The White House on Wednesday unveiled new dietary guidelines that officials described as the most significant overhaul of federal nutrition policy in decades, signaling a sharp shift away from the old grain-heavy model toward what the administration says is a common-sense focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods.
The updated framework features an upside-down food pyramid, placing vegetables, fruits, proteins, dairy and healthy fats at the top, with whole grains moved to the bottom. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the new approach reflects growing recognition that diet quality is central to health outcomes.
“The new guidelines recognize that whole, nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health and lower health care costs,” Kennedy said. He added that the new framework centers on protein and healthy fats, along with vegetables, fruits and whole grains, noting that the pyramid “was actually upside down before.”
The original federal food pyramid, introduced in the 1990s, emphasized large daily servings of bread, rice and pasta at the base, with smaller portions of dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables above, and sugars at the top. That model was later replaced by “My Plate” during the Obama administration. The latest guidelines are now presented on a newly launched website, realfood.gov.
Federal health leaders joined the White House press briefing to outline the changes, marking the first official briefing of 2026. Alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt were FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Kennedy said diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce disease risk more effectively than many drugs, while all grains outperform refined carbohydrates. He declared a government “war” on added sugars and highly processed foods, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages, which officials said drive metabolic disease.
Rollins said the guidelines apply to whole foods regardless of whether they are fresh, frozen, canned or dried. Leavitt said the changes will affect meals served in public schools, military facilities, veterans’ programs, and federal nutrition efforts such as WIC and Head Start. She added the guidance could help families save “thousands” on groceries.
The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize “nutrient-dense foods” and offer practical swaps, such as choosing plain shredded wheat cereal instead of frosted versions or selecting low-sodium canned black beans over regular ones.
Despite Kennedy’s rhetoric favoring more saturated fats, the guidelines retain the long-standing recommendation to limit saturated fat to 10 percent of daily calories and keep the same cap for added sugars. The guidance also states that people who do not drink alcohol should not start for any reason.
Asked about the difference between Kennedy’s comments and the final guidance, Oz said earlier claims linking saturated fats to heart attacks were never substantiated, citing historical examples. He said the new guidance tells schools and families they do not need to avoid fat and dairy, while maintaining the 10 percent saturated fat limit. Oz argued the larger problem is ultra-processed food, noting that a majority of calories consumed by children come from such products. The guidelines do not define “ultra-processed foods,” though they reference “processed” foods multiple times.
Oz also clarified the alcohol language, joking that the implication is not to drink for breakfast.
Health groups offered mixed reactions. One organization criticized the promotion of meat and dairy, while acknowledging limits on saturated fat. The guidelines note that saturated fats come from full-fat dairy products and suggest choosing low-fat or fat-free options. The dairy industry welcomed the changes.
An interactive site at realfood.gov now lays out the administration’s “upside-down” pyramid, echoing Kennedy’s message that the update ends what officials call a long-running “war on protein.”
