White House Unveils New Dietary Guidelines: ‘Eat Real Food’
The Trump administration released new dietary guidelines Wednesday, encouraging Americans to eat more protein and healthy fats, while reducing their intake of highly processed foods and added sugars.
“My message is clear: Eat real food,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a White House press conference announcing the changes.
The announcement comes as the Department of Health and Human Service and the Department of Agriculture released the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030.”
The revised Guidelines, which are updated every five years, turn the well-known food pyramid – literally – upside down. It features three main food groups: Protein, Dairy and Healthy Fats; Vegetables and Fruits; and Whole Grains.
At the press conference, Food and Drug Commissioner Marty Makary explained the importance of updating the food pyramid:
“[This is] the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history,” Kennedy added. “These new guidelines will revolutionize our nation’s food culture and make America healthy again.”
HHS said the Guidelines emphasize “simple, flexible guidance” based in modern nutrition science:
- Prioritize protein at every meal.
- Consume full-fat dairy with no added sugars.
- Eat vegetables and fruits throughout the day, focusing on whole forms.
- Incorporate healthy fats from whole foods such as meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados.
- Focus on whole grains, while sharply reducing refined carbohydrates.
- Limit highly processed foods, added sugars, and artificial additives.
- Eat the right amount for you, based on age, sex, size, and activity level.
- Choose water and unsweetened beverages to support hydration.
- Limit alcohol consumption for better overall health
“We’re ending the war on saturated fats,” Kennedy added at the announcement, “And today our government declares war on added sugar.”
“Diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce disease risk more effectively than many drugs. Whole grains outperform refined carbohydrates. [But] added sugars, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, drive metabolic disease.”
The new guidelines are sorely needed, given the abysmal state of the average American’s health.
According to HHS, over 70% of American adults are overweight or obese, with the United States facing the highest obesity and Type 2 Diabetes rates in the developed world.
Furthermore, 50% of Americans have prediabetes or diabetes; 75% of adults have at least one chronic condition; and 90% of U.S. healthcare spending goes to treating chronic disease.
“These Guidelines return us to the basics,” Secretary Kennedy said. “American households must prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods — protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains — and dramatically reduce highly processed foods.”
The administration also launched a new website explaining the new food pyramid and provided additional resources: realfood.gov.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the new Guidelines finally “put real food back at the center of the American diet.”
The revamped Guidelines are an important step in ensuring school meals, military and veteran meals, and other nutrition programs promote “affordable, whole, healthy, nutrient-dense foods,” HHS said.
As Christians, Scripture doesn’t command us to eat certain foods or avoid others. And consuming various foods – maybe even some chips or a cookie every so often – shouldn’t be a matter of scrupulosity (Acts 10:15).
Nevertheless, Scripture also reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we’re commanded to treat our bodies with due respect (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
The new Guidelines will help Americans do just that, opting for healthy and nutrient-dense foods that have been created by God for our enjoyment and nourishment.
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