The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been published every 5 years since 1980. The Guidelines provide authoritative advice for people 2 years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases. They serve as the basis for federal food and nutrition education programs.¹

The following table describes the number of servings needed for a healthy adult based on a 2000-calorie diet.

	Food Group		Amount		What is it?		Equivalent amounts
	Grains		6 ounces		Any bread, pasta, cereal or rice Choose at least 3 ounces from whole grains—whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, bulgur, brown rice		2-ounce equivalents: 2 slices of bread 1/2 bagel 2 tortillas 1 cup cooked rice 1 cup cooked pasta
	Fruits		2 cups		Any fruit or 100% fruit juice Can be frozen, canned, raw, cooked, dried Choose from a variety of colors		1-cup equivalents: Small banana, apple, mango 8 ounces orange juice 32 grapes 1/2 cup dried fruit
	Vegetables		2.5 cups		Any vegetable, 100% vegetable juice or beans Can be frozen, canned, raw, cooked, dried Choose from a variety of colors		1-cup equivalents: 1 cup cooked bok choy, kale, spinash 12 baby carrots 1 cup cooked beans 2 cups lettuce
	Milk and Milk Products		3 cups		Milk and foods made from milk Choose fat-free and low-fat products		1-cup equivalents: 1 cup milk 1-1/2 ounces cheese 1 cup yogurt 1-1/2 cups ice cream
	Meats, Beans,and Nuts		5.5 ounces		All foods made from meat, poultry, fish; dry beans or peas; eggs, nuts and seeds Choose lean meats Choose fish, nuts or seeds over meat and poultry		1-ounce equivalents: 1 egg 12 almonds 1 tablespoon peanut butter 1/4 cup tofu 1/4 cup cooked beans 1 ounce poultry, fish, meat

Because fats and oils contain essential fatty acids, there is an allowance for 6 teaspoons of oils in the food guide. However, most people consume enough oil in the foods that they eat, such as nuts, fish, cooking oil and salad dressing.

Several food groups are under-consumed by most Americans; specifically, vegetables, fruits, milk and whole grains. The specific recommendations for under-consumed food groups are:

Vegetables:

• Eat more dark green vegetables.
• Eat more orange vegetables.
• Eat more dry beans and peas.

Fruit:

• Eat a variety of fruit.
• Choose fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit.
• Go easy on fruit juices.

Milk:

• Go low-fat or fat-free.
• If you don’t or can’t consume milk, choose lactose-free products or other calcium sources.

Grains:

• Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice or pasta every day.
• Look for the word "whole" before the grain name on the list of ingredients.

To find specific recommendations for your age and activity level, go to mypyramid.gov

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the basis for federal nutrition policy. The MyPyramid Food Guidance System provides food-based guidance to help implement the recommendations of the Guidelines. MyPyramid was based on both the Dietary Guidelines and the Dietary Reference Intakes from the National Academy of Sciences, while taking into account current consumption patterns of Americans.

MyPyramid translates the Dietary Guidelines into a total diet that meets nutrient needs from food sources and aims to moderate or limit dietary components often consumed in excess. MyPyramid provides web-based interactive and print materials for consumers.

The process for developing MyPyramid is outlined in a number of articles published as a supplement to the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior in November/December 2006.²

There are four overarching themes in the MyPyramid food guidance system:

Variety—Eat foods from all food groups and subgroups.
Proportionality—Eat more of some foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk products), and less of others (foods high in saturated or trans fats, added sugars, cholesterol, salt or alcohol.).
Moderation—Choose forms of foods that limit intake of saturated or trans fats, added sugars, cholesterol, salt and alcohol.
Activity—Be physically active every day.

The handout Use MyPyramid to Make Healthy Choices provides practical suggestions for adults to meet these guidelines and is available in both English and Spanish.

MyPyramid For Kids is a handout that describes these guidelines to children.
Color MyPyramid coloring worksheet teaches the food groups to young children and MyPyramid Match Game teaches to same principles in a fun, interactive online game.

Dietary patterns are related to overall health. It is well documented that eating a low-fiber, high-fat diet and drinking excess alcohol increases the risk of developing disease. In contrast, a dietary pattern high in low-fat dairy products, fruit and vegetables can promote health. An example of a dietary pattern that promotes health is the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Eating Plan. This eating plan is not a weight loss diet but illustrates how to eat in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines. While originally developed to study the effects of an eating pattern on the prevention and treatment of hypertension, DASH is one example of a balanced eating plan that is consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. The consumer handout DASH Study: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and website, DASH Diet Eating Plan provide more specifics on the DASH eating pattern.

Vitamins and minerals work in conjunction with other nutrients and are essential to facilitate all bodily functions. Vitamins and minerals aid in the digestion of nutrients and assist with protein synthesis to building healthy bones. Calcium and potassium are abundant in dairy products. Fluid milk and some other dairy products are fortified with vitamin D.

