The Trump administration has released new dietary guidelines, with officials calling it the “most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.”
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled new nutritional guidelines, a shocking reversal of a number of past recommendations. It reflects elements of the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda led by Kennedy, who said during a press briefing, “My message is clear: Eat real food.”
The new guidance moves away from the current MyPlate model and inverts the classic depiction of the food pyramid, a longstanding visual of the American diet.
For years, Americans have been advised to limit red meat and foods high in fat. This “upside down” pyramid, as Kennedy described, prioritizes foods like steak, whole milk, cheese and vegetables in its top section while encouraging Americans to reduce their intake of highly processed foods and added sugar.
The guidelines also call for avoiding packaged, ready-to-eat foods like chips and cookies, and sugary beverages like sodas and energy drinks. Additionally, they recommend cooking with olive oil, butter or beef tallow.
“The new guidelines recognize that whole, nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health and lower health care costs,” Kennedy said. “The new framework centers on protein and healthy fats, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It’s upside down, a lot of people say. It was actually upside down before.”
“Diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce disease risk more effectively than many drugs,” Kennedy added. “All grains outperform refined carbohydrates. Added sugars, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, drive metabolic disease, and today, our government declares war on added sugar, highly processed foods loaded with additives, added sugar and excess salt.”
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are updated every five years, influence school lunches, medical advice and federal nutrition policy.
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But some health experts are concerned about the emphasis on red meat and dairy products.
RFK Jr. Unveils ‘Upside Down’ Food Pyramid Promoting Red Meat, Full-Fat Dairy
