At Foodstream we continue to follow the changes in the food policy landscape as they develop and on January 7th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins released new dietary guidelines titled “Dietary Guideline for Americans, 2025-2030”. As previously reported this is part of Secretary Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Great Again (MAHA) movement. The stated goal of the new guidelines is to encourage people to “Eat Real Food”. According to the USDA release the agency defines “Eat Real Food” as:
“Eating real food means choosing foods that are whole or minimally processed and recognizable as food. These foods are prepared with few ingredients and without added sugars, industrial oils, artificial flavors, or preservatives”
What’s Changed?
The new guidelines replace the “My Plate” recommendations that were introduced in 2011. My Plate promoted portion control, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins as the basis of a healthy diet. The new guidelines have shifted the focus of a healthy diet to an emphasis on less processed and ultra-processed foods and to eating more animal proteins, like dairy and meat. One of the biggest changes in philosophy is the recommendation to eat more proteins and less whole grains. My Plate recommended a large percentage of the diet be whole grains, while the Eat Real Food approach recommends that whole grains be a small part of an overall diet. Similarly, the My Plate approach promoted eating less foods high in fats, particularly saturated fats, while the new guidelines promote foods high in fat like dairy and olive oil.
Why the Diet Guidelines Were Changed
The changes under Kennedy’s direction are part of the broader implementation of policies of the MAHA movement around health. Tackling the high prevalence of diet related disease in the United States is stated as one of the main motivations for the changes in policy. The USDA’s press release cites that 70% of adult Americans are obese, and one in three adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 are pre-diabetic. Additionally, the USDA claims that farmers have been incentivized by government policy to produce ingredients in ultra-processed foods, which has contributed to their low-cost, availability and prominence in consumers’ unhealthy diets.
Dietary Criticism of the Eat Real Food Diet Guidelines
The changes in recommendations from eating low-fat to high-fat foods and from eating less animal proteins to more animal proteins has drawn criticism from some dietary experts.
- Foods high in saturated fats like red meat have been linked to heart disease risk and certain types of cancers. According to Martha Belury, a food science researcher and professor at the Ohio State University, diets high in saturated fats increase the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), a type of cholesterol that, at high levels, can lead to strokes or heart attacks. Belury also points out that studies have shown diets high in saturated fat can lead to increased insulin resistance, which can be precursor to type 2 diabetes and obesity-associated heart disease.
- The recommendation to eat a diet high in protein has also been called into question. Some studies have shown health risks from high protein diets. Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, points out that the prominence of protein in the new guidelines is not based on scientific evidence and the guidelines do not provide evidence to support their claim.
The Politics of Eat Real Food
Beyond the nutrition critiques, there have also been questions around the political motivations for the new guidelines.
- The New York Times reported that five of the ten experts on the review panel had financial ties to the beef, pork, or dairy industries. This has led to allegations that the call for increased animal protein consumption was influenced by the meat industry.
- Nestle and other critics have pointed out that meat production, and particularly beef production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental effects globally.
Despite the mixed reactions to the guidelines, it’s clear the USDA and HHS are committed to implementing their MAHA strategy and believe they have a mandate. Let us know what you think of the changes to the dietary guidelines or the changing food policy landscape.
For the full Dietary Guidelines: https://realfood.gov/
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