Breaking: Dietary guidelines declare war on processed foods, sugar

Medical experts react with both praise and scorn to MAHA-inflected guidelines.

Log In    Subscribe BREAKING NEWS   Dietary guidelines declare war on processed foods and sugar, encourage more protein and dairy By Elizabeth Cooney, Isabella Cueto, and Sarah Todd RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images The Trump administration on Wednesday issued a long-promised revamp of national dietary guidelines, urging Americans to eat more protein and less added sugar and, for the first time, discouraging consumption of highly processed foods.   The guidelines, despite widespread expectations, do not eliminate warnings about saturated fats but do encourage eating "healthy fat," which they say includes beef tallow and butter as well as olive oil. Reaction from nutrition experts was mixed. READ MORE Sign up for Daily Recap All the health and medical news you need today, in one email. Learn more. In Case You Missed It In 2026, Kennedy's MAHA vision gets put to the test. Here are 3 issues to watch By Elizabeth Cooney, Isabella Cueto, and Sarah Todd Free pass or failing grade for saturated fats? Review sets off scientific and political debate By Elizabeth Cooney Marion Nestle still believes that 'calories count' By Sarah Todd MAHA wants to tackle chronic diseases. This country had that idea decades ago By Andrew Joseph Don't miss out on another STAT investigation Unlock the world of health and medicine with a subscription to STAT+ Learn more STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA ©2026, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Newsletter Preferences • Contact Us • Advertise with Us