Yet another proof that the world is upside down?
The 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) was released on January 7, 2026, with the slogan "eat real food" and a stronger stance on limiting added sugars and highly processed foods. These guidelines are updated every five years by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and are used by federal agencies, nutrition policymakers and health professionals, and the general public. Although intended for the US population, these guidelines are (were?) taken as benchmarks by many other countries.
The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans reinstated the pyramid-shaped graphic representation, but this time inverted, highlighting foods such as steak, whole milk, and butter. The visual prominence of these options might lead us to believe that the limits on saturated fat have been eliminated, which is not the case, as the previous upper limit of 10% of the daily energy intake remains. These details are important because images and slogans can be better remembered than subtle details and underlying text.
The Advisory Committee that drafted these guidelines spent approximately two years evaluating the most recent data from human nutrition research. However, the current US administration appointed an additional panel to review the report last year, which, it seems, contributed to some of the document's more controversial aspects.
From what can be read in the document, and in the numerous comments it has generated, I believe it is possible to conclude that it has positive, negative, and even incomprehensible aspects.
With some important and controversial exceptions, many of the recommendations are continued from previous guidelines. The recommended portions for food groups such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and oils are maintained. The limitation of saturated fat intake (<10% of the total daily energy value of the diet) and sodium remained the same. The new GDAs also continue to prioritize the consumption of whole or minimally processed foods.
The total daily servings for the protein-rich food group are at the level proposed by the original Advisory Committee. However, this is where one of the controversial points of these recommendations arises, prioritizing animal protein sources over a "plant-based" standard. Although the new DGAs mentioned plant-based proteins (beans, peas, and lentils), meat was recommended first and plant protein last. These guidelines are very focused on animal protein, especially red meat. This approach is surprising, among other things, given that protein intake among Americans is considered globally adequate. The new DGAs suggest that adults consume between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, that is, 50 to 100% above the previously recommended amount. Protein needs are variable, but this variability in needs should be adjusted individually by a healthcare professional, as excessive protein consumption can have undesirable long-term health implications. It is understandable that there is a need to adjust protein intake in older adults, but the tone of the recommendations seems to suggest that there is a generalized deficiency in protein intake, which is clearly not observed at the population level in that country.
Another controversial point is the recommendation for whole dairy intake (three servings daily). With the strong emphasis placed on meat, the direct mention of butter and beef tallow as cooking fats, and the highlighting of whole dairy products, it seems difficult to follow the DGAs recommendation of consuming a maximum of 10% of the total energy value of the diet from saturated fat.
Among the positive aspects of these guidelines is the appeal to avoid highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat foods or other foods high in salt and/or sugar, as well as to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages.
The new Food Guidelines (FGAs) adopt a rigorous overall stance on sweets, stressing that “no amount of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is recommended or considered part of a healthy or nutritious diet.” In practice, it recommends that no meal should contain more than 10 grams of added sugars. This represents a reduction from the FGAs’ previous limit of 10% of daily calories (e.g., 50 grams of added sugar per day on a 2,000-calorie diet). The recommended restriction on the consumption of foods with added sugar seems particularly demanding in childhood, as it recommends that children avoid added sugars until the age of 10. The FGAs are clear about avoiding added sugar, but are much less clear about how these recommendations can be implemented in everyday life.
Prioritizing the consumption of whole grains rich in fiber and reducing the consumption of foods made from refined grains are also positive.
The importance of essential fatty acids is apparent in these guidelines, although much of the published science on this topic places greater emphasis on fats rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids obtained from plant-based foods and oily fish. The fact that the body is able to synthesize saturated fatty acids but cannot produce essential polyunsaturated fatty acids justifies the greater concern with the intake of foods rich in these fatty acids.
The "healthy fat" guideline groups animal-based foods with higher saturated fat content (such as meats and whole dairy products) with plant-based foods with lower saturated fat. There is no reference to which of these foods should be chosen more or less frequently to help stay within the upper limit. And in the pyramid, steak, cheese, whole milk, and butter seem to play a prominent role, making the perception of what constitutes a healthy fat recommendation confusing.
Compared to previous guidelines, the new ones are brief, which would seemingly make them easier for the public to use. However, there are areas where the recommendations are quite vague, such as regarding alcohol consumption. Here, the DGAs present a non-quantifiable recommendation to “consume less alcohol for better health.” Without concrete limits, it is difficult for people to understand what “less” really means. For those who need more specific guidance, the new DGAs may be difficult to use. I believe this point is demonstrated by the transcript of the public recommendations on alcohol from Dr. Mehmet Öz, director of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services:
- “No Strict Limits”: The 2025-2030 guidelines, supported by Dr. Öz, removed specific daily limits on beverage consumption (previously one for women, two for men), focusing instead on a general recommendation to consume less for better health.
- "Don't drink at breakfast": Dr. Öz often states that while moderate drinking is acceptable, it shouldn't be consumed early in the day.
- “Social Lubricant”: Dr. Öz argues that alcohol facilitates bonding and socialization, which brings health benefits, emphasizing that “there is probably nothing healthier than having fun with friends in a safe way.”.
- “Moderation is key”: While not advocating total abstinence, Dr. Öz clarifies that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful and that, in the “best-case scenario,” nobody would drink at all.
- "Context of Alcohol Consumption": Dr. Öz emphasizes that consumption should be done safely, ideally at social events.
Food choices have a significant environmental impact. The recommendations contained in the document do not seem to consider this environmental impact, as well as cultural and socioeconomic factors.
In an ideal world, the GDAs reflect the best and most recent knowledge produced by science, which the Advisory Committee spent two years reviewing and synthesizing. However, there are reports of politically motivated deviations from the report's recommendations, and that these have been made without transparency or scientific justification.
In a simplified analysis, we can highlight the following from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030 report: positive evolution in recommendations on added sugar, probable overemphasis on the protein component of the diet, and contradictions between the visual component of the pyramid and the proposed limit for saturated fats.
