The federal government isn't too sweet on sugar – or anything else that tastes good either.
A new set of "dietary guidelines" released this week come from a joint effort of the Dept. of Agriculture and the Dept. of Health and Human Services.
In a story mocking the government's "eating advice," the Washington Free Beacon reports the suggestions about sugar consumption and exercise are used by "policy makers and bureaucrats" who oversee federal food programs.
While the federal government now says Americans don't need to cut back on cholesterol in their food, the new guidelines recommend Americans limit the amount of added sugars in their diet to no more than 10 percent of their daily calories.
Putting that number in perspective, USA Today said that amounts to 12 teaspoons of sugar a day, whereas a can of soda contains nearly 10 teaspoons.
"I think this is the way for the federal government to poke the food industry, and to annoy and regulate the food industry," observes Julie Gunlock of the Independent Women's Forum.
Gunlock is familiar with such warnings. Her 2013 book that warned about a "culture of alarmism" is entitled "From Cupcakes to Chemicals: How the Culture of Alarmism Makes Us Afraid of Everything and How to Fight Back."
Regarding the new guidelines, Gunlock agrees that Americans should cut back on consuming sugar but notes that the guidelines suddenly drop any concern about cholesterol.
The Free Beacon noted the guidelines encourage "walking meetings" in which individuals discuss business while walking around, and suggest that restaurants shrink their portion sizes and add more vegetables.
The news website also points out that Congress pushed back against an earlier draft that recommended a plant-based diet to help the earth, and included environmental concerns along with concerns about sugar and red meat.
Gunlock says dietary guidelines are often wrong and confusing, and her advice is to ignore the latest one.
"Talk to your doctor or consult a nutritionist," she says, though the federal dietary guidelines would probably prefer you walk or ride a bike to get there.