THE NEW U.S. DIETARY GUIDELINES

A real revolution: the new U.S. Dietary Guidelines were released on January 7, 2025. They are a great step forward but not as much has been done as could have been done. Unfortunately it takes diplomacy, if they had been published with all the changes hoped for they would have been fought by all the major associations American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, etc. So a compromise was found and I am unfortunately not a big fan of compromise when it comes to telling the truth...but I understand why this was done.

The important thing is that the food pyramid has been turned upside down! Before at the base were grains, now they are at the top. The new pyramid is the one below, white, simple and clean.

We are going to analyze in detail the pros and cons of the new American guidelines. This analysis rests on my personal beliefs about nutrition; there will be people with opposing beliefs who will have very different positions from mine.

IMPORTANT: I will never stop repeating that our knowledge is limited. Humankind in the year 2500 will consider our knowledge backward, just as we consider humankind's knowledge in the year 1500 backward. So, let us always keep an open mind.

PRO
Protein: prioritize high-quality, nutrient-rich proteins in every meal. The first ones listed are the animal ones “eggs, poultry, fish and red meat” so red meat is specified! Clearly plant proteins are also mentioned, however, they have quite different weight in the pyramid. Meat, eggs, fish and dairy products are prominently displayed and take up a lot of space, while legumes do not have much visibility.

Protein intake: Recommended intake of 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight. At last the protein intake based on the latest scientific evidence is recommended. In Italy, the recommended amount is 0.8 g/kg, remembering that this is the minimum allowable to maintain health, not the optimal amount.

Dairy products: After 50 years of being advised to prefer light versions to decrease saturated fat intake, it is finally being stated that there is no problem with the fat contained in dairy products. CAUTION: The fats in dairy products are healthy, but they are still fat and therefore contain many calories. When you need to have a calorie deficit to lose fat mass, choosing light options is an effective way to reduce calories. You have to contextualize your choices according to your desired results.

Processed foods: it is said in no uncertain terms that processed foods are bad for you and should be AVOIDED, including beverages (soft drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks).

Fats: fats found in meats, poultry, eggs, omega-3 rich fish, nuts, seeds, whole dairy products, olives and avocados are healthy. Recommended fats for cooking: olive oil, butter and tallow. This is really a momentous change: we have been told to avoid butter and tallow for almost fifty years because they are high in saturated fats.

Cereal portions: first at the base of the pyramid, now at the top, so to be consumed in moderation. We have gone from the previous recommendation of 6 servings per day to 2-4 servings per day, thus a reduction of 33-67%. Truly a momentous change. Important: One serving is equivalent to a slice of bread or 28 grams of raw cereal. It is recommended to consume whole grains. Caution: the fiber in whole grains slows digestion and thus the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. Great, if the goal is blood glucose control. However, there is another side of the coin: whole grains contain more antinutrients than “white” grains. Antinutrients are substances that limit the absorption of certain micronutrients, for example, folates bind to minerals and prevent their absorption (see this the study on oysters, corn and beans). Again, it is important to contextualize the choices according to the desired goal.

Low-carb: “People with certain chronic diseases may experience improved health by following a low-carb diet.” this is also truly momentous. Earlier versions stated that there was insufficient evidence to support the positive effect of low-carb diets.

Seed oils: no way. Another momentous change: in previous versions its use was recommended to decrease saturated fat intake. In this version the use of olive oil, butter and tallow is recommended.

Sugars: In a healthy diet, there is no recommendation of any amount of sugar or sweeteners. A meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars.

Vegan and vegetarian diets: it is clearly stated that they can lead to nutritional deficiencies, and it is advised to limit vegan and vegetarian processed foods.

Alcohol: consume less for better health.

AGAINST
Saturated fats: The 10% limit on saturated fats remains however it is specified “further high-quality research is needed to determine which types of dietary fats best support long-term health.” When it was anticipated that the saturated fat limit would be lifted, the reaction of the America Heart Association was very critical.

Seed oils: It is not explicitly stated that it is necessary to limit the consumption of seed oils because of their high omega-6 content. At least, however, its use is no longer recommended.

Protein: It is not clearly stated that animal proteins are nutritionally superior to plant proteins because they have an amino acid profile more appropriate to the needs of the human body. It is also possible to obtain the same amount of essential amino acids with plant proteins but with a higher caloric intake. In addition, plant proteins contain antinutrients that are absent in animal proteins. Antinutrients are substances that limit the absorption of certain micronutrients.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
American guidelines also influence ours. The first American guidelines were published in 1977, the Italian ones in 1986 with the same indications as the American ones: reduce saturated fat consumption. The limit of dietary cholesterol intake to 300 mg per day, on the other hand, was introduced in Italy in 1996. This limit was removed from the American guidelines in 2015, while in Italy it was removed in the V LARN revision of 2024.

