WASHINGTON– EWG’s new Dietary Guidelines give people solid nutrition advice and highlight the shortcomings of the Obama administration’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans released earlier this month, which were confusing to consumers and overly influenced by the $1 trillion-a-year food industry.
“These guidelines serve the public interest, not the vested interests,” said Ken Cook, president and co-founder of EWG.
The government’s guidelines watered down evidence that a plant-based diet is better for health and the environment by not clearly advising Americans to eat less meat. These guidelines did not explain the serious health risks of exposure to mercury in certain fish. Nor did they urge people to cut down on soft drinks, the main source of added sugars in the American diet.
“What we eat probably has greater impact on our health and well-being than nearly any other choice we make,” said Emily Cassidy, research analyst and one of the authors of EWG’s Dietary Guidelines. “We know that a diet that is good for people’s health is better for land and water. Because of the business interests and politics at play, the federal government did not give people the solid guidance they need about how to eat a diet that is both healthy and good for the planet. EWG’s Dietary Guidelines do just that.”
“Today, we are fortunate to have consensus on what is (and isn’t) better nutrition. It’s not one-size fits all but it is based in the solid advice EWG presents here,” said Ashley Koff, RD, of The Better Nutrition Simplified Program.
The five key recommendations made in EWG’s Dietary Guidelines are:
Read more about these recommendations by visiting For Your Health and the Environment: EWG’s Dietary Guidelines.
From EWG.com