More butter, anyone?

A warning against eating foods high in cholesterol is no longer included in the

US government's draft dietary guidelines for Americans, representing a major shi
ft in policy, officials said Thursday.
Until now, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol int
ake be limited to 300 milligrams per day -- the amount in about one stick of but
ter, or two small eggs, or a 10-ounce (300 gram) steak.
Medical experts used to believe that eating too much cholesterol could raise the
risk of heart attack and stroke by contributing to plaque buildup in the arteri
es.
But the 2015 version of the guidelines will no longer place an upper limit on ch
olesterol "because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between
consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol," the US Department of
Agriculture said in a statement.
The draft report, published online at health.gov/dietaryguidelines, said "choles
terol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."
The recommended changes were compiled by 14 nationally recognized nutrition, med
icine and public health experts.
The guidelines do not become official right away. Instead, they are open for a 4
5-day comment period and will be discussed at a public meeting in Bethesda, Mary
land on March 24.
"We have seen this controversy, especially surrounding the consumption of eggs,
which are very high in cholesterol yet filled with beneficial nutrients," said S
uzanne Steinbaum, preventive cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.
The committee "clearly is trying to dispel the idea that cholesterol matters."
- Saturated fat While cholesterol may be getting a free pass, the saturated fat that usually acc
ompanies it is not.
In fact, experts recommend that Americans eat less than before.
Calories from saturated fat should make up about eight percent of a person's dai
ly calorie intake, compared to the 2010 guidelines that advised 10 percent.
For an average person, eating 2,000 calories per day, the new guidelines would m
ean the limit of saturated fat could be achieved with a few spoonfuls of butter,
or a dozen eggs -- since eggs are naturally low in saturated fat -- or a sevenounce steak.
"Saturated fat is still a nutrient of concern for overconsumption, particularly
for those older than the age of 50 years," said the report.
The recommended changes show "good progress in the arena of nutrition science,"
said Rebecca Solomon, director of clinical nutrition at Mount Sinai Beth Israel
hospital in New York.
"We have known for many years that cholesterol levels are impacted primarily by
genetics and high saturated fat intake and not by intake of dietary cholesterol.
I am happy to see this evolved position."
- Sustainable eating The overarching theme of the draft guidelines was to urge Americans to eat more
fruit and vegetables, and Mediterranean and vegetarian diets were recommended as
healthy options.
"A diet higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, l
egumes, nuts and seeds, and lower in calories and animal-based foods is more hea
lth-promoting and is associated with less environmental impact than is the curre
nt US diet," the report said.
Environmental groups applauded the draft's mention of sustainability, saying suc
h changes could help reduce global warming and food insecurity.
"The inclusion of sustainability criteria in the Dietary Guidelines' recommendat
ions is a huge step forward for human and planetary health," said Kari Hamerschl
ag, senior program manager at Friends of the Earth.

"By recommending consumption of more plant foods and less meat, these guidelines
will encourage people to lessen the huge impact of our diets on our natural res
ources."
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