The food pyramid has been razed and reimagined.
In support of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign to “Make America Healthy Again,” the Department of Agriculture has released a new set of dietary guidelines.
Announced January 7, these recommendations prioritize proteins and healthy fats while reducing the role of grains. Visually speaking, the guidelines are an almost total inversion of the previous pyramid.
A fact sheet released by the Trump administration calls it the “most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades.”
But what does the medical community make of these changes?
The feedback from doctors and dietitians has been largely positive — with a few caveats.
“In general, I think this is very good news. I agree with most of the guidelines, except for a few,” Dr. Meena Malhotra and internal medicine and obesity medicine physician, told The Post.
Below, she and other experts weigh in on the good, the bad and the in-between of the new pyramid structure.
The good: Ultra-processed foods are out
“The best thing is they called out was to avoid ultra-processed food, which is a very, very good general guideline,” said Malhotra, who is also founder and CEO of Heal n Cure Medical Wellness Center.
“If you cannot pronounce it, don’t eat it. Those are usually chemically sounding names and ingredients.”
Hope Barkoukis, head of Case Western Reserve University’s nutrition department, agreed that this is the “best part” — and said Americans need to hear it.
“We currently know that approximately two-thirds of our caloric intake is from highly processed foods,” she told The Post.
Dr. Theodore Strange, chair of medicine at Northwell’s Staten Island University Hospital, said that eliminating UPFs — plus added sugars and refined carbs — lowers risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and can reduce belly fat too.
The bad: There’s too much saturated fat
In terms of quantity, the guidelines recommend the same amount of saturated fat: no more than 10% of daily calories.
Yet in an attempt to end what RFK Jr. calls “the war on saturated fats,” the updated instructions prioritize full-fat over low-fat options and recommend several specific foods high in saturated fat, such as meats, poultry, eggs, full-fat dairy and butter.
“The guidelines are right to limit cholesterol-raising saturated (‘bad’) fat,” argued Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, “but they should spell out where it comes from: dairy products and meat, primarily.”
“[They] err in promoting meat and dairy products, which are principal drivers of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.”
“Americans already get enough protein. If the guidelines are going to push for increased protein consumption, it should come from plants.”
Dr. Neal Barnard
Barkoukis also takes issue with a push for foods high in saturated fats.
“While it is true that not all saturated fats negatively impact our health, given our current typical American diet — where French fries are our main vegetable and hot dogs our main protein — I think this messaging is confusing,” she said.
The good: Limiting sugar is a sweet idea
Americans have been told to avoid or seriously limit added sugars and sweeteners, declaring that “no amount” can be considered part of a healthy diet. No single meal should contain more than 10 grams of added sugars, about 2 teaspoons, say the guidelines.
“That’s very, very good. Less than five will be even better,” said Malhotra. “I am glad this new guideline says something about it, because the old one had nothing about added sugar.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that most Americans consume about 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day.
The mixed bag: Red meat mania
The new guidelines double down on protein, upping the daily amount — and recommending red meat be part of the mix.
But Stange notes that “red meat has been categorized as a ‘probable’ carcinogen,” meaning it likely increases cancer risk.
And Barnard argues that plant-based should be the top rec: “Americans already get enough protein. If the guidelines are going to push for increased protein consumption, it should come from plants,” he said.
Barkoukis, though, maintains that specific kinds of red meat deserve a place in the pyramid.
“Red meat, especially not highly processed red meat, is a dietary choice that provides high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals. It is a better choice than many of the completely processed ‘plant fake meats,’” she said.
While Barkoukis admits that processed animal proteins like hot dogs and lunch meats are linked to negative health outcomes, she notes that “finally stopping the demonization of all red meat is not negative.”
The good: Ditching synthetic flavors and petroleum-based dyes
RFK Jr. has long crusaded against UPFs and synthetic dyes, which are used to enhance color in candies, sodas and cereals, claiming they’re a major contributor to chronic disease and hyperactivity among children.
Barkoukis fully supports instructions to limit these ingredients.
“It is time we consider an in-depth, thoughtful discussion about how our food is produced and how we treat and feed the animals we consume, how we grow our crops, and what the policies are for foods that come to the table as center stage,” she said. “I do support this inclusion.”
The bad: Where’s the fiber?
While the guidelines tackle American consumption of artificial products, they fail to emphasize essentials like fiber, say the pros.
“There is literally zero controversy regarding the importance of dietary fiber in promoting our health. Dietary fiber helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeps one feeling full longer, is critical to a healthy gut, and slows the rate of food absorption,” said Barkoukis.
“Yet nowhere in the description nor in the visual created is there a clear and strong focus on dietary fiber. That’s really a lost opportunity.”
