Protein just got a big boost from U.S. health officials.
The latest federal dietary guidelines tell Americans to “prioritize protein foods at every meal” and advise increasing daily intake — up to double the amount of previous recommendations.
“We are ending the war on protein,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a White House post on social media.
The guidance — including a new food pyramid — emphasizes red meat, whole milk and other animal sources of protein, while downplaying plant-based offerings.
But top nutrition experts question the protein push, saying Americans already consume more protein than they need, and there’s no new evidence that people need to drastically ramp up consumption. For many people, eating much more protein could lead to more fat and more cases of diabetes, they say.
“If you’re actively building muscle with strength or resistance training, more protein can help,” said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a Tufts University nutrition expert. “Otherwise, you’re getting enough.”
Others worry that the dietary advice will accelerate the trend of companies encouraging Americans to embrace extra protein in foods including bars, cereals and snacks – even water.
Sales of protein-enriched packaged food will increase at a time
How much protein do you need? Nutritionists wary of new guidelines
