They include controversial changes: for instance, sugar now has a limit, and cholesterol does not.

Heres your guide to whats new, what isnt, and where the experts disagree.

These dietary guidelines are updated every five years because nutrition and medical science evolves.

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But that Coke doesnt get any healthier because youve decided not to care about it.

You should definitelyread the guidelines, but be aware of whats controversial.

Use your critical thinking skills and make your own decisions.

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Those shoulds are opinions, so theyre ripe for argument.

In that sense, politics is a layer on top of the science.

Here are the major newsworthy recommendations and the controversies surrounding them.

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What changed:This is brand new: theprevious guidelinesdidnt set a cap on added sugars.

There were some changes from the 2015 scientific report, too.

This varies by age, as the graph above shows.

Whos saying what: Almost everyoneagrees we need to eat less sugar, so this rule was widely applauded.

Compared to WHO guidelines, then, the US guidelines are weaker.

The USFood and Drug Administration, which governs food labels, hasproposed listing added sugars.

Makers of processed foodshave been fighting that idea.

Thats because nutrition scienceneverhas that level of certainty.

The idea of restricting sugar is as close as we get to an all-around win.

But they switch to

nutrients

whenever they suggest eat less.

In the 2015 Dietary Guidelines,

Saturated fat is a euphemism for meat.

Added sugars is a euphemism for sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

Sodium is a euphemism for processed foods and junk foods.

(Nestle described the workings of this unofficial policy in detail in her book.)

The bottom line: You already know.

Eat less sugar, drink less soda.

Except for teen boys and men, nobody is directly told to eat less meat.

The finished guidelines have no mention of this.Politico credits the changesto furious lobbying by the meat industry.

The meat industry reads it the opposite way, as endorsing meat.

(Marion Nestlesaysmeat producers should be breaking out the champagne.)

Sustainability was a hot-button issue in the guidelines development.

TheUSDA and HHS secretaries agreed to drop the issue.

The World Health OrganizationsInternational Agency for Research on Cancerruledthat red and processed meat probably cause colorectal cancer.

The dietary guidelines are silent on this issue.

Wed understand if you decide to err on the side of caution and eat less of it.

Total fat should be 25-35% of calories for most adults.

Total fat has changed slightly, from a range of 20-35%.

Saturated fat has been vilified for decades, buta growing faction of scientists now say this was a mistake.

But not everybody buys that theory.

TheAmerican Heart Associationstillwarns people away from saturated fat, criticizing the studies that say saturated fat is okay.

They recommend an even lower intake, with saturated fat making up 5-6% of calories.

Both camps, and the dietary guidelines, agree thatmonounsaturatedandpolyunsaturated fatsare still good for you.

These are the fats found in plant foods like nuts and avocados.

They dont recommend replacing saturated fat with carbohydrate calories, sincethat also raises your heart disease risk.

And everybody stillhates trans fats.

The bottom line: Good fats are good, trans fats are bad, but saturated is a toss-up.

What changed: Previous years guidelines had put a 300-milligram limit on cholesterol.

The finished guidelines brought back the idea of reducing cholesterol, but left off any specific number.

The bottom line: Go ahead and eat those eggs.

Other Noteworthy Recommendations

The rest of the guidelines are less controversial.

Heres a rundown:

Sodiumstill has a limit of 2,300 milligrams (the average American gets 3,400).

Theres ahandy chart on how to count drinks.

For instance, a 12 ounce beer is one drink if its 5% alcohol.

Caffeineappears in the guidelines for the first time.

The guidelines budget you five 8-ounce cups of ordinary coffee, orone Starbucks Venti.

Each group has a different profile of vitamins and other nutrients.

Grainsalso hold steady at 6 ounces per day, and at least half of that should be whole grains.

Illustration by Sam Woolley.