Need Help Decoding the New Federal Dietary Guidelines?
As the 2025-2030 dietary guidelines continue to receive both praise and criticism, Monica Wang, David Jernigan, Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, Jessica Petrick, and Ana Poblacion explain how people should interpret and incorporate the recommendations into their own daily diet.
The protein boom reverberating across America shows no sign of slowing down—and according to federal health officials, full-fat dairy products, and beef tallow should receive similar attention and space on the average consumer’s plate.
In a stark departure from previous recommendations, the US Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture jointly released 2025-2030 federal dietary guidelines last month that place an emphasis on consuming red meat, whole milk, and butter, along with fruits and vegetables. Dubbed “the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in our nation’s history,” by US health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the updated dietary guidelines also suggest people limit—or eliminate entirely—highly processed foods, added sugars, and excess sodium. The guidelines also removed daily limits for alcohol consumption and now urge people to just “consume less alcohol.”
Excerpted from BU School of Public Health
