The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are designed to provide practical nutrition advice based on the latest science, guiding both the public and federal policies for various programs, including school lunches.
However, the most recent edition of these guidelines, published on January 7, 2026, appears to have generated more confusion than clarity regarding dietary recommendations.
Having researched nutrition and chronic diseases for over 35 years, I authored “Sugarproof” in 2020, focusing on reducing added sugar intake for better health. I also had the opportunity to serve as a scientific adviser on these new guidelines.
Despite the expedited and sometimes contentious nature of this process, I chose to participate for two significant reasons. First, I wanted to ensure that the review maintained scientific integrity. Second, federal health officers emphasized investigating areas with robust evidence—specifically around food processing, added sugars, and sugary beverages—aligning closely with my research interests.
My task, along with my colleagues, was to evaluate and clarify the strongest scientific evidence available.
What’s New in the Dietary Guidelines?
First published in 1980, the dietary guidelines undergo updates every five years. The latest version stands out in several notable ways.
For one, the new report is significantly more concise, consisting of just nine pages instead of 400. It delivers straightforward advice aimed directly at the public, whereas previous iterations were more tailored for policymakers and nutrition professionals.
Moreover, the new guidelines signal a critical shift in how a healthy diet is defined. Prior dietary recommendations focused on general patterns and individual nutrients like protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In contrast, the latest guidelines center on overall diet quality.
However, certain aspects of the guidelines have faced criticism from health and nutrition experts. Points of contention include the process behind their development and the recommendations concerning saturated fat, beef, dairy, protein, and alcohol consumption. While some critiques are valid, they may overshadow the most crucial and actionable conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence.
Our scientific assessment revealed that a few simple adjustments—specifically lowering the intake of highly processed foods and sugary drinks while increasing whole grain consumption—can significantly enhance health outcomes.
Insights from the Evidence
My research team and I examined numerous studies on sugar consumption, processed food intake, and whole grains. We evaluated these studies for robustness and potential bias, assigning an overall quality rating of low, moderate, or high based on predefined criteria like consistency and plausibility.
Our findings indicated moderate to high-quality evidence linking higher consumption of processed foods to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and premature death.
Similarly, we found moderate evidence suggesting that a greater intake of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a higher risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes. In particular, the evidence was substantial that children drinking fruit juice have a higher obesity risk. Additionally, consuming more artificially sweetened beverages is linked to increased risks of premature death and Alzheimer’s disease, according to moderately solid evidence.
Conversely, whole grains offer protective health benefits. Our research indicates high-quality evidence that consuming whole grains correlates with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Additionally, higher dietary fiber intake, prevalent in whole grains, is associated with a reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes and premature death, based on moderate-quality studies.
The evidence we assessed indicates that excessive consumption of highly processed foods and sugary beverages, along with insufficient intake of whole grains, significantly contributes to the rise of chronic diseases like obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease in the United States—rather than the intake of protein, beef, or dairy.
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From Research to Guidelines
Our report was the first to recommend that the guidelines explicitly advocate for reducing the intake of highly processed foods. Research concerning the harmful impacts of sugar and processed foods, along with the benefits of whole grains, has been accumulating for years and has been acknowledged in earlier reports.
In contrast, evidence regarding the links between protein, red meat, saturated fat, and chronic disease risk remains less conclusive. Nevertheless, the 2025 guidelines advocate for an increase in these foods—marking a departure from previous versions.
The depiction of the inverted pyramid used in the 2025 guidelines prominently features protein sources—specifically meat and dairy—positioning them at the top left of the image, while whole grains are relegated to the bottom; beverages are notably absent apart from milk.
Scientific advisers had no role in designing this visual representation.
Small Dietary Changes for Better Health
A crucial point that emerged from our research is that even modest dietary adjustments can significantly reduce chronic disease risk.
For instance, consuming just 10% fewer calories from highly processed foods daily could potentially lower diabetes risk by 14%, according to one key study. Another study found that eating just one less serving of processed foods per day could reduce heart disease risk by 4%.
Simple changes can be easy to implement—like swapping a highly processed bread for one with fewer ingredients or replacing a weekly fast-food meal with a homemade dish. Alternatively, consider switching to brands of everyday staples like tomato sauce, yogurt, salad dressings, and nut butter that use fewer additives like sugar, sweeteners, emulsifiers, or preservatives.
Reducing sugary drinks, including sodas, sweet teas, juices, and energy drinks, yields similar benefits. Just one less can of soda daily could lower diabetes risk by 26% and heart disease risk by 14%.
Moreover, incorporating even a single additional serving of whole grains daily—like replacing standard bread with whole grain—can lead to an 18% reduction in diabetes risk and a 13% decrease in overall mortality.
Embracing ‘Kitchen Processing’
Another effective strategy for enhancing your diet is to reclaim basic food processing techniques typically handled by manufacturers—what I term “kitchen processing.” Humans have always engaged in food processing through methods like chopping, cooking, fermenting, drying, or freezing. The concern with highly processed foods is not only the changes to the chemical structure of ingredients but also the additives used to enhance taste and shelf life.
In contrast, kitchen processing can be customized for health and personal taste and doesn’t require cooking from scratch. Here are some straightforward suggestions:
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Choose plain yogurt instead of flavored varieties, and enhance it with your favorite fruits or a homemade fruit compote.
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Flavor plain sparkling water with a squeeze of citrus or a splash of fruit juice instead of sugary or diet beverages.
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Start with plain, whole grain breakfast cereals and add your preferred source of fiber or fruit.
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Create your own healthy snack mix by combining nuts, seeds, and dried fruit rather than relying on packaged “energy bars.”
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Make a simple salad dressing at home using olive oil, vinegar, or lemon juice, along with your choice of additional flavors like mustard, garlic, herbs, or honey.
You can apply this approach to the foods you frequently consume by making similar swaps. Though these changes may seem minor, they can accumulate over time and significantly enhance your health.
In conclusion, while the new dietary guidelines have sparked discussions and critiques, focusing on the salient points—like reducing processed foods and boosting whole grain intake—can lead to healthier outcomes for individuals and communities alike. By making small, manageable changes in our diet, we can work towards better health for ourselves and future generations.
