WASHINGTON — New U.S. dietary guidelines have been released that ask Americans to eat less added sugar, fewer processed foods and more protein to stay healthier, federal officials announced Wednesday. The advice also mentions whole-food sources of fat like beef tallow and full-fat dairy, a change from past recommendations.
Beef tallow is a solid at room temperature, produced by rendering fatty tissue from ruminants – cows, buffalo, sheep, goats, deer. Beef tallow, or drippings, comes from cows.
The guidelines, which are updated every five years, suggest that people get more protein based on their body weight, about 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, instead of only small amounts recommended before. For a 150-pound person, that would be roughly 82 to 109 grams of protein daily. That means the average adult might aim for more protein than most eat now.
Health officials are also urging people to avoid highly processed foods that are salty, sweet or ready to eat. Examples include chips, candy, soda and many packaged meals. Instead, the guidelines say to pick whole foods that are closer to their natural form, like fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, beans and dairy.
Added sugar should be kept very low, the guidelines say, with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per meal — roughly equal to two teaspoons. This is a change from past rules that focused on keeping sugar to a percentage of daily calories and that said children under 2 should have no added sugars at all.
The new guidance also talks about how fats are used in cooking. People are encouraged to choose healthy fats like olive oil and fats naturally found in foods, and it even mentions that beef tallow or butter are acceptable in moderation as part of a diet focused on real, less processed foods.
Unlike past guidelines, these recommendations do not set exact daily alcohol limits. Instead, they say Americans should drink less alcohol for better health, especially pregnant women and people who struggle with alcohol use.
Federal officials say cutting back on added sugars, highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates could help lower rates of chronic diseases, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes, which affect many Americans.
“Ultra-processed foods tend to be low in dietary fiber and whole foods, but have a lot of salt, sweeteners and unhealthy fats,” cleveland.com health care reporter Julie Washington said. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ultra-processed food consumption has been associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease.”
According to a federal report cited by the CDC, between August 2021 and August 2023, Americans over 1 year old got 55% of their total calories from ultra-processed food, according to a federal report.
