An Honest Look at the New Dietary Guidelines

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This report is updated every five years. This time, the USDA moved away from MyPlate (the graphic used for the guidelines since 2011) and back to a pyramid (introduced in 1992). However, this time the pyramid has been flipped upside down. 

First, a brief background on the process. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), supported by hundreds of scientists, doctors, dietitians, and statisticians, publishes a report to inform policy recommendations for the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This comprehensive 421-page report includes a review of dietary patterns across life stages. The Executive Summary of this report included this statement: “As the Committee considered the evidence, a dietary pattern emerged that was consistently related to beneficial health. This healthy dietary pattern for individuals ages 2 years and older is higher in vegetables, fruits, legumes (i.e., beans, peas, lentils), nuts, whole grains, fish/seafood, and vegetable oils higher in unsaturated fat, and lower in red and processed meats, sugarsweetened foods and beverages, refined grains, and saturated fat.”

Staff and leadership at the USDA and HHS draft and finalize the Dietary Guidelines document, using the DGAC report, input from other federal agencies, public comments, and policy considerations. The new guidelines appear to have been heavily influenced by political pressure.

Let’s break down the parts of the guidelines that are beneficial to health and those that raise concerns.

The updated guidelines include important points, such as a focus on whole grains over refined and processed grains, a recommendation to eat more whole foods and fewer highly processed foods, and to limit added sugar. I also appreciate the statement “federal incentives have promoted low-quality, highly processed foods and pharmaceutical intervention instead of prevention.” 

The guidelines recommend two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day, which is a good start, but it’s better to eat more, if possible, to ensure you get the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your body needs to thrive.

There’s an emphasis on higher protein intake. But, despite the current protein-crazed trend, most Americans already consume far more protein than is necessary. For more on this topic, see my blog The Truth About Protein. 

Of primary concern, given that heart disease remains the leading cause of death in America, is that the guidelines encourage eating meat and consuming full-fat dairy, even though these products are high in saturated fat, which can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease. Dairy is the number one source of saturated fat and is also associated with a higher risk of certain cancers (prostate, ovarian, and breast). Not to mention, many people are unable to digest dairy products.

The updated guidelines retain the long‑standing recommendation that people ages 14 and older consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. However, the American Heart Association fact sheets repeatedly state that 1,500 mg/day is the optimal goal for most adults to improve cardiovascular outcomes.

A misleading statement in the new guidelines is that vegetarian and vegan diets “often fall short” on many nutrients. This suggests that you can’t get what you need from a vegetarian diet, but in reality, a plant-based diet that includes grains, beans, vegetables, and fruit provides complete nutrition. The only supplement a person on a vegan diet might need is vitamin B12.

Finally, the guidelines encourage people to consume less alcohol. This is a missed opportunity to note that the most recent evidence, including a large Lancet analysis, and official public health organizations (such as the World Health Organization) say there is no truly risk-free or health-promoting level of alcohol. 

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated if you focus on a variety of whole, plant-based foods. Plant-based diets have consistently been shown to increase longevity by lowering your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health conditions. If you’d like help incorporating more plants into your diet, check out our Whole Foods for Whole Health Coaching Program here.