What changed in the protein guidance
The U.S. released updated federal dietary guidelines that advise Americans to “prioritize protein foods at every meal” and to increase daily protein intake to as much as double previous recommendations, according to the Associated Press. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a White House social media post that the government was “ending the war on protein.”
The guidance, which includes a new food pyramid, emphasizes red meat, whole milk and other animal sources of protein while downplaying plant-based offerings, the report said.
Why some experts are skeptical
Several top nutrition experts questioned whether most people need to raise protein consumption that much. They said Americans already consume more protein than they need and warned that eating much more protein could lead to more fat and more cases of diabetes.
Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a Tufts University nutrition expert, said that for people who are not actively building muscle with strength or resistance training, extra protein may not be necessary. “If you’re actively building muscle with strength or resistance training, more protein can help,” Mozaffarian said. “Otherwise, you’re getting enough.”
The report also cited Mozaffarian’s concerns about potential downsides from higher overall protein intake. In remarks connected to a new article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Mozaffarian said there is little evidence—outside of strength or resistance training—that “higher protein builds muscle or provides other health benefits.” He also wrote that “excess dietary protein can be converted to fat by the liver,” and that process can increase the risk of dangerous fat in the abdomen that surrounds vital organs and boost the risk of diabetes.
How much protein the guidelines recommend
The report laid out the protein targets in the updated guidance. It says the recommendation is 1.2 grams to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.
It also says adults should consume at least 100 grams of protein per day, with half or more coming from animal sources. The guidance retains a historical comparison: the earlier 0.8 grams per kilogram approach translated to about 54 grams daily for a 150-pound person, the AP report said. It added that the average adult man already consumes about 100 grams of protein a day—about twice the old recommendation.
What the guidelines’ evidence base is said to show
The AP report said the earlier protein recommendation was calculated to prevent a nutrition deficiency, based on a scientific review published with the new guidelines. That review described the previous intake as “the lowest intake that maintains equilibrium in most healthy adults but does not reflect the intake required to maintain optimal muscle mass or metabolic function under all conditions.”
The new document, the report said, relied on evidence from 30 studies that looked at how higher protein diets affected weight management and nutrient adequacy. The review concluded that protein intakes well above the previous guidance “are safe and compatible with good health.”
Concerns about processed foods and “added protein” products
Other experts argued that increasing protein could distract from an emphasis in the new guidelines on eating more whole foods and fewer highly processed foods such as packaged snacks and cookies. Dr. David Ludwig, an endocrinologist and researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital, said “The main problem with the food supply is the processed carbohydrates.”
But Christopher Gardner, a nutrition expert at Stanford University, said the shift could help drive more consumption of packaged goods marketed as higher-protein. He said experts worry the advice will accelerate the trend of companies encouraging Americans to embrace extra protein in foods including bars, cereals and snacks—even water. Gardner said that could confuse the public “in a big way.”
Gardner said he thinks the American public’s response will be to buy more junk food. “I think the American public’s gonna go buy more junk food,” he said.