Protein
The current U.S. recommendation according to the Institute of Medicine is that adults should consume between ten and 35 percent of their calories from protein. These recommendations were established with the goal of preventing deficiency, but newer research indicates that many adults may benefit from eating more than the minimum requirement. These findings are presented May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition³ describing the conclusions of a Protein Summit, which brought together the world’s leading scientists in protein research. The summit participants agreed that many adults, particularly those who are overweight or obese and older Americans may benefit from eating up to 35 percent of their calories from protein. The summit's conclusions complement examination of evidence by the International Dietary Energy Consultancy Group (IDECG), World Health Organization/Food and Agricultural Organization and Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) panel, which has determined that there is either a benefit or no harm with protein intakes three to four times the minimum requirement. This means that adults can safely eat up to 35 percent of their total calories as protein, and there may be some health benefits in doing so. Since most Americans are consuming protein in the lower end of the recommended range (about 13-16 percent), there is room for adding more high-quality protein to their diets while still being in the recommended range outlined as safe.⁴

Calcium
Calcium is the most abundant of the minerals in the human body and 99% of it is contained in bones and teeth. Calcium has many functions in the body:

• Helps bones remain strong by slowing the rate of bone loss with age
• Helps with muscle contraction
• Plays a role in normal nerve function
• Helps with blood clotting ⁵

A diet rich in calcium is important throughout the lifecycle. Fracture incidence among children has increased by one-third in boys and one-half in girls compared to a generation ago.⁶ A diet high in calcium, especially during the adolescent years, helps build bone mass to prevent osteoporosis later in life, as well as reducing fracture risk now and later. It is recommended that school-age children consume between 800 -1,300 mg of calcium per day (see table below). To achieve this goal, MyPyramid recommends that younger children consume 2 cups of milk group foods and children over 9 years of age need three cups of from the milk group per day. Seven out of 10 boys and 9 out of 10 girls are currently not consuming adequate dietary calcium.⁷

The best food sources of calcium are dairy products, especially milk, cheese and yogurt. Seafood such as salmon and sardines (eaten with the bones) and vegetables such as broccoli and kale have good amounts of calcium. Some substances enhance or inhibit absorption of calcium into the blood. Vitamin D enhances absorption, as does lactose (milk sugar), other sugars, and protein. To determine your current calcium consumption from food choices, try the Calcium Quiz.

Potassium
Potassium is another mineral that is naturally abundant in dairy products and is under-consumed by Americans. It works in the body to:

• Help regulate fluids and mineral balance in and out of body cells
• Helps maintain normal blood pressure
• Helps transmit nerve impulses or signals
• Helps muscle contraction

The best sources of potassium include fruits (bananas, cantaloupe and oranges), milk, leafy green vegetables, legumes, meat and fish. Less-processed foods tend to have more potassium.

Vitamin D
Prior to the fortification of milk products with vitamin D, rickets was a major public health problem. In the United States, milk has been fortified with 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D per quart since the 1930s, leading to a dramatic decline in the number of rickets cases.

• Help the body absorb calcium and phosphorus in milk and other foods
• Help regulate normal blood pressure
• Help transmit nerve impulses
• Help with muscle contraction

The recommended intake is based on age and is listed in the table below. Recent research has found many additional health benefits of vitamin D, including reduced risk of some cancers, immune function and cognitive performance. Some researchers would like to see the recommendation increased up to 2,000 IU per day, especially in older people and other high-risk groups. When the committee meets again to reconsider the dietary recommendation, it will likely be increased.

The best dietary sources of vitamin D are from animal sources such as fortified milk and orange juice. It is also found naturally in eggs and some fish (salmon, tuna and sardines)⁸. Vitamin D can also be made in the skin with 10 – 15 minutes exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun. The number of cases of nutritional rickets has been on the rise in recent years. The current upper limit for vitamin D is 2,000 IU a day, but this may increase if the recommendations are increased. For more information about vitamin D, check out Vitamin D: What You Should Know About the Sunshine Vitamin.

Recommended nutrient intakes per day based on age:

	Age (in years)		Calcium (mg per day)		Vitamin D (IU per day)		Potassium (mg per day)
	4-8		800		200		3,800
	9-13		1,300		200		4,500
	14-18		1,300		200		4,700
	19-50		1,000		200		4,700
	51+		1,200		400		4,700
	70+				600
	Pregnant		1,300 for ≤18; 1,000 for 19+		200		4,700
	Lactating		1,300 for ≤18; 1,000 for 19+		200		5,100
	Recommended Upper Limit		2,500mg		2000		ND

Return to Dairy Facts Overview page.

¹Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, 6th ed, 2005: www.healthierus. gov/dietaryguidelines
²Murphy SP J Nutr Educ Behav 2006;38:S77
³Rodriquez NR and Garlick PJ, AmJ Clin Nutr, 87(Supp1): 1551S-1583S, 2008
⁴Fulgoni V American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008;87
⁵Larson Duff R. American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 2nd Edition, Wiley & Sons, 2002
⁶ Khosla et al. JAMA 2003;17;290(11):1479-85.
⁷Kranz S et al. J Pediatr 2007; 151(6) 642-6.
⁸Gropper S et al. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 4th ed. Wadsworth, 2005: 343-52, 378-91,404-05
⁹ National Academy of Sciences, Dietary Reference Intakes, 2004