The old food pyramid old guide recommended filling your plate with roughly equal portions of grains, protein, vegetables, and fruit, with dairy rudely downsized and pushed to the side. The new 2025-2030 American dietary guidelines replace the circular plate with an inverted pyramid that places animal foods, vegetables and fruits at the top.
The calories you need depend on your age, sex, height, weight, and level of physical activity. Pay attention to portion sizes, particularly
for foods and beverages higher in calories. Hydration is a key factor in overall health. Choose water (still or sparkling) and unsweetened beverages.
Prioritize protein foods at every meal
Consume a variety of protein foods from animal sources, including eggs, poultry, seafood, and red meat, as well as a variety of plant-sourced protein foods, including beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy. Swap deep-fried cooking methods with baked, broiled, roasted, stir-fried, or grilled cooking methods.
Consume meat with no or limited added sugars, refined carbohydrates or starches, or chemical additives. If preferred, flavor with salt, spices, and herbs. Protein serving goals: 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, adjusting as needed based on your individual caloric requirements.
The new inverted food pyramid (Source: cdn.realfood.gov)
Consume dairy and focus on whole grains
When consuming dairy, include full-fat dairy with no added sugars. Dairy is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and
minerals. Eat vegetables and fruits throughout the day and incorporate healthy fats.
Focus on whole grains and significantly reduce the consumption of highly processed, refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, ready-to-eat or packaged breakfast options, flour tortillas, and crackers.
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Limit alcoholic beverages
People who should completely avoid alcohol include pregnant women, people who are recovering from alcohol use disorder or are unable to control the amount they drink, and people taking medications or with medical conditions that can interact with alcohol.
American biohacker Bryan Johnson took to Instagram to share certain longevity hacks to tweak the new pyramid in his opinion. According to him, dairy should be deprioritised and people should exercise caution when consuming saturated fats.
“Children are well positioned to benefit from the highly anabolic effects of milk and red meat proteins, and least affected by the risk of saturated fats, provided these are a part of a relatively balanced diet,” he further mentioned.
Expert weighs in
CV Aishwarya, a clinical nutritionist and lecturer at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, considers this new food pyramid a complete reversal from the actual pyramid. “Milk and dairy products should not be marginalised in importance, as they form an integral component of a well-balanced diet by providing essential nutrients such as high-quality protein, calcium, and vitamins,’ she told indianexpress.com.
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Adding that the remaining points are acceptable from her perspective, she said that fatty fish and walnuts possess well-established cholesterol-lowering properties due to their rich content of omega-3 fatty acids and can be safely incorporated into the daily diet. In contrast, she recommended saturated fats must be consumed judiciously, as excessive intake is strongly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Legumes and meat also play a vital role in daily nutrition, contributing valuable proteins, iron, and other micronutrients, and should be included in appropriate portions to ensure overall dietary adequacy and balance,” Aishwarya advised.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.
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