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What you should eat according to the new food pyramid

2026-01-13 17:07:39Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

What you should eat according to the new food pyramid

The "new food pyramid" is the latest update to the US dietary guidelines since the guidelines were created with the iconic pyramid shape in 1992.

But the 2026 version deviates significantly from nutritional advice established for decades, raising concerns from dietitians and other doctors about how healthy it will actually make Americans and anyone who wants to follow that pyramid.

What does the new food pyramid contain?

The new food pyramid emphasizes what it calls "whole foods," including meat and dairy products, while calling for a significant reduction in processed foods and sugary meals.

Unlike previous food pyramid diagrams, the one now revealed is upside down, placing red meat, cheese, dairy products and vegetables at the top.

At the top of the food pyramid is meat, including steak and turkey, along with vegetables like broccoli and carrots.

Fruits, nuts, and seafood are located in the center of the pyramid, minimizing their importance in meals.

At the bottom are cereals and breads, although federal guidelines say Americans should continue to eat them instead of highly processed foods.

The food pyramid is not a formal recommendation from the federal government. Rather, it is a visual aid designed to help people understand the basic health guidelines that are being presented. However, in the decades that it has been in use, the pyramid has become the de facto symbol of dietary guidelines in the United States and is often used as an abbreviation for these guidelines.

That's why, health officials say, it's important to have a pyramid that clearly represents the eating habits being promoted.

Why was the food pyramid changed?

At a White House press conference, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he wanted Americans to eat “real food,” saying the pyramid and the guidelines it represents prioritize high-quality protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

It is in line with his “Make America Healthy Again” plan, which Kennedy has tried to implement across the federal government’s guidelines on everything from food to vaccines.

The 2026 change didn't come as a surprise. Every five years, federal officials revise and update the dietary guidelines to reflect current understandings of what foods contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

This update is not the first time the food pyramid has been changed, or even removed, in the US.

In 2011, the pyramid was replaced by MyPlate, a diagram of a plate divided proportionally with different food groups. This change was made because the original pyramid and its later versions were too complicated and did not indicate portion sizes well.

What do the experts say?

Dr. Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University, told CNN that some of the goals of the new pyramid would be good for people.

“There are some really good things about it that could really make a difference,” she said.

But Nestle warned that returning to a pyramid shape, especially one that is inverted instead of the traditional visual one people are familiar with, leads to guidelines that are "confusing, inconsistent, ideological, retro and difficult to understand."

Cristina Palacios, professor and chair of the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition at Florida International University, was one of the people responsible for the Scientific Report on Dietary Guidelines 2025, a study that examined best practices for healthy eating.

“Most of the committee’s recommendations were ignored,” she wrote in an article for The Conversation.

Kennedy's recommendation for red meat in particular is one that experts point out as bad and potentially dangerous food science.

Multiple studies, including a 2020 Harvard report, link red meat and the saturated fats it contains to potentially deadly health complications. The Harvard study specifically points to red meat as the culprit behind the highest risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and premature death.

“Some of the changes in the 2025-2030 guidelines, such as the restriction of ultra-processed foods, are helpful,” Palacios wrote. “But the problem is that it is not possible to determine whether the necessary scientific rigor was applied in their development.”


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