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The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released just last month.  These guidelines mark the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in our nation’s history.  The message is simple:  eat real food.  The updated dietary guidelines return to the basics by prioritizing diets built on whole, nutrient-dense foods: protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and whole grains. 

According to the new guidelines, protein should be available at every meal.  Excellent sources of protein include eggs, poultry, seafood, red meat, beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy.  And, it matters how you cook it!  Swap deep-fried cooking methods with baked, broiled, roasted, stir-fried, or grilled cooking methods. 

Dairy is also an excellent source of protein, plus it contains healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.  When consuming dairy, include full-fat dairy with no added sugars.  This is a huge change! For decades, official recommendations pushed Americans toward low-fat products.  For most people, the dairy serving goal is 3 servings per day.  Young children should limit high-fat milk intake to 16 ounces per day because high intake of milk in children can lead to iron deficiency. 

Vegetables and fruits should be consumed throughout the day.  It is recommended that vegetables and fruits be eaten in their original form, and they should be washed thoroughly before consuming.  Frozen, dried, or canned vegetables or fruits with no or very limited added sugars can also be good options.  The USDA recommends that Americans consume 3 servings of vegetables per day and 2 servings of fruit per day.  This recommendation is consistent with the previous guidelines.

Healthy fats are naturally occurring in many whole foods, including meats, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, dairy, and avocados.  When cooking with or adding fats to meals, we should select oils with essential fatty acids, such as olive oil. 

Fiber-rich whole grains should be incorporated into our diets, and we should reduce the consumption of highly processed, refined carbohydrates such as white bread, packaged breakfast options, flour tortillas, and crackers. Your goal should be to include 2-4 servings of whole grains in your diet daily. 

These new guidelines aim to combat chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes by focusing on whole-food nutrition.  And, this couldn’t come at a better time!  According to the USDA, the United States is amid a health emergency that stems from the Standard American Diet, which has become reliant on highly processed foods coupled with a sedentary lifestyle.  Because of this diet and lifestyle, more than 70% of American adults are overweight or obese, and nearly one in three Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 has prediabetes. With the new guidelines in place, we are positioned to Make America Healthy Again.