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Perspectives from the UC Davis Department of Nutrition on the 2025- 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

  • by Department of Nutrition

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were published on January 7, 2026. These Guidelines are the latest version of dietary guidelines released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) every five years. The purpose of these guidelines is to outline updated federal recommendations that influence nutrition policy, public health programs, research, and education nationwide. As with any shift in federal guidance, this update introduces both opportunities and challenges, and places nutrition research and policy at the forefront of public discussion. Below, we highlight some key points.

Points of Merit in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines:

  • Choose Water: Water is reinforced as the primary beverage of choice and the importance of avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages is reiterated. 
  • Greater Emphasis on Whole Foods: The Guidelines promote nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, and make a new call to avoid highly processed foods. Fiber-rich whole grains continue to be prioritized over highly-processed, refined grains.
  • Full Lifespan Approach: This version of the Guidelines continues to include recommendations across the lifespan, from infancy, childhood, pregnancy, lactation, and older age.
  • Limit Saturated Fat and Added Sugar: The Guidelines maintain the limit on saturated fat consumption to not exceed 10% of total daily energy and recommends reducing added sugars to less than 10 grams per meal.

Points for Ongoing Dialogue in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines:

  • Development: The Guidelines are meant to provide recommendations on what to eat and drink for Americans to support nutritional adequacy throughout the lifespan. They are used primarily by policymakers, healthcare providers, and federal nutrition programs and educators. 
    • Perspective: The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines differ from prior editions not only in certain content, but in the process by which they were finalized. Increased public discussion, resources for nutrition science, and a transparent review process represent meaningful steps forward that can benefit all Americans.
  • Increase Protein: The Guidelines recommend higher protein intake of  1.2–1.6 g/kg body weight/day, up from the longstanding 0.8 g/kg/day, and encourages meeting this goal using a variety of protein sources, including red meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy.
    • Perspective: Many Americans already consume more protein than recommended. Consuming any macronutrient (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) beyond energy needs may be stored or utilized differently depending on the body’s metabolic needs, rather than offering additional immediate health benefits. Additionally, animal source proteins are highlighted in the guidance, many of which also tend to be higher in saturated fat. Consistent high protein intake can also crowd out fiber-rich foods and may increase kidney strain, especially for those with existing kidney concerns.
  • Added Sugars: The Guidelines point out that added sugars are not a part of a healthy diet. They emphasize limiting added sugars and provide per-meal limits.
    • Perspective: While there is agreement about recommending limiting added sugar intake, the by-meal limit approach may require additional context for individuals with different meal patterns and energy needs.
  • Fats: The Guidelines recommend prioritizing oils with essential fatty acids and provide olive oil as an example, while also noting that butter and beef tallow are additional options for cooking. 
    • Perspective: These examples are low in essential fatty acids. The Guidelines also continue to recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories, a target that could be challenging to meet if butter or beef tallow are used as the primary cooking fat. 
  • Highly Processed Foods: The new Guidelines call for Americans to avoid highly processed packaged, prepared, ready-to-eat, or other foods that are salty or sweet, such as chips, cookies, and candy that have added sugars and sodium (salt). 
    • Perspective: Limiting ultra processed foods is supported by robust research and it’s stated that this definition is currently provisional until the  FDA and USDA establish a uniform definition of highly processed foods. These Guidelines do not provide a specific, technical definition about what highly processed foods mean and require additional guidance to reduce possible confusion among consumers.
  • Lactose Intolerance and Dairy Alternatives: For individuals who avoid traditional dairy, the guidelines lack specific recommendations and state only to “pay careful attention to potential nutrient gaps.” 
    • Perspective: An estimated 40% of Americans have some degree of lactose intolerance. It is important to highlight lactose-free/low-lactose options (e.g., lactose-free milk, many yogurts, and certain cheeses) as well as non-dairy foods that can provide key nutrients associated with dairy (e.g., calcium, protein, and vitamin D) to help prevent nutrient shortfalls.
  • Whole Grains and Micronutrient Fortification: Throughout the updated Guidelines there is a strong emphasis on whole grains.
    • Perspective: While fiber found in whole grains is critical for supporting gut and overall health, the Guidelines overlook that in the U.S. food supply, fortification, particularly with folic acid, is largely limited to refined grains and cereals. This omission may have implications for vulnerable populations who rely on these foods for essential nutrients.

Looking Ahead

The Guidelines shape food programs, clinical practice, education, and research priorities nationwide. Nutrition is increasingly at the center of public interest and health innovation, and the next generation of evidence and tools is built by talented students and scientists entering the field now. The UC Davis Department of Nutrition contributes to this work by advancing nutrition science and training through:

  • Designing rigorous randomized controlled trials to test the short- and long-term impacts of dietary patterns and specific nutrition interventions.
  • Developing practical education and training resources for health professionals and the public to support effective implementation of dietary guidance.
  • Evaluating real-world nutritional adequacy and equity in federal nutrition programs and community settings.
  • Examining behavioral and communication barriers to adopting nutrition recommendations.
  • Expanding evidence for culturally diverse dietary patterns and context-specific nutrition recommendations.
  • Improving definitions and measurement of food processing and dietary quality to support clearer public guidance and labeling.

Additional Input from the Scientific and Professional Community:

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