Out-ish With the Old (Pyramid)

On Wednesday, the USDA unveiled new dietary guidelines that flip the old ones on their heads… literally. 

The updated recommendations urge Americans to prioritize protein and healthy fats at every meal (see a breakdown here), represented by an inverted version of the original food pyramid (1992 to 2005’s rule of thumb plate). 

While guidelines—which impact SNAP rules and school lunches—still include lots of fruits and vegetables (sorry, kids), pasta has been booted to the bottom, ultraprocessed foods and sugar are out, and specific limits on alcohol were removed in favor of encouraging moderation. HHS Secretary RFK Jr. says the changes should push Americans to “eat real food.”

The American Heart Association commended many of the changes, but expressed concern that emphasis on red meat and full-fat dairy could spell bad news for America’s hearts.

CHOOSE HUMILITY
Believers may respectfully disagree about dietary guidelines, but we can agree that our bodies are beautifully designed gifts from the Lord. Stewarding this gift well means both taking care of our own bodies and caring for our neighbors’ physical and spiritual needs.

“But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion. He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”  
Luke 10:33-34 (CSB) (read full passage)