No direct effect of most of us individually. Do we wait and watch what happens?
Please also look at the discussion specifically about saturated fats on Alec’s post:
US food pyramid flip
FrankoBear
#2
I’m going to say I trust Prof Ben Bikman due to his apparent integrity and his undeniable knowledge (that match my biases). I didn’t know until yesterday how deeply he was involved in this US nutrition advice change. Video from February 2025. I don’t much like Jordan Peterson, but it is interesting to watch an unliked (by me) and a liked (by me) pair of influencers in discussion. I am also easily influenced by influencers - this is my foible with which to deal. Please do not be influenced by me.
Alecmcq
(Alec)
#4
The bit I am most happy with is the drastic reduction in the visual for “whole grains”. This used to be the base of the pyramid, then a quarter of the plate, then a large portion at the bottom of the visual, but now it is at the bottom at the thinnest part of the inverted pyramid.
I desperately hope that people and organisations interpret this as “whole grains” are no longer the health food they were once presented as. One of the key changes that can make a measurable difference to the populations health is to move grains from “healthy, and have loads” to “not good for you, eat sparingly”. That is what the graphics suggest, BUT I don’t think that is what the words say… it would be too “controversial”.
I don’t think this new set of guidelines is going to make much of a change in population health, BUT it is the beginning of the end for the lies portrayed in the old guidelines. We have moved in a significantly positive direction. But the pace is too slow.
Cheers
Alec
kib1
(KM)
#5
I’ve read at least six responses in various media feeds saying “this is exactly the same as the old pyramid”. It’s almost the opposite, and it’s a visual a kindergarten student should be able to understand. With that degree of analytical keenness and brilliant critical thought, do we really expect anything to change in a hurry? 
I do feel the new guidelines are an improvement for sure. Not quite clear on the veneration of apples, they’re actually pictured twice, except to appeal to people who are still following “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” as their primary directive. I suppose they won’t kill anybody, but they’re right on the same level with eggs. It’s a bit surprising cheese made it all the way to the top, while eggs are floating on the second tier.
clackley
(Cathy)
#6
I haven’t paid attention to ‘guidelines’ on food consumption in decades. Not about to start now. Don’t think many people do listen to this kind of info. However if schools and other institutions must follow the new chart, then it’s going to cost a LOT more.
Shinita
#8
Yeah I have thought about South Park too (I barely ever saw some episodes but that great one was among them. I loved the game “Stick of truth” though)… But the guideline makers would get conniption if people would start eating butter on stick 
I am not sure about it. Protein is costly and people need it on every diet and with the depicted items, the fat is already there and most of the carbs can be just left out. One can make lots of different decisions about the menu according to the budget and other restrictions.
But it’s just a picture, the actual guidelines aren’t even like that…
Hungary has the plate thing but dairy belongs to the “protein” part. I can’t do much with such visuals, it’s not informative to me but I would never follow any guides anyway so it doesn’t matter.
The new visuals look nice. For a higher-carber. But not a true high-carber, of course. On a very wild carby day (December always have those) I may eat like this (kinda. more eggs and less vegs and fruits etc.). Or even worse but that’s very rare, even in December.
They are still very hyped indeed. Nature’s candy (well, humans helped and it shows), I understand the pull but if we focus on nutrition… I don’t quite get how we arrive at the need of lots of fruit, honestly. But I hear that all my life.
ctviggen
(Bob M)
#9
That is true, but maybe there are policies that can help. We really need to help beef producers, as ground beef is supposed to go up by 60% this year. Helping them is complex, though.
If we placed an emphasis as a country to help meat producers, that would be a good thing. Of course, I see all the time about how cows are disastrous for the environment, which has no basis in reality. But there are many who believe this.
Alecmcq
(Alec)
#10
Alas, not much will change in institutions… the 10% sat fat “limit” is still there, and this will limit how much of the “more expensive” (I would call them more nutritious) foods that are served up. The poor folks who have to actually eat the slop they serve up will still be undernourished by plants.
Alecmcq
(Alec)
#12
I doubt that whole milk will fit within the 10% limit. Which is why it is mad. But we shall see.
beannoise
(Bean)
#13
Is that in the final draft? I looked at the website and found it kind of clunky to navigate. First week of classes, so I didn’t spend much time.
FrankoBear
#17
Swap out those whole grains for butter. It says we can be individual (on a per calorie basis).
kib1
(KM)
#18
Sooo… “Focus on whole grains”. And then they’ve reduced them to a muffin and a few grains of rice (? what the hell is that? Albino rat poop?) at the far end of the visual. “Keep saturated fat to less than 10%”, but absolutely prioritize steak and cheese.
Frankly, the deeper I look at this the more ridiculous it all seems. Like somebody “won” on the visual chart, and someone else was placated by “winning” on the verbal guidelines. So no matter who challenges this “advice”, the powers that be can point to the other side and say the objection is inaccurate because the position is represented in black and white (or living color), right there. Everybody’s good … Except those theoretically served by this boondoggle they’ve paid for, i.e. people who eat and pay taxes. Good @#$&# grief.
FrankoBear
#20
I think the opaqueness, the messiness, allows interpretation and individual responsibility in the school or retirement home kitchen to provide a range of meal choices, now also including low carb ones.