I am not much into anything the government is doing … seems to me its mostly hijacked by big ag, big food, big pharma …
But this one caught my attention and it may turn out to be one of the most significant public health policy shifts of the past few decades. At least I’m hopeful.
While it’s unlikely that anyone in my classes is suddenly going to change how they eat based on government nutrition guidelines, this is a step in the right direction for public health. It sets a tone. It influences how the next generation thinks about foodand health.
Of course there’s far more nuance to nutrition than this diagram (or any diagram) could 
ever capture, however part of my favorite slogan “Eat Real Food” is front and center on the chart. Michael Pollen coined it even better “Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants”. That’s actually pretty spot on. When you consider this poster will be posted in every school around the country, I can’t help but think this is at least a little win.
A few points that are mentioned —stated as simple, flexible guidelines rooted in modern nutrition science:
- Protein at every meal
- Full fat dairy with no added sugars
- Incorporate healthy fats from whole foods such as meats, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados
- Focus on whole grains, while sharply reducing refined carbohydrates.
- Focus on high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, including lots of vegetables and fruits
- Limits on ultra-processed foods—Here is a quote from the Nutrition Policy Fact sheet; “Avoiding highly processed foods: For the first time, the Dietary Guidelines call out the dangers of certain highly processed foods – a common-sense and vital public health point. The guidance calls to avoid highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat, or other foods that are salty or sweet and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda, fruit drinks, and energy drinks.”
- Limits on sugars, artificial flavors and dyes
- Water and unsweetened beverages to support hydration
- The importance of gut health. For the first time, there is mention of the microbiome and the role of fermented foods in supporting gut health.
Yay! Gut health is finally mentioned. This is a huge deal. We’ve known for over a decade the importance of gut health yet it is still not recognized by many doctors.
My thoughts on these “simple and flexible guidelines rooted in modern nutrition science”:
Protein at every meal? Maybe if that includes protein from non meat sources:
Prioritizing protein has been made popular by Dr. Gabrielle Lyons (Washington University fellowship-trained physician in nutritional science and geriatrics, board-certified in family medicine, and the founder of the Institute for Muscle-Centric Medicine). She coined the phrase muscle-centric paradigm.
While protein is better than processed carbs I feel the health influencers have swung too far the other way —from the carb heavy, saturated fat is bad diet days. Now they are over prioritizing protein. Especially if its meat at every meal. Colon cancer is on the rise —and appearing at younger ages —this could be from a lack of fiber.
Many people try to reach these new high protein recommendations using protein powders —which are processed foods. I do not think they are good for you. People who are eating meat protein at every meal also need to consider where the animal meat they are eating is coming from. Grass-fed meats typically contain higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and beneficial phytochemicals compared to CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) meats, which are often grain-fed.
The Mediterranean diet reigns superior for health in most research papers —though your genetic descendants and what they ate may also matter.
Whole grains
Whole grains are a bit low on the pyramid. Grains that are not heavily sprayed with roundup or other herbicides and pesticides can be healthy. While avoiding refined grains is good advice there are some nuances. Rice for example; the bran on brown rice is often oxidized before it reaches your kitchen. White rice has no bran to oxidize. Same with whole wheat flours.
The key here is to avoid pre-packaged carb heavy, processed foods. Fiber is best eaten from fruits and vegetables not grains.
No nutrition guideline will ever satisfy everyone. The diet wars between vegan, paleo, keto, plant-based, carnivore are here to stay — and they all have validation as long as real food is the mainstay. It comes down to which diet is better for whom?
Overall as a step forward, this new food pyramid matters. It reflects a move toward whole, unprocessed food and microbial health, as a baseline.
And that’s a win.