How to Eat Better Using the New Food Pyramid

G'day Legend,

We had a quiet revolution in food health this week.

It’s rare that the government meaningfully shifts how it guides our eating patterns — but that’s exactly what just happened with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. After more than two decades stuck in the same framework, the food pyramid has finally been reworked.

The bigger question isn’t what changed — it’s whether this new guidance actually reflects what we now know about health, performance, and longevity.

Let me break it down simply.

In this week’s newsletter (4 min read):
🥗 What actually changed in the food pyramid
⚖️Whether these changes are genuinely good
🧩 How to apply this to your everyday eating (without turning food into homework)

If you’ve got a mate who wants to make better food choices everyday, send them THIS link.

What Actually Changed?

Before I get into the specifics, I will say these changes have an overall greater emphasis on wellbeing and longevity.

The updated pyramid now reflects higher protein needs, prioritizes real food over ultra-processed staples, and reframes fats as supportive rather than something to fear. Fruits, vegetables, animal protein, and dairy now form the backbone of daily intake, while highly processed foods — once oddly placed at the base — are no longer treated as everyday essentials.

Perhaps most notably, protein guidance has increased from roughly 0.8 g/kg of bodyweight to 1.2–1.6 g/kg for most adults — a change that quietly signals a much deeper correction in how we think about nutrition.

My thoughts on these changes

Protein: From “Minimum” to Meaningful

When I was working through protein research during my degree, one thing stood out immediately: the old recommendations weren’t designed to help people thrive — they were designed to help them not waste away (and even in this they may not have been effective).

The old 0.8 g/kg number comes from outdated nitrogen balance studies and says little about building or keeping muscle, supporting metabolism, or aging well. 

More recent research shows that higher intakes — roughly 1.2 g/kg and up — do a better job of supporting lean mass, metabolic health, and performance. For active people and athletes, aiming in the 1.6–2.0 g/kg range is often a smart way to protect muscle, recovery, and long‑term health.

Real Food Isn’t a Trend — It’s a Correction

This might be my favorite part of the update. The most powerful shift here isn’t a number — it’s the renewed emphasis on real food.

Right now, more than half of the average American’s calories come from ultra-processed foods: products engineered for shelf life and hyper-palatability, typically high in calories and low in fiber and micronutrients. Research led by Monteiro and others has repeatedly linked high ultra-processed food intake with increased risk of obesity, cardiometabolic disease, and even higher all-cause mortality.

When people move toward whole, minimally processed foods, a lot improves without strict rules:

• fiber intake increases

• micronutrients go up

• blood sugar control stabilizes

• and many people naturally eat fewer calories.

The real challenge now is helping people clearly understand what counts as ultra-processed versus what qualifies as real food.

Fat Was Never the Enemy — Context Was

Fat spent decades on the nutritional naughty list thanks to the idea that “eating fat makes you fat” — which isn’t how human physiology works.

Dietary fat is essential for hormone production, brain health, absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K, and healthy cell membranes. Large reviews show no consistent link between total fat intake and cardiovascular disease when fat is eaten as part of a high-quality, whole-food diet.

The issue was never fat itself — it was ultra-processed patterns built on refined carbs, added sugars, low fiber, and excess calories. Re-embracing foods like eggs, seafood, nuts, olive oil, and full-fat dairy isn’t regressive — it’s metabolically sensible.

So How Does This Change My Daily Eating?

In practice, this doesn’t require tracking apps or complicated rules. It just means anchoring meals around protein, letting whole foods do the heavy lifting, and using fats for satiety and nutrient support rather than avoidance.

I think about meals less as macro math and more as structure: protein first, plants second, fats for flavor and function. When those three are in place, the rest tends to take care of itself.

This Week’s Recipe: High-Protein Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

This high-protein grilled cheese and tomato soup brings this framework to life, anchoring protein first, using quality fats, and keeping ingredients simple and real.

👉 Recipe here

Nutrition: cals: 724   •   fat: 33g   •   protein: 40g   •   carbs: 76g

Quick Notes

👨‍🏫 Dr. B, my good friend and go-to doctor in the world of gut health, has once again released an incredible book: Plant Powered Plus. This one dives into how healing your gut and embracing a plant‑forward lifestyle calms chronic inflammation and strengthens your immune system from the inside out. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a clear, doable roadmap to feeling and performing better. 

🎥 My new YouTube video is all about how to plan and build systems for success in 2026. Watch it here.

🎁 Reminder, the January referral challenge prize is a free year of Alma premium – all you have to do to enter is refer a mate. Every referral is an entry.

#EatGoodFeelGood

— DC