The guidelines determine what doctors and nutritionists recommend to eat and what is served in school menus, hospitals, military, prisons-in short, in all public facilities.

That is why they are so important.

THINK FOR YOURSELF
The new guidelines have been published a simple document of only 10 pages, understandable by anyone. Because it is always very important to me that everyone form his or her own opinion, the next few pages contain the entire document in Italian. I have translated it rigorously.

If you speak English, you can find the official version of the document at this link. I also recommend that you look at the website where the guidelines are presented, is beautifully done: clean, clear and simple.

MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARIES
Welcome to the guidelines for Americans 2025-2030

These guidelines mark the most significant change in federal nutrition policy in our country's history. The message is simple: eat real food.

To make America healthy again, we need to get back to basics. American families must prioritize diets built on natural, nutritionally dense foods-protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and whole grains. When accompanied by a drastic reduction in highly processed foods high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, excess sodium, unhealthy fats and chemical additives, this approach can change the health fate of a great many Americans.

The United States is experiencing a health emergency. Nearly 90% of health care spending is devoted to treating people with chronic diseases. Many of these diseases are not a genetic fate: they are the predictable result of the Standard American Diet, a diet that over time has become dependent on highly processed foods and associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

The consequences have been devastating. More than 70% of American adults are overweight or obese. Nearly one in three American adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 has prediabetes. Nutrition-related chronic diseases now exclude large numbers of young Americans from military service, undermining national readiness and disrupting a historic pathway of opportunity and social mobility.

For decades, federal incentives have promoted low-quality and highly processed foods, as well as pharmacological intervention, instead of prevention. This crisis is the result of poor policy choices, inadequate nutrition research and a lack of coordination among federal, state, local and private partners.

This changes today.

We are realigning our food system to support American farmers, ranchers and businesses that grow and produce real food-and the Trump administration is working to ensure that all families can afford it.

We are putting real food back at the center of the American diet. Real food that nourishes the body. Real food that restores health. Real food that provides energy and encourages movement and physical activity. Real food that builds strength.

Under President Trump's leadership, we are restoring common sense, scientific integrity and accountability to federal policies on food and health-and we are reclaiming the food pyramid, returning it to its true purpose: to educate and feed all Americans.

These guidelines call on every American to eat more real food. They call on farmers, ranchers, health professionals, insurance companies, educators, community leaders, industry, and legislators at all levels of government to join this crucial effort.

Together, we can shift our food system away from chronic disease and toward nutritional density, nourishment, resilience, and long-term health. America's future depends on what we grow, what we serve, and what we choose to eat. This is the basis for making America healthy again.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Brooke L. Rollins
Department of Health Department of Agriculture

EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT FOR YOU
- Calorie requirements depend on your age, sex, height, weight and level of physical activity.
- Pay attention to portion sizes, particularly for higher-calorie foods and beverages.
- Hydration is a key factor in overall health. Choose water (natural or sparkling) and unsweetened drinks.

PRIORITIZE PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL
- Prioritize high-quality, nutritionally dense protein foods as part of a healthy eating pattern.
- Consume a variety of animal protein foods, including eggs, poultry, fish, and red meat, as well as a variety of plant-based protein sources, including beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soybeans.
- Replace frying with baking, grilling, roasting, sautéing, or grilling.
- Consume meat without or with limited amounts of sugars, refined carbohydrates or starches, chemical additives. If you prefer, season with salt, spices and herbs.
- Protein intake targets: 1.2-1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, adjusting amounts according to your caloric needs.

CONSUMES DAIRY PRODUCTS
- When consuming dairy products, include whole dairy products without added sugar. Dairy products are an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
- Dairy consumption goals: 3 servings per day as part of a 2,000-calorie eating pattern, to be adjusted according to your individual caloric needs.

INTESTINAL HEALTH
Your gut contains trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms called microbiome.
A healthy diet promotes a balanced microbiome and healthy digestion. Highly processed foods can disrupt this balance, while vegetables, fruits, fermented foods (e.g., sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso), and fiber-rich foods promote a diverse microbiome, which can be beneficial to health.

