The 2026 US Dietary Guidelines: Why we’re looking to global best practices and the ProVeg Food Plate

At the beginning of 2026, the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture released the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). These guidelines serve as the essential framework for federal nutrition policy and govern key initiatives such as the National School Lunch Program. Moreover, health and nutrition professionals are called upon to implement these recommendations, which stand as the primary nutrition guidance for the entire American population.

While the update includes some evidence-based recommendations, such as encouraging the consumption of more fruits and vegetables, several changes diverge from the growing global consensus on health and sustainability. At ProVeg, we believe nutrition guidance should be inclusive, culturally responsive, and grounded in the most current scientific evidence. As the US guidelines take a different path, we are looking to more progressive international examples, and using the ProVeg Food Plate as a practical tool to help people navigate a healthy, plant-based lifestyle.

The problem with the new Guidelines

The latest DGA introduces a new inverted food pyramid that centers the American diet around high protein and dairy intake. This shift presents several contradictions that may confuse the public and undermine health outcomes.

1. Inconsistency on saturated fats

The written text of the DGA correctly advises Americans to keep saturated fat intake low. However, the guidelines simultaneously suggest food examples high in saturated fat, such as red meat, butter, beef tallow, and full-fat dairy. These items are even featured at the top of the new food pyramid. Presenting fats like olive oil as interchangeable with beef tallow ignores the vast body of evidence showing that saturated fats should be limited to protect heart health. ^{1 2}

2. Excessive protein recommendations

The new guidelines increase the recommended daily protein intake to 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight. This is a significant jump from the previous recommendation of 0.8 grams.³ While higher protein may benefit very active individuals or the elderly, it is likely more than enough for the general population. Importantly, more protein does not necessarily mean a healthier diet, especially when guidelines prioritize animal sources over plant-based proteins.

3. Missing sustainability and health equity

Perhaps most concerning is the total absence of food system sustainability. Our food system has a massive impact on the climate and land use.⁴ Plant-based proteins have a significantly lower environmental footprint than animal-sourced foods, yet the DGA ignores this reality. ⁵

Furthermore, the guidelines fail to address health equity. By presenting full-fat dairy as an essential food group and failing to include fortified soy milk as a viable alternative, the DGA ignores the one third of Americans with lactose malabsorption. This oversight disproportionately affects Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Indigenous communities, for whom dairy is often not a traditional food. ^{6 7}

Progressive guidelines around the world

While the new US guidelines have taken a more outdated, animal-heavy approach, many other countries are updating their guidelines to reflect the “Planetary Health Diet.” As highlighted in recent research by Anna-Lena Klapp, several countries are setting a higher standard: ⁸

• Mexico: Meat and dairy products are grouped as a single animal-based food group, which accounts for only around 10% of the recommended total intake.
• Finland: The 2024 Finnish guidelines explicitly promote legumes as a beneficial choice for both human health and the environment, setting a specific daily target of 50-100g.
• Germany & Denmark: These countries have moved beyond simple “dos and don’ts” to provide positive, empowering guidance for vegetarians and vegans, ensuring everyone possesses the knowledge to meet their nutritional needs.

How ProVeg can help

National guidelines are intended for the entire population and often include animal-based foods for socio-economic reasons. However, if you want to follow the more progressive, plant-rich models seen in Europe or the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet, you need a specific, practical tool.

This is where the ProVeg Food Plate comes in. It helps you translate global science into daily meals:

Half the plate: Vegetables and fruit

We recommend filling half of your plate with vegetables and fruit at every meal. This ensures a high intake of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. To maximize benefits, try to “eat the rainbow” and prioritize three servings of vegetables for every two servings of fruit. ^{9 10}

One quarter: Whole grains

While the new DGA pyramid appears to signal a lower intake of grains, the ProVeg Food Plate maintains that whole grains should be a staple. Grains like oats, quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat provide complex carbohydrates and essential B vitamins. Scientific evidence shows that whole grains are inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. ^{11 12 13}

One quarter: Plant-based protein

Instead of centring the diet on red meat, the ProVeg Food Plate emphasizes pulses like lentils, beans, and peas, as well as tofu, tempeh, and seeds. A plant-based diet provides sufficient protein when you consume a variety of these sources throughout the day.¹⁴ Choosing these over red meat avoids the health risks associated with processed and red meats, which the DGA failed to address.

Navigating essential nutrients

The ProVeg approach acknowledges that a well-planned diet requires attention to specific nutrients. Unlike the DGA, which only suggests dairy as a source of calcium, our model points to leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and fortified plant milks as excellent sources. ¹⁵

For those eating little to no animal products, we recommend ensuring a supply of Vitamin B12 through supplements or fortified foods. We also emphasize the importance of healthy unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, and cold-pressed oils, rather than the saturated animal fats highlighted in the new federal pyramid.

Final thoughts

The 2026 US Dietary Guidelines represent a step away from international best practices. 

However, your personal health journey does not have to be limited by federal policy. By looking to progressive global examples and using tools like the ProVeg Food Plate, you can enjoy a diet that is scientifically sound, culturally inclusive, and environmentally responsible. Focusing on whole, plant-based foods is one of the most powerful ways to support a sustainable food system for everyone.

1. Rockström, J., S. H. Thilsted, W. C. Willett, et al. (2025): The EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy, sustainable, and just food systems. The Lancet 406(10512), 1625–1700. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01201-2 ↩︎
2. Willett W, Rockström J, Loken B, et al. Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. Lancet 2019; 393: 447–92 ↩︎
3. Harvard Health Publishing (2023): How much protein do you need every day?. Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096#:~:text=The%20Recommended%20Dietary%20Allowance%20(RDA,meet%20your%20basic%20nutritional%20requirements ↩︎
4. Klapp A-L. Towards more balanced dietary guidelines: connecting climate, culture, and nutrition. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Published online 2025:1-11. doi:10.1017/S0029665125100670 ↩︎
5. Poore J, Nemecek T, Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers (2018). Science 360, 987–992fibre ↩︎
6.  Recommendations to address the shortfalls of the EAT–Lancet planetary health diet from a plant-forward perspective
   Klapp, Anna-Lena et al. The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 9, Issue 1, e23 – e33 ↩︎
7.  Definition and Facts for Lactose Intolerance. NIH, 2018. Available online at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/lactose-intolerance/definition-facts ↩︎
8. Klapp A-L. Towards more balanced dietary guidelines: connecting climate, culture, and nutrition. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. Published online 2025:1-11. doi:10.1017/S0029665125100670 ↩︎
9. Harvard T. H. Chan (2018): Vegetables and Fruits. Available at https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vegetables-and-fruits/ ↩︎
10. British Dietetic Association (2020). Fruit and vegetables – how to get 5-a-day. Available at: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/fruit-and-vegetables-how-to-get-five-a-day.html ↩︎
11. EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems. 2025. Healthy, Sustainable, and Just Food Systems: The Updated Planetary Health Diet Framework. The Lancet. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01201-the 2 ↩︎
12.  Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., et al. (2019) Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. The Lancet, 393, 447-492.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4 ↩︎
13. Harvard T. H. Chan (2024): Whole Grains. Available at https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/whole-grains/  ↩︎
14. Langyan, Sapna et al.(2022): Sustaining Protein Nutrition Through Plant-Based Foods. Frontiers in nutrition vol. 8 772573. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.772573 ↩︎
15.  WHO (2020): Healthy diet. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet ↩︎