RFK Jr. Unveils ‘Upside Down’ Food Pyramid Prioritizing Red Meat and Full-Fat Dairy, Declares ‘War on Sugar’

The Trump administration has issued new dietary guidelines that officials describe as the “most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.”

On Wednesday, Jan. 7, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the updated guidance, marking a sharp break from several long-standing recommendations. The changes reflect priorities tied to Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda. “My message is clear: Eat real food,” he said during a press briefing.

A key change is a shift away from the current MyPlate model. The new approach also flips the familiar food pyramid concept, turning the traditional visual on its head.

For years, federal advice has emphasized limiting red meat and higher-fat foods. Under the revised “upside down” pyramid, as Kennedy described it, foods such as steak, whole milk, cheese, and vegetables appear in the top tier, while Americans are urged to cut back on highly processed foods and added sugar.

The guidelines also advise avoiding packaged, ready-to-eat snacks like chips and cookies, along with sugary drinks such as sodas and energy drinks. They additionally recommend cooking with olive oil, butter, or beef tallow.

“The new guidelines recognize that whole, nutrient-dense food is the most effective path to better health and lower health care costs,” Kennedy said. “The new framework centers on protein and healthy fats, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. It’s upside down, a lot of people say. It was actually upside down before.”

“Diets rich in vegetables and fruits reduce disease risk more effectively than many drugs,” Kennedy added. “All grains outperform refined carbohydrates. Added sugars, especially sugar-sweetened beverages, drive metabolic disease, and today, our government declares war on added sugar, highly processed foods loaded with additives, added sugar and excess salt.”

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans—updated every five years—help shape school lunch standards, medical guidance, and broader federal nutrition policy.

Some health experts, however, raised concerns about the new emphasis on red meat and dairy.

“I’m very disappointed in the new pyramid that features red meat and saturated fat sources at the very top, as if that’s something to prioritize, it does go against decades and decades of evidence and research,” Christopher Gardner, a nutrition expert and former member of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, told NPR.

The American Heart Association praised parts of the new framework, including recommendations to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while limiting added sugars and processed foods.

At the same time, the organization cautioned that “recommendations regarding salt seasoning and red meat consumption could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease.”