The Government Now Says Eat More Protein and More Saturated Fat
The guidelines were one obvious victory in a mixed two-year record for the movement.
Up First from NPR · Oil Earnings, Binance Heist, A MAHA UpdateThe federal government now tells Americans to eat more protein, avoid processed foods, and eat more saturated fat.
The advice is in the new dietary guidelines, which reflect the philosophy of MAHA, short for Make America Healthy Again, the movement that began just over two years ago when Robert F. Kennedy Jr. joined forces with President Donald Trump to bring down chronic disease and reform the food system.
The guidelines raised daily goals for protein. On fat, they encourage more saturated fat, the kind in meat and dairy long tied to concerns about cholesterol and heart disease, though they did not change the limits. Past guidelines had generally advised keeping saturated fat to less than 10 percent of daily calories.
NPR health correspondent Will Stone described the guidelines as one obvious victory in an otherwise mixed record. Kelly Ryerson, a MAHA activist focused on pesticides, said, "I cannot think of a single good thing that the EPA has done during this administration," citing rolled-back drinking water protections and approved pesticides.
Questions people ask
What counts as processed food?
Nutrition experts usually mean foods changed substantially from their natural form with added salt, sugar, fat, flavors, or preservatives. Ultra-processed foods include soft drinks, packaged snacks, frozen meals, and processed meats. The new guidelines urge people to choose whole foods instead.
What are the federal dietary guidelines for?
They are the government's official nutrition advice for the public. Doctors use them in counseling, and schools and federal food programs use them to shape meals. They are revised every five years.