The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for America were published on January 7, 2026. They emphasize eating real foods and avoiding added sugars and represent an important departure from prior recommendations. The first Dietary Guidelines for America were published in 1980 and provided the direct instruction to “(a)void too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol,” a claim that subsequent recommendations would repeat. The demonization of fat as the culprit in heart disease – a claim that lacked high quality evidence – led to a proliferation of ultra-processed, Franken-foods on grocery store shelves.
The new guidelines’ real breakthrough is prioritizing minimally processed, satiating whole foods that trigger natural calorie reduction. They recognize that there is no one “perfect diet,” and that what matters is eating real foods that make you feel full. The previous push for low-fat foods – many of which were loaded with chemical preservatives - sabotaged the American public.
The push for real foods is rooted in the best nutritional science. A landmark NIH trial showed that diets high in processed foods had disrupted brain signals and led people to eat faster, consume more calories, and gain weight. A more recent study found that participants who ate minimally processed foods had double the weight loss of those who had more UPF intake. Eating real foods promoted the body to have natural responses that mimicked the effects of GLP-1 agonist drugs like Ozempic, but through diet rather than medication.
The new recommendations reflect a pivot from industry-driven junk to real food, and evidence shows that eating real foods such as protein and healthy fats make it easier to maintain a healthy weight. Researchers showed that eating a diet that increased protein intake from 15% to 30% was associated with significant weight loss, even when participants had unlimited access to food. By emphasizing protein can come from a variety of sources, the new guidelines support flexibility. Animal-based keto or legume-heavy vegan diets both can have a place, depending on personal preference.
While many elements of the guidelines have been praised, the recommendation for full-fat dairy has been the subject of some controversy, and it’s worth breaking down the evidence. The Fat Paradox - the finding that eating full-fat dairy doesn’t promote weight gain; to the contrary, it helps with weight management - has clear and consistent evidence for support. A systematic review found that high-fat dairy consumption was associated with lower body weight, less weight gain over time, and a lower risk of obesity. A global study found that people who had a diet that included at least two servings of dairy each day had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and the health benefits were just as strong – and for some metabolic markers, stronger – for those who ate full-fat dairy as compared to those who ate low-fat or skim versions. In September 2025, a study that followed young adults for 25 years found that participants who consumed the highest amounts of full-fat dairy had a decreased risk of developing early signs of heart disease later in life. Finally, another 2025 study found that regular intake of full-fat cheese and dairy was linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. These repeated findings of a benefit likely rest on two factors: first, dairy fat slows digestion and triggers satiety. In contrast, skim milk provides a rapid dose of milk sugar and lacks the fat needed to help slow its absorption. But it’s also likely that low fat versions also trigger “the replacement effect” - when people cut fat from their diet, they almost always replace those calories with refined carbohydrates and added sugars which trigger weight gain and metabolic dysfunction.
The new dietary guidelines are a win for common sense. Eat real foods and avoid junk. Eat more protein and healthy fats and avoid added sugars. This should mark an end to the “diet wars.” The evidence supporting these recommendations is clear, consistent and compelling. These guidelines will serve as the basis for all federal food efforts, including SNAP and school lunch programs. And so this isn’t just a win for science. It’s a win for our kids.
Monique Yohanan, MD, MPH, is a senior fellow for health policy at Independent Women.
