The Trump administration has introduced updated dietary guidelines that recommend Americans reduce their consumption of highly processed packaged foods and increase their intake of protein. Released on Wednesday, the guidelines are revised every five years and influence dietary recommendations from physicians as well as federal programs for school meals and food benefits.
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At a press conference, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described these new guidelines as "the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history," emphasizing a shift from corporate-driven assumptions to common-sense nutritional goals based on scientific integrity.
Key changes include recommendations to cook with beef tallow and limit foods containing artificial dyes. Americans are urged to cut back on sugar and incorporate more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables into their diets. Specific advice targets ultraprocessed foods, with consumers encouraged to prepare meals at home and avoid packaged items like chips, cookies, and candy known for added sugars and sodium.
For the first time, the guidelines impose a strict limit on added sugars, advising that a single meal should contain no more than 10 grams. Kennedy stated, "Today, our government declares war on added sugar," highlighting the health risks associated with highly processed foods loaded with additives.
As Health Secretary, Kennedy aims to promote his "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) agenda through these guidelines, advocating against ultraprocessed foods and added sugars, which he identifies as major contributors to chronic diseases and obesity. Despite this focus, he indicated a shift away from previous warnings about saturated fats, now suggesting that these fats found in meats, poultry, and eggs can be prioritized, along with full-fat dairy products.
While the guidelines recommend that saturated fats not exceed 10% of total daily calories, they assert that significantly limiting highly processed foods will aid in achieving this target. To illustrate the new guidance, the USDA is reintroducing the food pyramid concept from the 1990s, albeit in an inverted design that places protein, dairy, and vegetables at the top, with whole grains at the bottom.
Many nutrition and health organizations have welcomed the new focus on avoiding ultraprocessed foods in favor of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. However, some groups, including the American Heart Association, have voiced concerns regarding the scientific basis for endorsing high-fat animal products, which they argue are linked to increased cardiovascular risks. The Center for Science in the Public Interest criticized the emphasis on animal protein, butter, and full-fat dairy as harmful and contradictory to earlier nutrition expert recommendations that prioritized plant-based foods.