- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025-2030 has been published
- Advice focuses on eating protein and full-fat dairy
- It also stresses reducing ultraprocessed foods
The US government has released its new Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2025-2030, bringing back a food pyramid and reversing the old logic.
Instead of putting starchy foods at the base, the updated pyramid places protein, full-fat dairy, healthy fats and vegetables at the top, while grains sit at the bottom in the smallest section.
The headline message is blunt: eat real food.
The guidance repeatedly urges people to cut back on highly processed products and focus on whole foods.
What the new pyramid is telling people to eat more of
The new guidance sets out clear serving targets and puts them front and centre:
Protein at every meal
The guidelines raise the suggested daily protein intake to 1.2-1.6 g per kg of body weight per day, recommending both animal and plant sources.
Full-fat dairy
It recommends three servings of dairy per day and specifically points to full-fat dairy with no added sugars.
Vegetables and fruit
The serving goals listed are three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit per day.
Healthy fats
The document encourages “healthy fats” from whole foods, with examples including olive oil, nuts, seeds, olives and avocados, while also naming butter and beef tallow as options.
What it is telling people to cut back on
The sharpest language is aimed at “highly processed” foods, especially those high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars and sodium.
Added sugar
Rather than only repeating the familiar “keep added sugars low” message, the guidelines say no amount of added sugars is recommended, and set a practical cap of no more than 10 grams of added sugar per meal.
Refined carbohydrates
It specifically calls out products such as white bread, ready-to-eat packaged breakfast options, tortillas and crackers, urging people to significantly reduce them.
Alcohol
Previous US guidance used a numeric daily limit.
The new document avoids that style and instead says to consume less alcohol for better overall health, with specific groups advised to avoid alcohol altogether, such as during pregnancy.
Whole grains, but less emphasis than older visuals
It still tells people to prioritise fibre-rich whole grains and gives a 2-4 servings per day goal, but grains occupy the smallest part of the pyramid graphic, which is one reason critics say the design may confuse people.
Why this matters for people with diabetes
For people living with diabetes, the parts that focus on cutting highly processed foods, sugary drinks and refined carbs are not controversial.
Those foods are strongly associated with excess calorie intake and worse metabolic health, and reducing them often supports weight loss and improved blood glucose management.
The more complicated bit is the heavy emphasis on meat and full-fat dairy alongside a continuing cap that says saturated fat should not exceed 10 percent of daily calories.
Animal fats and many full-fat dairy products can be major sources of saturated fat, which is linked to cardiovascular risk, a big deal for people with diabetes who already face higher heart disease risk.
In plain terms, you can follow the “real food” message and still keep saturated fat sensible by choosing:
- More unsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds, oily fish, avocado)
- More plant proteins (beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, seeds)
- Leaner animal proteins more often than fatty cuts
- Full-fat dairy selectively, prioritising portions and added-sugar-free options
What nutrition experts are saying
Reaction has been mixed.
Several experts have welcomed the stronger stance against highly processed foods and the push towards whole foods, while raising concerns that the messaging on meat and full-fat dairy clashes with the saturated fat cap and could encourage higher calorie intake.
In Science News, nutrition professor Marion Nestle described the guidelines as radical and internally inconsistent, arguing that Americans already get plenty of protein and that leaning harder into meat and dairy is difficult to square with the saturated fat limit.
Charlotte Summers, Founding Operations Officer at DDM Health, which has supported over 500,000 people through its weight management programmes, welcomed the shift towards “real food” and reducing ultra-processed products.
“For people trying to lose weight and improve blood glucose, simpler guidance that prioritises whole foods, protein, fibre and fewer added sugars is a step in the right direction.”
“The key is personalisation, especially for people on diabetes medications and making sure the guidance is practical and affordable for everyday life.”
Other academic voices have pointed out that, despite the attention-grabbing pyramid, several quantitative limits remain familiar, including keeping saturated fat under 10% of calories.
