some research studies have found that raising cows for red meat

leads to environmental problems because the cows give off methane

gas, which contributes to air problems.

What is the meaning of the word "contributes" as used in the sentence?

(A) reduces

(B) improves

(C) removes

(D) increases

2 Read the sentence from the section "Main Message Hasn't Changed Much."

The guidelines are intended to prevent Americans from being

overweight and getting disease.

Which word would BEST replace the word "intended" without changing the meaning of the

sentence?

(A) designed

(B) expected

(C) promised

(D) supposed

3 Which section of the article MOST relates to the information in the charts?

(A) Introduction [paragraphs 1-3]

(B) "New Advice: Added Sugars Are Bad For You"

(C) "Main Message Hasn't Changed Much"

(D) "Guidelines Based On Science"

4 Look at the graph titled "Average added sugar intake as a percentage of total diet."

Based on the graph, which of the following statements is TRUE?

(A) Men eat more sugar than women do.

(B) People in every age group eat more sugar than is recommended.

(C) The guidelines for the amount of sugar recommended vary according to

age.

(D) People ages 19-30 eat more added sugar than people in any other age

group.

Answer Key

1 Read the sentence from the section "New Advice: Added Sugars Are Bad For You."

Some research studies have found that raising cows for red meat

leads to environmental problems because the cows give off methane

gas, which contributes to air problems.

What is the meaning of the word "contributes" as used in the sentence?

(A) reduces

(B) improves

(C) removes

(D) increases

2 Read the sentence from the section "Main Message Hasn't Changed Much."

The guidelines are intended to prevent Americans from being

overweight and getting disease.

Which word would BEST replace the word "intended" without changing the meaning of the

sentence?

(A) designed

(B) expected

(C) promised

(D) supposed

3 Which section of the article MOST relates to the information in the charts?

(A) Introduction [paragraphs 1-3]

(B) "New Advice: Added Sugars Are Bad For You"

(C) "Main Message Hasn't Changed Much"

(D) "Guidelines Based On Science"

4 Look at the graph titled "Average added sugar intake as a percentage of total diet."

Based on the graph, which of the following statements is TRUE?

(A) Men eat more sugar than women do.

(B) People in every age group eat more sugar than is recommended.

(C) The guidelines for the amount of sugar recommended vary according to

age.

(D) People ages 19-30 eat more added sugar than people in any other age

group.