New US dietary guidelines call for more protein, less processed food

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has unveiled new dietary guidelines that urge Americans to eat more protein while limiting highly processed foods and added sugar.

The guidelines, issued every five years by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services, also suggest three servings of full-fat dairy products per day and ease restrictions on alcoholic beverages.

The guidelines form the basis of federal nutrition programs, including school lunch programs, and the new guidelines have received mixed reviews from experts.

“My message is clear: Eat real food,” Kennedy said at a White House news conference Wednesday.

Overall, the recommendations recommend consuming protein, high-fat dairy products, fiber-rich whole grains, and fruits and vegetables, while avoiding sugars and highly processed foods, including prepackaged snacks such as chips, cookies, and candy.

The focus on full-fat dairy products marks a shift from previous guidelines that suggested low-fat or fat-free dairy products to help Americans limit their intake of saturated fats.

He recommends cooking with oils like olive oil, but suggests beef tallow as an alternative option — a Kennedy favorite that’s high in saturated fat.

The new guidelines also changed daily drinking limits to no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. Instead, Americans are now advised to drink “less alcohol for better overall health,” with no specific limits.

The guidelines recommend that some people avoid alcohol altogether, including pregnant women, people recovering from alcohol use disorder or having difficulty controlling their drinking, and those taking medications where drinking alcohol could have negative effects.

The overall changes have been welcomed by some medical experts, including the American Medical Association, which has criticized a number of actions Kennedy has taken since taking office.

The association’s president applauded guidelines to limit highly processed foods, sugary drinks and excess sodium that “fuel heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses.”

“The guidelines affirm that food is medicine and provide clear guidance that patients and doctors can use to improve their health,” Bobby Mukkamala said in a statement.

But other nutrition experts have criticized other elements of the new guidelines, including the endorsement of red meat and full-fat dairy.

Marion Nestle, a former professor of nutrition at New York University, said the suggestion to eat more protein “makes no sense” since she says Americans already get enough of it.

“With the exception of the excellent advice to reduce the consumption of highly processed foods, which were not particularly common at the time, these guidelines take us back to the diets of the 1950s, when everyone ate a lot of meat and dairy and didn’t worry much about vegetables, and heart disease was rampant,” she said.

The American Heart Association said in a statement that it welcomed the inclusion of several recommendations, such as an emphasis on increased consumption of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

But he adds: “We are concerned that recommendations for salt seasoning and red meat consumption may inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fat, which are major contributors to cardiovascular disease.”

On the campaign trail, Kennedy pledged to address obesity and chronic disease, one of his top concerns.

Since taking office, he has attempted to limit the use of artificial food coloring, while making sweeping changes to U.S. vaccine policy that have alarmed health experts.