The dietary guidelines of 2010 addresses many issues, including deconstructing the term SOFA, which stands for solid fats and added sugars while discussing the need for dietary guidelines to improve food environment.

What is SOFA

According to these dietary guidelines, the best way to avoid SOFA is by cutting back on food and drinks with added sugar like sodas, sports and energy drinks, egg less cakes, cookies, biscuits and ice creams. If one is having them, it is best to restrict the use of these to the minimum. The dietary guidelines also suggests the need to select lean meat and poultry, while avoiding milk products unless they are skimmed and fat free. The dietary guidelines also goes on to give various synonyms of sugar, which has to be looked out for while buying your groceries. From nectars to fruit juice concentrates, everything has made it into this list.

Sodium and Vegans

According to the dietary guidelines, a person on a diet can have only 300 calories a day, which is more that the calories in a spoon of butter or a small can of soft drink. It is in times that this that one feels the need for dietary guidelines. The same is the case with salt or sodium. According to the dietary guidelines one can only have 2,300 or 1,500 mg per day, which is so much more than the salt that is eaten by a normal person in a day. This again shows the need for dietary guidelines and it shows that one has to eat more fresh fruits and veggies than processed food, along with opting for home cooked food over take aways. The dietary guidelines also speaks for vegans, allowing them to indulge in the same minimal below 300 calorie diet per day.

The need for dietary guidelines is also clear when they speak about food environment, which according to the dietary guidelines are influenced by food choices of individuals depending on their access to good food, nutritional education and policies that prevent obesity. There is a growing need for dietary guidelines because there is much work that has to be done for the wholesome growth of the food environment in the society.

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