New dietary guidelines advise more red meat and fewer ultra-processed foods!

Hello,

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines were recently released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These guidelines shape federal nutrition programs such as school meals, SNAP, and WIC. They also influence broader public health nutrition guidance.

I created this video breaking down the highlights. It covers both what the guidelines get right and where they miss the mark.

My full thoughts are summarized below.

Here are the key takeaways from the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, officially issued January 7, 2026.

What the guidelines recommend:

• Prioritizing whole, minimally processed foods as the foundation of the diet.

• Including protein at every meal from a range of sources, including animal and plant foods.

• Increasing recommended protein intake to approximately 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.

• Eating fruits and vegetables daily in a variety of forms.

• Including saturated fat sources such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, red meat, beef tallow, and full-fat dairy.

• Strongly discouraging highly processed, packaged, salty, and sugary foods.

• Limiting added sugars to roughly 10 grams per meal.

• Shifting alcohol guidance away from daily drink limits toward general reduction or avoidance for certain groups.

• Choosing water and unsweetened beverages for hydration.

• Eating amounts appropriate for age, sex, body size, and activity level.

A new inverted pyramid was also introduced.

What I liked:

• The renewed emphasis on portion size based on individual needs is an important step for addressing overeating and obesity.

• Reducing portion sizes remains one of the most effective ways to lower calorie intake.

• The focus on whole, unprocessed foods is a major public health win given strong links between ultra-processed foods and chronic disease.

• Encouraging vegetables and fruits throughout the day supports fiber intake, nutrient density, and overall health.

What I didn’t like:

• The guidelines heavily emphasize animal-based protein despite strong evidence supporting plant-based proteins for long-term health.

• Beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds are not adequately prioritized given the research.

• Saturated fat is promoted despite advisory committee recommendations to further limit it due to cardiovascular risk.

• Meeting the 10 percent saturated fat limit is unrealistic with higher red meat intake. Sorry, RFK Jr., but did anyone actually map out meals with these recommendations?

• Higher protein targets raise concerns since most Americans are not protein deficient.

• The guidelines advise reducing ultra-processed foods without clearly defining what qualifies as ultra-processed. This lack of clarity makes the guidance harder for consumers to follow.

One final thought: We already moved from the food pyramid to MyPlate. The original pyramid dates back to 1992, and a lot has changed since then.

What you can do:

• Incorporate fruits and vegetables at every meal, and enjoy whole grains to support fiber intake, micronutrients, and overall health.

• Use healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds as primary fat sources.

• Incorporate more plant-based proteins regularly, including beans, lentils, and other legumes.

• Remember that you do not need to eat the whole cow, because portion size still matters.

Thoughts? I’d love to hear.

Have a healthy week!

Warmly,