The Trump administration is ‘going to war against added sugars’ and emphasizing long-demonized saturated fat in a new set of dietary guidelines.
Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr said Wednesday that the newest version of the dietary guidelines, which will run through 2030, will emphasize saturated fats, a type of dietary fat that helps provide the body with energy.
Found mostly in animal-based foods like cheese, red meat and butter, decades of research have shown it causes LDL (bad) cholesterol to build up and form plaques in the arteries, making it harder for blood to flow.
Over time, this can lead to heart disease, America’s number one killer that takes nearly 1million lives every year, as well as obesity.
The previous dietary guidelines, which are updated every five years, recommended a person get no more than 10 percent of their daily calories from saturated fat. This means someone following a standard 2,000-calorie eating plan should have no more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.
The American Heart Association is even stricter, stating just six percent of a person’s calories should come from foods high in saturated fat, or just 120 calories a day.
Kennedy, however, has called the previous guidance on saturated fats ‘antiquated,’ instead shifting the blame for America’s chronic disease epidemic on ultra-processed foods and artificial dyes.
He said in a press briefing Wednesday: ‘Today the lies stop. We are ending the war on saturated fats.’
Along with classic junk foods like soda, the new guidelines will advise against consuming fruit juices and foods high in refined carbohydrates like rice, oats and bread.
Robert F Kennedy Jr is seen above in Wednesday’s press briefing unveiling the new dietary guidelines
Physicians and dietary experts told the Daily Mail that while small amounts of saturated fat are unlikely to cause lasting effects, encouraging Americans to eat higher amounts could worsen already increasing rates of heart disease and obesity, contradicting Kennedy’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda.
Anna Schraff, nutrition coach and founder of Mediterranean for Life, told the Daily Mail: ‘The bottom line is that the most rigorous scientific evidence consistently shows higher saturated fat intake is linked with increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.
‘Since heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States, this is deeply concerning.’
Processed foods, which the administration is strongly advising against, are also less expensive than whole foods, creating a nutrition gap for impoverished Americans.
The push to limit red meat began in the 1970s and 1980s as evidence started to emerge suggesting the saturated fat in red meat raised levels of LDL cholesterol – the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol.
High cholesterol has long been shown to cause plaque to build up in the arteries, putting strain on the heart.
In 1980, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans adopted the rule to consume no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, which has remained in place until now.
Pictured above is a previous food pyramid used by the USDA in the early 2000s, which emphasized refined grains like bread and pasta
Dr Jessica Mack, a clinical occupational therapist in New York, told the Daily Mail that while saturated fat in high quantities is linked to heart damage, foods high in the fat also have important nutrients.
One large egg, for example, contains about 150 milligrams of choline, about one-quarter of the recommended daily value. Choline is an essential nutrient also found in protein sources such as salmon and beef and chicken livers that supports memory, mood and muscle control.
It’s thought to boost levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which controls memory and learning, and reduce levels of neurotoxins like homocysteine that damage neurons.
A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that older adults who consumed more than one egg per week had a 47 percent reduced risk of dementia compared to those who had less than one egg in a week.
The researchers noted this was likely due to the choline in the eggs.
Dairy products like cheese and milk are also rich in calcium, which has long been shown to strengthen bones and teeth, support muscle function and help blood clot.
Dr Mack said: ‘These are nutrient-rich foods that provide protein, calcium, vitamins A and D and healthy fatty acids. When sourced well, from grass-fed or pasture-raised animals, they can be excellent sources of nutrition.
‘The key is moderation and mindful pairing with whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains.’
