Where's The Beef?

New recommendations were issued this past week by a panel of nutrition experts, and they emphasize the nutrition patterns that can improve heart health. This may seem self evident: shouldn’t these national recommendations ALWAYS emphasize health? Sadly, no. As with any federal agency, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have always been subject to lobbyists and all manner of “experts” that do not follow the science. 

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But this week, the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee was submitted to the Secretaries of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This report represents the work of over a dozen national nutrition experts who have spent the last year reviewing the available evidence to develop recommendations for the nation, and more specifically the federal government, to follow in its policies. 

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Why is this important? The U.S. dietary guidelines, which are updated every five years, have a broad impact. They serve as the foundation for national nutrition programs, standards, and education and help the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education and Agriculture (to name just a few) tailor our nation’s policies. They shape school lunch programs, mold public-health efforts and influence what food companies make.

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So why did this report make the news? The Advisory Committee who created this report examined evidence on relationships between dietary patterns and many health-related dimensions: risk of obesity; cardiovascular disease; type 2 diabetes; breast cancer; colorectal cancer as well as all forms of dementia and cognitive impairment.

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When they considered the evidence, they reported that it became very clear that there was a dietary pattern that was consistently related to better health. This healthy dietary pattern is “higher in vegetables, fruits, legumes (i.e., beans, peas, lentils), nuts, whole grains, fish/seafood, and vegetable oils higher in unsaturated fat”, and “lower in red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, refined grains, and saturated fat”. 

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Moving to a more plant-based diet is associated with a reduction in chronic illness.

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They officially reported that heart disease risk can be REDUCED by decreasing butter, red meat, and dairy. They recommended substitution or replacement of those items with a wide range of plant-based food sources (beans, peas, lentils, whole grains & vegetables).

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A big change in this report was an effort to emphasize the benefits of plant-based protein sources, as the scientists recommended moving beans, peas and lentils from the “vegetable group” to the “protein foods group”. They also recommended placing plant sources of protein ABOVE animal sources including seafood, meats, poultry and eggs.

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What does this look like? According to the report, Americans consuming a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet should eat at least 2.5 cups of beans, peas and lentils each week, which is an increase from the currently recommended 1.5 cups.

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Importantly, it’s not just the lower saturated fat that leads to the health benefits. It’s also the other stuff that plant-based foods have that animal foods don’t:  fiber, phytosterols, antioxidants, etc.. As a result, they highlight the importance of replacing saturated fat-containing foods with PLANT sources rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (olive oil is an example) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (walnuts, flaxseed), and fiber, rather than simply substituting with other animal sources of saturated fat.

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This is a crucial step towards improving the health of this country’s population, and bringing down the exorbitant costs of US healthcare. Years and years of research show that moving to more plant-based diets is better for overall health. It’s nice to see that public policy may soon start to reflect this reality.

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We may be finally turning the corner and starting to address the root causes of illness and PREVENTING disease rather than REACTING with more and more expensive medicines and costly salvage procedures and surgeries.

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At Wisconsin Cardiology Associates, we have always counseled our patients to aim for a healthy, plant-based diet, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains and nuts. Have questions about the best way you can prevent heart disease? Call us and make an appointment for a consultation.

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References:

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https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/2025-advisory-committee-report

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Photo by Tangerine Newt on Unsplash   http://see2believe.co.uk

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