01/09/2026
There has been a lot of noise online about the newly released 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines, so I wanted to share my take from a clinical perspective, informed by my work in both healthcare and community-based nutrition.
First, the big picture. These guidelines are not radically new. Many of the core recommendations are very similar to what has been in place for years and what many dietitians have already been teaching. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Choose whole, minimally processed foods. Limit added sugars and excess sodium. Include adequate protein from both plant and animal sources. Those messages were already in the 2020–2025 guidelines.
We also have not been using the old food pyramid being referenced by the new guidelines since the early 1990s. For more than a decade, MyPlate has been the primary visual tool. While no graphic is perfect, MyPlate remains a simple and practical way to build balanced meals. In practice, I often prefer the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate because it adds helpful nuance, especially around protein quality and fats (pictured below).
Much of the confusion seems to come from how the guidelines are being presented online, not from what they actually recommend. Both the previous and current guidelines emphasize limiting processed foods and added sugars, and those messages have been consistent for years.
From my perspective, the issue is not a disconnect between the guidelines and what nutrition professionals have been teaching. Much of what is being framed as “new” aligns closely with what many dietitians have recommended in practice for the past decade (I do have some thoughts on red meat being moved to the top but that is a conversation for another day).
The bigger challenge is implementation. Fewer than 10 percent of Americans are able to follow the guidelines as intended. This is not because people are unwilling or uninformed, but because of social determinants of health such as food access, time constraints, income, transportation, chronic stress, and access to healthcare. Without addressing these barriers, even well-designed nutrition guidance will continue to fall short at a population level.
This is also why the Dietary Guidelines still matter. They inform federal nutrition policy, including programs like WIC, SNAP, and school meals, and play an important role in shaping food access and nutrition standards nationwide. But policy alone cannot overcome the real-life barriers many people face day to day.
In addition, The Dietary Guidelines were designed for a generally healthy population. We do not have a generally healthy population. One-size-fits-all recommendations do not work well for people with diverse health histories, lifestyles, and needs. Nutrition has always required flexibility, context, and personalization.
If you are feeling confused or frustrated by nutrition messaging, you are not alone. If you would like help applying these guidelines to your own health history, lifestyle, and goals, you are welcome to schedule a session with me using the link below. If you are hoping to use insurance and are unsure about coverage, feel free to message me at 256-213-1702 or leslie@greenbeangrove.com and I am happy to help you explore your options.
https://www.greenbeangrove.com/book-a-session.html
