The Trump administration has released the 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, urging Americans to prioritize whole foods and protein while drastically cutting highly processed items and added sugar, with a clear message: 'Eat real food.'
The latest federal nutrition advice, issued by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, emphasizes a significant shift towards healthier eating. The 2025-2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing consumption of whole foods, protein, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products, aligning with Kennedy's 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda. A new graphic depicts an inverted food pyramid, highlighting protein, dairy, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables at the top. A key new directive targets 'highly processed' foods, advising consumers to avoid 'packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies and candy,' which constitute over half of the U.S. diet and are linked to chronic diseases. While the guidelines maintain the recommendation to limit saturated fats to 10% of daily calories, they suggest choosing whole-food sources like meat, whole-fat dairy, or avocados, and surprisingly mention butter or beef tallow as options. The concise 10-page document, praised by some experts like Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Bobby Mukkamala for its clarity and focus on whole foods, faced criticism from others, such as Marion Nestle, for potentially leading to higher calorie intake and prioritizing animal over plant-based proteins. These guidelines will significantly impact federal nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program.
