New US Dietary Advice: Meat and Full-Fat Dairy

The new guidelines oppose highly processed foods and recommend eating more protein and fat, with an emphasis on animal products. In April, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre will release a revised Schijf van Vijf (Wheel of Five) that will place more emphasis on plant-based protein sources.

In the US, the 1992 food pyramid is being revived. This time, however, it's being turned upside down to show that the original's proportions were completely wrong. The new pyramid most closely resembles a ketogenic diet, which minimizes carbohydrates and encourages high fat and protein intake. The most notable change is that protein and fat form the core category of the new guidelines. The recommended amount of protein has increased to 1,2 to 1,6 grams per kilogram of body weight. Previously, the standard 0,8 grams per kilogram of body weight was used in medical science.

'War on saturated fat is over'
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy has declared that "the war on saturated fat" is definitively over. To underscore this, full-fat dairy is now also recommended. Protein forms the foundation of the recommended diet, meaning consumers should consume most of it. The second category is fruits and vegetables. The third and smallest category depicted is grains. Product groups that Kennedy has previously criticized, such as seed oils and meat and dairy substitutes, are not included in the new recommendations at all. Yet, the recommendations are not as straightforward as they seem at first glance. A closer look reveals that they are less revolutionary than expected. Although products with high saturated fat levels are now included in the pyramid, the recommendation to obtain a maximum of 10% of daily calorie intake from saturated fat remains. 

Meat sector benefits
Although research shows that the vast majority of Americans don't consult dietary guidelines, changes in dietary recommendations almost always have immediate consequences for the American agricultural market. These guidelines influence which foods are eligible for various government programs, such as school lunches. Furthermore, as many as one in eight Americans receives food assistance in the form of food stamps, and the guidelines determine which products can be purchased with these stamps. The meat sector is therefore expected to benefit from the new guidelines. At the same time, the guidelines appear to be detrimental to growers of corn and vegetable oil seeds.

Nutrition Center emphasizes differences
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre indicates that there are clear differences between Dutch and American dietary recommendations in several respects. In the Netherlands, the emphasis is on a more plant-based diet with fewer animal products, while the American guidelines actually recommend more animal products. Furthermore, the recommended protein intake in the US is now considerably higher. Furthermore, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre does not consider saturated fats from meat and dairy products to be healthy fats.