The Trump administration unveiled updated dietary guidelines for Americans, recommending high-quality protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Also, it encourages Americans to avoid highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a clear message for Americans – “EAT REAL FOOD.”

“Nothing matters more for healthcare outcomes, economic productivity, military readiness and fiscal stability,” he continued.

Check it out:

NBC News has more:

Kennedy touted the new guidelines as a move that “ will revolutionize our nation’s food culture and make America healthy,” during a White House press conference.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gone is the MyPlate visual guide for what foods to eat — which recommended filling your plate with roughly equal parts grains, vegetables, protein and fruit with a small portion of dairy.

Instead, an updated version of the food pyramid is back, this time inverted and slightly jumbled. Protein, dairy and healthy fats, along with vegetables and fruits, dominate; whole grains are de-emphasized.

The new guidelines drew mixed reactions from experts, who simultaneously celebrated the recommendations to limit processed foods and added sugars but expressed deep concerns about the emphasis on red meat and full-fat dairy.

The American Heart Association said in a statement it “commends” the inclusion of several important science-based recommendations in the new guidance, including eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains while cutting back on added sugars and processed foods.

Here’s a closer look at “The New Pyramid”:

“Under President Trump’s leadership, common sense, scientific integrity, and accountability have been restored to federal food and health policy. For decades, the Dietary Guidelines favored corporate interests over common-sense, science-driven advice to improve the health of Americans,” HHS stated.

“That ends today. The new Dietary Guidelines call for prioritizing high-quality protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—and avoiding highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates,” it added.

“These Guidelines return us to the basics. American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods—protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains—and dramatically reduce highly processed foods. This is how we Make America Healthy Again,” RFK Jr. said.

CBS News shared further:

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 55% of the U.S. population receives more than half of their daily calories from ultra-processed foods. The previous 2020-2025 dietary guidelines did not mention highly processed or ultra-processed foods.

ADVERTISEMENT

The new guidelines call for avoiding “highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat, or other foods that are salty or sweet,” as well as avoiding sweetened beverages including soda, fruit drinks and energy drinks.

Research has shown diets high in ultra-processed food are associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes, according to a review published in The BMJ medical journal in 2024.

The guidelines also say that “no amount of added sugars” are recommended for Americans, especially children.

At most, a meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars, according to the new guidance. The former guidance said children under 2 should not consume added sugars and that Americans should aim to have less than 10% of their daily calories come from added sugars.

People should also limit foods and beverages that include artificial flavors, dyes, low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners and artificial preservatives, the new guidelines said.

Naturally occurring sugars are not considered added sugars and can be part of a recommended diet under the new guidelines.

What’s your perspective?

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.