The Food Pyramid Is Upside Down Now
The new United States dietary guidelines — which are updated every five years by the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services — were announced on Wednesday, and this time around, they’ve got a Make America Healthy Again flare. Also, they’re upside down. The latest guidelines, revamped by Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., prioritize protein consumption, full-fat dairy, and a “dramatic reduction” in highly processed foods.
Back in 2011, the guidelines did away with the long-standing carb-prioritizing pyramid structure and instead introduced the MyPlate system, which encouraged roughly equal portions of protein, grain, fruits, and vegetables. So maybe it was time for a new graphic, something fun and cool to hook young people on clean eating. Enter the “New Pyramid,” which actually looks more like a funnel because, as previously stated, it’s upside down. At the top (now the widest part) are protein, dairy, and healthy fats alongside fruits and vegetables. At the bottom (smallest part) are whole grains. RIP to the part of the old food pyramid that allowed for sweets “sparingly”; that’s out completely.
“We are putting real food back at the center of the American diet,” the new guidelines read. “Real food that nourishes the body. Real food that restores health. Real food that fuels energy and encourages movement and exercise. Real food that builds strength.” That all sounds good until you realize just how much protein the Trump administration thinks you need in order to “build strength” and “restore health.” Previously, the recommendation had been 13 to 56 grams of protein per day. The new suggestion is based on body weight and encourages people to eat 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram — so if you weigh 150 pounds, you should apparently be aiming for 81.6 to 109 grams of protein every day. According to the American Heart Association, which also recommends protein intake according to body weight, the recommended daily allowance is 0.8 grams per kilogram.
In an Instagram post rolling out the new pyramid, HHS explained the mind-set behind its protein-maxxing guidelines, announcing that it was “ending the war on protein.” Kennedy sounded similarly ambitious in a White House press conference on Tuesday, where he said that these new guidelines “will revolutionize our nation’s food culture and make America healthy.” But not everyone is as hyped up about them. In a statement, the AHA said it “commends” many of the “science-based recommendations,” including the focus on increasing fruit and vegetable intake and limiting added sugar. That said, the organization noted that it is “concerned that recommendations regarding salt seasoning and red meat consumption could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease.”
Interestingly, the new guidelines have also removed the daily limits on alcohol (formerly one drink per day for women and two for men), in favor of a much more vague suggestion to “consume less alcohol for better overall health.” Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said that while the advice is still to drink in “small amounts,” the new verbiage is meant to reflect that alcohol is “a social lubricant that brings people together.”
This is a lot of new info to take in all at once, but here’s basically what you need to know. Ground beef? God’s gift to man. It’s your birthday and you want to get litty with your friends? That’s allowed. White bread? Absolutely not. Does that make sense? Would it be more helpful if they rotated the food pyramid in a different direction next time?
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