Recommended changes to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include many common sense but ignored proposals such as drinking water and not soft drinks when thirsty. It also focuses on further reducing salt intake.

This recommendation was made by an advisory committee of physicians, nutritionists and other experts revising the guidelines intended to protect the health of Americans by assisting them make healthy food choices.

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It's an established fact some 155 million Americans are either overweight or obese and 117 million others have chronic, preventable diseases. This obesity epidemic has been blamed on a diet that is too high in sugar.

The committee recommends consuming no more than 10% of daily calories from added sugars. This amount is equivalent to just 12 teaspoons of sugar per day. The average American takes in anywhere from 22 to 30 teaspoons daily, mostly in the form of juices and sugar-laden drinks such as soft drinks.

The committee said water is the preferred beverage choice to combat how much sugar is consumed in pop and energy drinks in the U.S., especially by children.

It noted strategies are needed to encourage the U.S. population, especially children and adolescents, to drink water when they're thirsty.

As for salt, the committee points out Americans still consume far too much salt and the average individual consumes nearly 3,500 mg per day. The new dietary recommendations say the goal is for individuals to cut at least 1,000 mg of sodium from their daily diet and to reduce their daily intake down to 2,300 mg per day.

The committee no longer recommends a daily target of 1,500 mg of salt for any individuals, even for those with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

The committee also recommended giving a green light to a moderate amount of caffeine consumption (mostly from coffee) and will no longer try to control the amount of dietary cholesterol Americans eat.

It noted drinking three to five cups of coffee per day or 400 mg of caffeine per day can be part of a healthy diet. It said data suggest that coffee reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.. The consumption of added sugar, fatty milk, or rich creams with the coffee isn't advised, however

The daily cholesterol target in the 2010 guidelines was less than 300 mg. Now, however, dietary cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption. The expert committee said current evidence suggests there is "no appreciable relationship" between heart disease and dietary cholesterol.