Advisory Board January 8, 2026
HHS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday released new dietary guidelines that advise Americans to prioritize protein and avoid sugary, processed foods, marking the largest change to the guidelines since they were first introduced in 1980.
What’s in the new guidelines
The new guidelines place a particular emphasis on protein, advising that Americans “prioritize protein at every meal.”
Specifically, the guidelines advise adults to consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day — 50% to 100% more than what federal health officials previously recommended for people’s basic needs.
The guidelines recommend people get protein from animal sources like red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy and from plant sources like legumes,...
Today's Sponsors
Today's Sponsor