FINALLY…Eat REAL Food!

Have you seen the new version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?

If not, here is a link – you can find them at the new website realfood.gov.

The second sentence in the document? 

“The message is simple: eat real food.”

While the guidelines certainly aren’t perfect, can we just pause for a moment and celebrate this huge step forward?  For the first time, the foundation of our nation’s food guidelines can be summed up in three simple words: 

Eat REAL Food.

That’s worth celebrating!

A Message Years in the Making

I wanted to share this brief message with you today, along with a few of our thoughts and reflections on the new guidelines.

Back in our coaching tip in December 2024, we wrote,

“Maybe our dietary guidelines should be simplified with the overarching theme of EAT REAL FOOD!“

And

“Just imagine what we could achieve if we shifted our paradigm and united our culture around a simple message of:  EAT REAL FOOD…and equipped people to do just that!”

We actually first proposed this idea in this coaching tip all the way back in August 2020.  And this has been at the core of Eat REAL America since day one – over a decade ago.  Even on our Napkin, the #1 habit is “Eat REAL Food.”

So, please take a moment to celebrate this!  As Eat REAL America members and Champions, you aren’t just ahead of the curve…you helped shape the curve!

Now What?!

While the Eat REAL Food message is a huge step forward, even the most optimistic among us know that things aren’t going to magically change overnight.  We’ve always known that:

1. People first need help understanding what REAL food actually is.
2. People need to be equipped to prepare REAL food – in ways that are simple, affordable and full of flavor.

They say, “it takes a village.”  With passionate advocates like all of you, this moment creates a powerful opportunity to continue shaping both our food system and the health of our country.

Are you as excited as we are at the possibilities?!

What About the Guidelines Themselves?

Once we contained our excitement about the headline message, we rolled up our sleeves and actually read the guidelines (what used to be 149 pages is now only 10 pages long!), along with the new “upside down food pyramid.”  As expected, there’s no shortage of opinions.  Some are calling the guidelines “spot on,” while others say they are “a huge setback to the future health of our nation.”  Unfortunately, extreme viewpoints tend to create more confusion than clarity.

So, here’s our take on all of it!

What we like:

• The clear, simple message: Eat REAL Food.
• Encouragement to eat vegetables and fruits throughout the day (though we believe the recommended servings are too low).
• Recommendations to avoid or limit highly processed foods and added sugars.
• Inclusion of plant-based protein alongside animal-based protein (although plant sources seem to be somewhat de-emphasized).
• Emphasis on whole grains over refined carbohydrates.
• Hydration with water as the default beverage.
• Recognition of gut health, including vegetables, fruits, fermented foods, and high-fiber foods.

What we’re less enthusiastic about:

• “Ending the war on protein?”  We’re not convinced there has been a war on protein – if anything, protein has recently taken on a “superfood” status.  Our guidance remains unchanged from our coaching tip on protein.  We encourage you to: Eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.  And some quality meats, seafood, eggs, yogurt and cheese if desired.  In almost all cases, when you eat this way, the nutrients – including the protein – take care of themselves.
• Where are the beans?  While legumes are mentioned, we believe they deserve a much stronger emphasis.  Beans, peas and lentils are among the most nutrient-dense foods available – packed with protein, fiber, iron, and potassium, and powerful health benefits.
• Not enough vegetables and fruits.  As you know, we recommend 8-10 servings every day.  Not only does this maximize fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals – it also naturally crowds out less healthy foods.  And remember, diversity of plants matters too.  If you are going to count anything, aim for 8-10 servings of vegetables and fruits daily and 30 different plants every week.
• Saturated fat confusion.  The guidelines continue to recommend limiting saturated fat intake to 10% of daily calories – yet this becomes nearly impossible if meals emphasize red meat, butter, and full-fat dairy.  A plant-predominant way of eating naturally keeps saturated fat in a healthy range.  We would have liked to see support for plant-based alternatives like tempeh and tofu, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and unsweetened organic soy milk.

What About the Inverted Pyramid?

Honestly?  We’re not fans.  The visual could easily be interpreted to mean that half your plate should be meat and full fat dairy.  And why are whole grains so small?  And where are the legumes?

While we think the image could be significantly improved, here are a couple of ideas to make the most of it.

Option 1: “Stay to the Right”

Think about this like driving your car.  At least in this country, when you drive you stay to the right.  Of course, you might drift over to the left, but the majority of the time you stay to the right.

By keeping to the right, you can focus on the fundamentals:

Eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.  And some quality meats, seafood, eggs, yogurt and cheese if desired.

When you do this consistently, the nutrients will largely take care of themselves.

Option 2: Flip It

Mentally rotate the pyramid so that vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds – and beans – are emphasized most. 

What is our overall takeaway?

We encourage you to focus on just five simple words:

Eat Real Food. Mostly Plants.

Yes, it really is that simple.  No need to get bogged down in all the details.

Do this, and you’ll set yourself up for your best possible health and vitality.

And please keep encouraging and supporting your family and friends to do the same!

JOIN US! For an even deeper dive into “the twists” worth unpacking, Zonya is doing a FREE webinar this Monday, January 19th, Triumphs and Twists: Demystifying the New Dietary Guidelines.

She’ll be answering the questions many are asking: 

• Should we really be drinking whole milk now? 
• Is eating more protein and fat a must? And if so, how much? 
• What happened to beans and grains?

There are two sessions to choose from, 11 AM CST/12 Noon ET and 6 PM CST/7 PM ET. Even if you can’t make it live, register to receive the replay the following day. Plan on 30 minutes of presentation time and 15 minutes of Q&A time. I will be assisting with the Q&A, so please come with all of your questions!

Let’s take this big step forward – and use it as an opportunity to transform even more lives for the better!