The Trump administration has released new federal nutrition guidelines encouraging Americans to reduce highly processed foods and added sugars while recommending increased consumption of red meat and full-fat dairy—foods that many health experts have long cautioned against.
The updated guidelines place greater emphasis on protein than previous recommendations, presenting a flipped-pyramid graphic that places meat, dairy, and healthy fats on the same tier as vegetables and fruits, while fiber-rich whole grains like oats sit at the base.
Health and nutrition experts offered mixed reactions. While the advice to cut sugar and processed foods was broadly welcomed, the promotion of animal protein and full-fat dairy drew criticism.
“I found the whole thing muddled, contradictory, ideological, and very retro,” said Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition at New York University.
Health chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called the new guidelines a potential “revolution” in American eating habits, linking the recommendations to the MAHA movement’s larger goal of “making America healthy again.” Kennedy has been a long-time critic of the American diet, calling the country’s health situation a “crisis” and pointing to chronic disease rates in children.
The guidelines strongly discourage added sugars, particularly for children under 10, and advise avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages. Refined carbohydrates, like white bread and flour tortillas, are also discouraged in favor of whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Nestle noted that discouraging highly processed foods is “a very strong recommendation,” one she supports. Federal data show that ultra-processed foods—including packaged snacks, baked goods, and soda—make up roughly 55 percent of the average American diet.
However, the guidelines’ stance on meat and fat raised concerns. Unlike previous iterations, which encouraged lean meats and plant-based proteins, the new guidance recommends red meat as part of the protein spectrum. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, called this “harmful,” saying it undermines science-based advice.
The recommended protein intake has increased to 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, up from the previous standard of 0.8 grams per kilogram.
Mixed Messages on Fats
Kennedy has long argued against the so-called “war on saturated fats,” but the new guidelines maintain the limit of 10 percent of daily calories from saturated fats. While they encourage healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, and nuts, they also suggest butter and beef tallow as acceptable cooking options—a move that may push many over the recommended saturated fat limit.
Experts also say the guidance on alcohol is vague, simply advising Americans to “consume less,” and note that rising food costs could make it difficult for many families to follow the recommendations.
Ultimately, many experts believe these dietary guidelines are overshadowed by broader political and public health concerns. Nestle emphasized, “Eating real food is not going to make Americans healthy again in the face of a public health system that is completely dysfunctional at this point.”