EAT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THROUGHOUT THE DAY
- Consume a variety of colorful and nutritionally dense vegetables and fruits.
- Eat vegetables and fruits whole, in their original form. Wash them thoroughly before eating them raw or cooking them.
- Frozen, dried or canned vegetables or fruits, with no or very limited amounts of added sugars, may also be a good choice.
- If you prefer, season with salt, spices and herbs.
- 100% fruit or vegetable juices should be consumed in limited portions or diluted with water.
- Vegetable and fruit consumption targets for a 2,000-calorie eating pattern, to be adjusted according to individual caloric needs:
- Vegetables: 3 servings per day
- Fruits: 2 servings per day

CONSUME HEALTHY FATS
- Healthy fats are abundant in many natural foods, such as meats, poultry, eggs, omega-3-rich fish, nuts, seeds, whole dairy products, olives and avocados.
- When cooking or adding fat to meals, prioritize oils that contain essential fatty acids, such as olive oil. Other options may include butter or beef tallow.
- In general, saturated fat consumption should not exceed 10% of total daily calories. Significantly limiting highly processed foods will help achieve this goal. Further high-quality research is needed to determine which types of dietary fats best support long-term health.

PREFER WHOLE GRAINS
- Prioritize fiber-rich whole grains.
- Significantly reduce your consumption of refined and highly processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, ready-made or packaged breakfast products, flour tortillas, and crackers.
- Whole grain consumption goals: 2-4 servings per day, to be adjusted according to your caloric needs.

LIMITS ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS, ADDED SUGARS AND REFINED CARBOHYDRATES
- Avoid ultra-processed, packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat or other salty or sweet foods, such as chips, cookies and candy, that contain added sugar and sodium (salt). Alternatively, prioritize nutritionally dense foods and home-prepared meals. When eating out, choose nutritious options.
- Limit foods and drinks that contain artificial flavors, petrochemical dyes, artificial preservatives, and low-calorie non-nutritive sweeteners.
- Avoid sugary drinks, such as carbonated soft drinks, fruit drinks, and energy drinks.
- Although no amount of added sugars or sweeteners (no calories) is recommended or considered part of a healthy or nutritious diet, a single meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars.
- When choosing snacks, the limits of added sugars should follow the criteria of the FDA's “Healthy” label. For example, cereal snacks (such as crackers) should not exceed 5 grams of added sugars per 20 g of cereal, and dairy snacks (such as yogurt) should not exceed 2.5 grams of added sugars per 150 g of yogurt.

Elena's note: These are the upper limits for being able to use the “healthy/healthy” label on cereal or dairy snacks. It means 25 g of sugar per 100 g of cereal, in my opinion way too much to be called “healthy.”.

ADDED SUGARS
- To help you identify sources of added sugars, look for terms in the ingredients that include the word “sugar” or “syrup,” or that end in “-osio.”.
- Added sugars may appear on ingredient labels under many different names, including: high-fructose corn syrup, agave syrup, corn syrup, rice syrup, fructose, glucose, dextrose, sucrose, cane sugar, beet sugar, turbinado sugar, maltose, lactose, fruit juice concentrate, honey, and molasses. Examples of nonnutritive sweeteners include aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, xylitol, and acesulfame K.
- Some foods and drinks, such as fruits and natural milk, contain naturally occurring sugars. Sugars in these foods are not considered added sugars.

LIMITS ALCOHOL
- Consume less alcohol for better overall health.
- People who should avoid alcohol completely include pregnant women, people in recovery from an alcohol use disorder or who cannot control the amount they drink, and people who take medications or have medical conditions that may interact with alcohol. For those with a family history of alcoholism, it is important to pay attention to alcohol consumption and associated addictive behaviors.

SODIUM
Sodium and electrolytes are essential for hydration. The general population, 14 years and older, should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Very active people may benefit from higher sodium intake to compensate for losses due to sweating.
For children, recommendations vary according to age:
1-3 years: less than 1,200 mg per day
4-8 years: less than 1,500 mg per day
9-13 years: less than 1,800 mg per day
Highly processed foods with high sodium content should be avoided.

