Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, January 7, 2026.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | fake images
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins shared new U.S. nutritional guidelines on Wednesday, advising Americans to eat more “real foods” and reduce their intake of highly processed foods and added sugars.
The government's new food pyramid replaces the MyPlate diagram published during Barack Obama's presidency and emphasizes protein, full-fat dairy and vegetables. The most significant changes under the updated guidelines include prioritizing protein over carbohydrates, recommending full-fat dairy instead of low-fat options, and eliminating processed foods like white bread, chips, and sweets.
“Healthy fats” such as full-fat dairy and avocados have also been added to the pyramid, and the guidelines recommend cooking with olive oil, butter, or beef tallow.
“We are ending the war on saturated fat,” Kennedy said at a White House news conference on Wednesday.
Similarly, the website announcing the new guidelines states: “We are ending the war on protein.”
Kennedy called the new guidelines “the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.”
His “Make America Healthy Again” agenda has taken aim at processed foods and sugary drinks, while pushing for more controversial dietary changes, such as cooking with beef tallow and consuming more red meat, which many public health experts say can lead to cardiovascular and other health problems in excess. According to Kennedy, the backbone of the MAHA platform is that healthier diets will prevent chronic diseases.
Responding to MAHA's push, food and beverage giants like PepsiCo and J.M. Smucker have announced plans to phase out synthetic dyes and other artificial ingredients. Since Kennedy's confirmation, the industry has feared increased regulation, particularly regarding ultra-processed foods, although no major policy changes have yet occurred.
The USDA and HHS publish updated dietary guidelines every five years. While many Americans may ignore the recommendations, the guidelines are intended as a public health tool to inform health care providers, federal agencies, policymakers and nutrition experts. The food industry also takes them into account, given the broad scope of the guidelines.
The changes in dietary recommendations will extend to school lunches and federal nutrition programs. The consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest estimates that 1 in 4 Americans will be directly affected by the changes to the guidelines.
More than a year ago, an advisory committee of health and nutrition experts said Americans should eat more plant-based foods and low-fat dairy and consume less red meat and sugary drinks, according to a review of scientific evidence. However, it is unclear whether the USDA and HHS used the report to inform the dietary guidelines announced Wednesday.
