Overview
- The 2025–2030 guidance flips the food pyramid to prioritize whole, nutrient-dense protein foods, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables and fruit while steering people away from refined grains and ultra-processed foods.
- The recommendations explicitly include red meat among animal protein options, and the maximum intake of saturated fat remains capped at 10% of daily calories.
- Cardiologist Craig Basman advises choosing lean cuts, trimming visible fat, using lower-temperature methods like baking or roasting, avoiding charring, and limiting processed meats due to harmful compounds such as AGEs and HCAs.
- Fitness trainer Jillian Michaels supports the shift, argues saturated fat is preferable to refined vegetable oils, and notes the guidance influences large federal nutrition spending for schools, the military and SNAP.
- Other experts caution that frequent red-meat intake is linked to higher cardiovascular and cancer risks and urge moderation with greater reliance on plant proteins and seafood, with some guidance suggesting no more than three portions per week.