Statement of the National Association of Hungarian Dietitians on the new American dietary recommendations

The key message of the plate model is that half of the daily diet should be vegetables and fruits, and that whole grains and protein sources (meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products) should also be included regularly – with the latter, it specifically emphasizes variety.

The document also provides specific quantitative guidelines: the recommendation is to consume at least 4 servings of vegetables/fruit per day (of which at least 1 serving is raw or fresh), while potatoes cannot be counted in these four servings. It also sets a target value for fluid intake: 8 glasses of fluid per day, of which 5 glasses are drinking water.

For cereals, the goal is 3 servings per day, at least 1 serving in full-fat form; for milk/dairy products, the reduced-fat option is prioritized. The document specifically highlights the minimization of salt, sugar and fat during preparation, as well as the advantage of “fat-saving” kitchen technologies.