The US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) are currently reviewing proposed updates to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines that would shift emphasis toward plant-based proteins, a significant adjustment from traditional recommendations.
“People think you have to have your meat to get protein, and from all of the modeling, we see that that’s simply not the case”
The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee held its seventh and final meeting on October 21, 2024, where a preliminary plan proposed to prioritize plant-based protein sources over animal-based ones. This meeting, hosted by the National Institutes of Health, is part of a larger initiative to revise the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are updated every five years.
Key among the proposed changes is a restructuring of the “protein foods” category, which traditionally prioritized meat, eggs, poultry, and seafood. Under the new guidelines, the plant-based category of nuts, seeds, and soy products would be moved to the top of the list.
Emphasizing plant-based protein
The proposed changes reflect evidence gathered in a series of systematic reviews on diet and health. In the Committee’s Scientific Report Meeting, Chair Sarah Booth of Tufts University explained that the research points to similar health benefits across several dietary patterns that emphasize plant-based foods, such as the Healthy Vegetarian, Healthy US-Style (HUSS), and Healthy Mediterranean-Style patterns.
To streamline these dietary recommendations, the Committee will propose a single central dietary pattern with flexible options to cater to various dietary preferences. She spoke about the planned adjustments, noting that they want to modify the order of the protein food sub-groups to emphasize plant sources.
“Instead of starting with meat, poultry, and eggs to seafood, we’re proposing to flip it so that the nuts, seeds, and soy products are listed first, then seafood, and then meat, poultry, and eggs,” Booth explained.
Rebranding protein for consumers
Christopher Gardner of Stanford University highlighted that the category of beans, peas, and lentils would be a more appropriate plant-based protein source, ahead of nuts, seeds, and soy products. However, the past dietary guidelines have categorized these foods solely as vegetables.
The committee has proposed reclassifying these legumes under protein instead of vegetables, which could better encourage Americans to see them as key protein sources, potentially helping to shift societal norms around protein consumption.
“Behaviorally, I think there is sort of a branding crisis when it comes to protein”
“Behaviorally, I think there is sort of a branding crisis when it comes to protein — thinking automatically [about] meat,” stated Deirdre Tobias of Harvard University. Tobias suggested that a more prominent placement of plant proteins in dietary guidelines could help address consumer misconceptions.
“I see a lot of pros for it being in the protein in terms of communication, helping emphasize that protein comes from more than animal products. Because I think right now that’s what people think — you have to have your meat to get protein, and from all of the modeling, we see that that’s simply not the case,” Tobias continued.
Meat industry pushback
As expected, not all responses to the committee’s proposals have been favorable. The National Pork Producers Council expressed concerns about emphasizing plant-based proteins, arguing that it could mislead Americans about the nutritional value of animal proteins.
In a statement, CEO Bryan Humphreys said, “While pork producers support the committee’s recommendation to increase protein intake, their recommendation to replace animal proteins will severely compromise the American diet, as plant proteins are not nearly as nutritionally rich.”
With the final recommendations for the 2025 Dietary Guidelines due to be published early next year, the Committee is set to submit its Scientific Report to the HHS and USDA Secretaries in the coming weeks. Once submitted, the report will be publicly accessible on DietaryGuidelines.gov.
You can find the Scientific Report Meeting videocast here.
