New Guidelines Supported Dairy Choices

By Scout Nelson

The new dietary guidelines released this week maintained dairy foods as an important part of a healthy diet. The guidelines continued recognizing dairy as a key source of nutrition for people of all ages. They highlighted dairy for providing high-quality protein, healthy fat, and important vitamins and minerals that support daily health needs.

The updated guidelines continued recommending three servings of dairy per day for people following a 2,000-calorie diet. This guidance supported regular dairy intake to help meet nutrition goals and maintain balanced eating habits.

A major change in the updated guidelines included support for full-fat dairy foods. For the first time, whole milk and other full-fat dairy options were clearly approved. Earlier guidelines focused mainly on low-fat and non-fat dairy products.

The new approach recognized that not all fats affected the body in the same way. This change allowed people to choose more choice when selecting dairy products for daily meals.

The guidelines also addressed sugar content in meals. They stated that one meal should not include more than 10 grams of added sugar. However, the naturally occurring sugar found in milk did not count toward this limit. This clarification helped people better understand the difference between added sugars and natural sugars that were already part of whole foods.

“These guidelines encourage consumption of dairy nutrients critical to human health,” said National Milk Producers Federation President and Chief Executive Officer Gregg Doud. “Meanwhile, not all fats are created equal, and because the guidelines acknowledge this, dairy’s benefits are better reflected in this iteration of the guidelines.”

The updated dietary guidelines aimed to support healthy food choices while allowing flexibility in meal planning. By recognizing full-fat dairy and natural milk sugars, the guidelines offered clearer direction for building balanced diets that included a wide range of dairy options.

Overall, the updated guidance reinforced the role of dairy in daily meals. It encouraged regular dairy intake as part of a healthy lifestyle. These changes helped improve public understanding of nutrition while supporting food choices that met health needs and personal preferences.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-vm