Brainworm Boi and recovering junkie, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has announced new dietary guidelines for Americans focused on promoting whole foods, proteins and healthy fats. Promoting whole foods and proteins are noncontroversial; but putting red meat and saturated fats at the top of the pyramid defies years of research that confirms plant-based proteins and monounsaturated fats are much better choices for lower cardiovascular issues.
At a press conference Wednesday, the administration unveiled a new food pyramid with red meat, cheese, vegetables and fruits pictured at the top.
For years, Americans have been advised to limit saturated fat, and the new pyramid is facing criticism.
“I’m very disappointed in the new pyramid that features red meat and saturated fat sources at the very top, as if that’s something to prioritize. It does go against decades and decades of evidence and research,” says Christopher Gardner, a nutrition expert at Stanford University. He was a member of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which reviewed all the nutrition evidence. He’s in favor of increasing plant-based sources of protein, such as beans, rather than emphasizing animal protein.
Both the American Heart Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which includes thousands of nutrition professionals, point to evidence that excess saturated fat is linked to heart disease. And the new guidelines do still include a long held recommendation to limit saturated fat to 10% of your daily calories.
The guidelines also elevate cheese and other dairy to the top of the pyramid, paving the way for the option of full-fat milk and other dairy products in school meals. There’s growing evidence, based on nutrition science, that dairy foods can be beneficial.