See what health experts recommend.
You may want to think twice about what’s on your plate the next time you sit down for a meal.
In the latest release of the 2025–2030 U.S. Dietary Guidelines, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) has announced a shift in dietary priorities. The guidelines now recommend that plant-based proteins be listed before animal-based options, which could influence how Americans approach their meals in the future.
According to the DGAC, the focus on plant-based foods comes from research showing that eating too much animal-based protein is linked to health problems, including a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes and early death.
The new guidelines also recommend expanding the definition of “protein foods” to include beans, peas, and lentils, alongside soy, nuts, and seeds, and placing them ahead of meat, eggs, and seafood.
Neal Barnard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, told Forks Over Knives that these recommendations can “help Americans maintain healthy weight, lower blood pressure, and improve heart health.”
Dr. Barnard also supported the shift in priorities, noting that highlighting these foods is important due to their saturated fat than meat, eggs, and seafood and are rich in fiber, a nutrient many Americans don’t consume enough of.
In addition to encouraging plant-based eating, the DGAC is calling for the U.S. government to set mandatory sodium reduction targets for commercial food manufacturers, rather than relying on the current voluntary guidelines.
The committee also recommends making water the preferred beverage in the new guidelines, shifting away from the previous focus on dairy. Dr. Barnard argued that dairy products are a major source of saturated fat in the American diet.
He added, “There are no nutrients in dairy milk that cannot be found in other food sources.”
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, consisting of 20 nutrition and public health experts, develops the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years through a scientifically rigorous process that examines how diet impacts health at all stages of life.