SPECIAL POPULATIONS AND SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS

EARLY CHILDHOOD (up to 4 years old)
- For about the first 6 months of life, feed your baby exclusively with breast milk. When breast milk is not available, use an iron-fortified infant formula.
- Continue breastfeeding for as long as mother and child desire, up to 2 years of age or beyond. If breastfeeding or supplementing with formula milk, discontinue formula at 12 months of age and introduce whole milk.
- All breastfed infants, as well as those consuming less than 950 mL of formula per day, should receive daily oral vitamin D supplementation of 400 IU, beginning shortly after birth. Consult your health care professional about vit D supplementation.
- Some infants need iron supplementation. Discuss this with your health care professional.
- Around 6 months of age, infants can start taking solid foods. It is essential to continue breastfeeding or formula feeding during the introduction of solids. Breast milk or infant formula remains the main source of nutrition until 12 months of age.
- If your child is at high risk for peanut allergy (due to the presence of severe eczema and/or egg allergy), talk to your health care professional about introducing peanuts early on as early as 4 to 6 months of age. This can be done by mixing a small amount of peanut butter with breast milk or formula, diluting it to a safe consistency, and administering it by teaspoon. For infants with mild to moderate eczema, introduce peanut-containing foods around 6 months of age.
- Introduce potentially allergenic foods-including dried fruit creams, eggs, shellfish, and wheat-along with other complementary foods around 6 months of age. Ask your child's health care professional about the risk of food allergies and safe ways to introduce these foods.
- Infants should receive a variety of nutrient-dense foods with age-appropriate textures, avoiding nutrient-poor and highly processed foods.
- Examples of nutrient-dense foods to be introduced during the supplementary feeding period include:
Meat, poultry and fish
Vegetables and fruits
Yogurt and whole cheeses
Whole grain cereals
Legumes and foods containing nuts or seeds, prepared in a safe and infant-friendly manner
- Avoid added sugars during infancy and early childhood.

INTRODUCTION OF FOODS IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
- Every baby is different. Look for these signs that your baby is developmentally ready to start eating solid foods:
Sits alone or with support
It is able to control the head and neck
Try to grab small objects, such as toys or food
Bring objects to your mouth
Opens his mouth when offered food
Moves food from the front to the back of the tongue for swallowing
Swallow the food instead of pushing it out on your mouth or chin
- Parents and caregivers can encourage healthy eating by offering new foods several times--it can take 8-10 exposures before a young child is willing to try a new food--and by setting a good example with healthy eating behaviors.

ADULTHOOD - YOUTH
Following dietary guidelines promotes optimal health during this period, helping to reduce the risk of onset or progression of chronic diseases and supporting other aspects of health. The brain continues to mature during young adulthood. Although the most significant increases in bone density occur during adolescence, it is critical to optimize bone health to reach peak bone mass and peak bone strength. In addition, following dietary guidelines can support the reproductive health of both women and men-with particular emphasis on healthy fats, iron, and folate for women and healthy fats and protein for men.

PREGNANT WOMEN
- Pregnancy increases the need for nutrients to support maternal health and fetal growth, with iron, folate, and iodine being top priorities.
- Pregnant women should consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including iron-rich meats, folate-rich green leafy vegetables and legumes, choline-rich eggs, calcium-rich dairy products, and low-mercury, omega-3-rich fish (e.g., salmon, sardines, trout).
- Women should talk to their health care professional about taking a daily prenatal vitamin during pregnancy. 

LACTATING WOMEN
- Lactation increases energy and nutrient requirements to support milk production and maternal health. Breastfeeding women should consume a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods, including vitamin B12-rich protein sources such as meats, poultry, eggs and dairy products; omega-3-rich fish; folate-rich legumes; and vitamin A-rich vegetables.
- Women should talk to their health care professional about whether dietary supplements are needed during breastfeeding. 

SENIORS
- Some older people need fewer calories but still require equal or greater amounts of key nutrients such as protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium. To meet these needs, they should prioritize nutritionally dense foods such as dairy products, meats, fish, eggs, legumes, and whole plant foods (vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds).
- When dietary intake or absorption is insufficient, fortified foods or supplements may be necessary, under medical supervision.

PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC DISEASES
- Following dietary guidelines can help prevent the onset or slow the progression of chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. If you suffer from a chronic disease, talk to your health care professional to assess whether you need to tailor the dietary guidelines to your specific needs.
- People with certain chronic diseases may experience improved health by following a low-carb diet. Work with your health care professional to identify and adopt a diet that is appropriate for you and your health condition.

VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS
- Consume a variety of natural foods, especially protein-rich foods such as dairy products, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu or tempeh.
- Significantly limit ultra-processed vegan or vegetarian foods, which may contain added fat, sugar and salt.
- Pay particular attention to possible nutritional deficiencies when following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Vegetarian diets are often deficient in vitamins D and E, choline and iron, while vegan diets show wider deficiencies in vitamins A, D, E, B6 and B12; riboflavin; niacin; choline; calcium; iron; magnesium; phosphorus; potassium; zinc; and protein. Monitor nutritional status periodically, especially for iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and iodine.
- To avoid nutritional deficiencies, prioritize targeted supplementation, diversify plant protein sources to ensure adequate amino acid balance, and improve mineral bioavailability through appropriate food preparation techniques.

Knowledge means freedom
Be Aware, Be Conscious, Live Better

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