Historic Flip: U.S. Puts Real Food Back on Top
In a major shift, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, calling it
“the most consequential reset of U.S. nutrition policy in decades.”
For the first time in generations, protein, healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, and dairy sit at the top of the food pyramid, while grains and highly processed foods occupy the bottom.
The message is simple: eat real food.
The new guidelines mark a clear break from decades of low-fat, high-carb advice and federal reliance on ultra-processed foods. According to the MAHA Report, these recommendations prioritize nutrient-dense foods, end the war on healthy fats, and restore protein to its proper role, while explicitly calling out refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and artificial additives.
Key highlights include:
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Protein at every meal from animal and plant sources
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Full-fat dairy, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats like eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados
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Sharp reduction in refined carbs and ultraprocessed foods
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No added sugar for young children
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Guidelines tailored for infants, children, adults, pregnant or lactating women, older adults, and those with chronic disease
The guidelines also aim to transform federal programs: school lunches, SNAP benefits, military meals, and hospital food now focus on whole, minimally processed foods, with the goal of reducing diet-driven chronic disease.
Critiques and Praise
Online reactions have been mixed. Supporters call it a long-overdue correction grounded in biology and prevention. Critics note some lingering limits, like the continued 10% calorie cap on saturated fats, and question implementation challenges. Environmental/climate activists were not pleased with the meat recommendation.
Contrasting Canada
Unlike the U.S., Canada’s dietary guidelines remain largely focused on plant-based, low-fat recommendations, with limited acknowledgment of ultra-processed foods or nutrient-dense fats. Canadian families may benefit from looking to these U.S. updates as a model for real-food–focused eating, while still navigating local guidance.
Why it matters: Nearly 90% of U.S. healthcare spending goes to treat chronic disease, much of it diet-related. By centering real food, these guidelines aim to strengthen families, improve children’s health, reduce long-term healthcare costs, and support national readiness.
For Canadians, the takeaway is clear: prioritize whole, minimally processed foods, reduce added sugars, and embrace nutrient-dense fats and protein for lifelong health.
On the left, the “new” Canadian Food Guide was introduced on January 22, 2019 — seven years ago. Health Canada committed to revising it within five years, by 2024. That revision never happened.Meanwhile, the United States released a new food guide yesterday (on the right) — a… pic.twitter.com/rrKEtc5r5K
— The Food Professor (@FoodProfessor) January 8, 2026
Sources
The MAHA Report – Sapola, Amy, Pharm.D., Massive MAHA Win, Real Food Is Back with Historic New Dietary Guidelines
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & USDA, Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030
Press conference
CHD’s The Defender, RFK Jr. Flips the Food Pyramid
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