The new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) were released this week by the United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). This has been years in the making and Switch4Good has been following and participating every step of the way by being selected to give oral comments as well as submitting over 6,000 public comments to the Scientific Advisory Committee. These guidelines have been long-awaited, and while we are disappointed in some aspects of the final document and worried about its consequences on individual and public health, we can also choose to find and celebrate the wins. Notably, there is an emphasis on real, nutrient-dense foods, and fortunately a plant-based diet can easily align with that.
What is Different in the 2025-2030 DGA?
The New Pyramid
There have been quite a few changes in this new version of the DGA. For starters, it brought back a food pyramid, called The New Pyramid. A food pyramid has not been in effect since 2011, despite what you may have learned as a kid, or even heard discussed by officials like RFK Jr. as if it were still being used. Unlike previous iterations, this pyramid is inverted, with the top being wide and the bottom being the tip of the triangle. At the top there is protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables, and fruits. Plant-based sources of protein are included, although they are further towards the bottom of the pyramid. At the very bottom, making up the smallest portion of the pyramid, is whole grains.
Real, Nutrient-Dense Food
The new DGA puts a focus on real, nutrient-dense food. Although they consider some animal-products in this, it’s refreshing to also see an emphasis on vegetables and fruits which have so many health benefits. The Scientific Advisory Committee originally recommended prioritizing plant-based proteins due to their abundant health benefits. While that didn’t directly end up in the guidelines, there is still mention of including foods like beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy as part of a varied diet emphasizing protein. Additionally, whole grains are prioritized while refined carbohydrates are discouraged, which will help promote fiber intake and the many health benefits that come along with it. Vegetables, fruits, plant proteins, and whole grains should all be the stars of a healthy diet, and we welcome the DGA supporting them.
Limit Highly Processed Foods
Processed foods come in a wide range and therefore have many different health characteristics. Some foods that are considered processed are healthy (such as fortified soy milk) while others are not something that should be consumed on a regular basis. Many of these highly processed foods also use dairy products, such as Doritos, Cheetos, Twinkies, and Snickers. Removing these hidden sources of dairy from your diet can help bring you closer to a health-promoting, dairy-free lifestyle. While it’s typically not necessary to remove all processed foods, it can be a step in the right direction to feeling your best.
Dairy
Dairy products are heavily emphasized throughout the DGA, but fortunately water and unsweetened beverages are recommended for hydration. Hopefully the days of seeing a glass of milk beside every plate will finally be behind us. The guidelines also point out that “fortified dairy alternatives” are options, although it does not give additional details on how to choose the best option for your needs (but we can help you with that).
Reduce Saturated Fat
The DGA recommends keeping saturated fat at or below 10% of total daily calories (meaning if you consume 2000 calories, you should have a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat per day). Fortunately, this is incredibly easy when following a plant-based and dairy-free diet, as the most common sources of saturated fat in the American diet are cheese and meat. Instead, focus on including plant-based sources of fat like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olives to meet your dietary fat needs without exceeding saturated fat recommendations.
Promote Gut Health
For the first time, the guidelines point out how important having a robust and diverse microbiome is for our digestion and overall health. This can be accomplished through fermented foods like sauerkraut and miso that contain probiotics, as well as whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that are all high in fiber. We have been promoting good gut health habits for years, so this inclusion is very exciting.
The Downfalls of the DGA
While we want to highlight and celebrate the positive aspects of the new DGA, it is far from ideal. There is a heavy emphasis on full-fat dairy and red meat, even though there is mounting evidence that these foods can have detrimental health effects, such as increasing the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, and more. The Scientific Advisory Committee recommended prioritizing plant-based proteins due to their abundant health benefits, yet that advice was ignored and they were demoted to near the bottom of the pyramid.
Most Americans do not meet their fiber requirements. While vegetables and fruits can certainly contribute to that, whole grains are often more accessible. They should be emphasized more as a source of fiber, micronutrients, and carbohydrates that our bodies need to function optimally. There is so much emphasis on protein, and while it’s important, most Americans are meeting or exceeding their needs already. Shifting that focus to fiber would result in better health outcomes for our country. In some ways, these guidelines are giving people permission to continue with their detrimental habits, such as routinely eating steak cooked in butter, rather than providing tools to help improve their nutrition, such as prioritizing plant proteins over animal-based sources.
Conclusion
Nutrition guidance has a lot of nuance that is impossible to capture in sweeping guidelines. Although we pointed out some of our critiques, we still want to focus on embracing the points that may help promote a healthy diet and lifestyle in Americans. We are excited to continue to recommend a plant-based diet based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and plant-based proteins that align with the DGA.
