The Trump administration’s latest national dietary guidance calls for a renewed emphasis on eating whole foods, protein and healthy fats – putting meat and dairy products at the top of a new inverted pyramid.
The guidelines, which were supported by a panel with ties to the beef and dairy industry, are a return “to the basics,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said.
"Protein and healthy fats are essential and were wrongly discouraged in prior dietary guidelines," Kennedy said. "We are ending the war on saturated fats."
But while a turn away from ultraprocessed foods and a varied and nutrient-dense diet is backed by experts, saturated fat-laden red meat has long been regarded a poor option for heart health.
"I'm very disappointed in the new pyramid that features red meat and saturated fat sources at the very top, as if that's something to prioritize. It does go against decades and decades of evidence and research," Christopher Gardner, a nutrition expert at Stanford University, told NPR.
So, what’s the beef with red meat and, at the end of the day, how much is too much?
The beef
Regularly eating red meat has been tied to a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and premature death, according to Harvard researchers.
That’s because it contains saturated fats that have been shown to raise levels of bad cholesterol and fats and chemicals in the blood.
How the meat is cooked can also be a factor, according to the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Cooking meat at high temperatures can create harmful chemicals that damage your DNA.
To reduce risk, people should avoid charring or burning their meat, and cook it at a temperature below 300 degrees Fahrenheit, Northwestern Medicine says.
Experts recommend that people rely on plant and other sources of lean protein in place of full-fat versions.
"The evidence shows that people with a relatively low intake have lower health risks," Dr. Frank Hu, chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard Medical School, said in 2020.
The benefits
There is still nutritional value in red meat, which contains the essential minerals iron and zinc, as well as vitamin B12.
Iron helps to make a key protein in the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body.
Zinc helps to defend the immune system from invading bacteria or viruses.
Vitamin B12 is also used to make red blood cells and healthy nerve cells, according to the Mayo Clinic.
And it’s a rich protein source, with 20-to-25 grams in every 100 grams of meat, according to the American Heart Association.
Everything in moderation
Eating more than three servings of meat a week is associated with a higher risk of death.
A standard serving size is about three ounces. But some steak dinners are four times that amount.
“Ideally, the average person shouldn’t be eating red meat more than twice per week,” Brad Biskup, a lifestyle and cardiovascular medicine specialist at the Hartford HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute, cautioned. “I’d even take it an extra step and choose a very lean cut, raised without antibiotics or any additives.”
People should limit their red meat consumption to no more than three portions each week, according to World Cancer Research Fund International.
Most Americans are already consuming more protein than they need to.
It is recommended that people get 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound. But federal data shows that adults are eating roughly 20 percent more than they should.
Plant protein sources such as lentils can provide a similar amount of protein, and the American Heart Association says it still encourages consumers to “prioritize plant-based proteins, seafood and lean meats and to limit high-fat animal products including red meat, butter, lard and tallow, which are linked to increased cardiovascular risk.”
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