Happy & Healthy with Amy

The Good, The Confusing, and The Contradictory: Decoding the 2025 Dietary Guidelines

• Amy Lang • Season 2 • Episode 26

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The 2025 Dietary Guidelines are here… and they’ve flipped the food pyramid on its head—literally.

In part one of this three-part series, Amy unpacks the new dietary guidelines, sharing the wins (finally real clarity around ultra-processed foods!) and why the emphasis on protein may be misleading and a major misstep that could have long-term consequences, especially for women concerned about brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention.

What to Listen For

  • [00:56] The flipped food pyramid: steak, butter, and milk at the top?
  • [03:24] Why dietary guidelines should act like a "North Star" for your eating habits
  • [05:20] Two major wins in the new guidelines: eat real food and avoid ultra-processed foods
  • [07:18] What it means to warn against 60–70% of the U.S. food supply
  • [08:00] Where the new guidelines go off course: the “prioritize protein” message
  • [09:45] America’s fiber crisis—95% of us aren’t getting enough
  • [11:15] Alarming stats on vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies
  • [13:05] Why most Americans already get more than enough protein
  • [15:40] How fiber supports brain health via the gut-brain connection
  • [17:35] The incomplete advice of “more protein” without strength training

In part one of this three-part deep dive into the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, we celebrated some much-needed progress—like the shift away from ultra-processed foods. But we also explored a big missed opportunity around fiber and plant-based nutrients that could have profound impacts on your health.

Stay tuned for part two where we dig into the culture wars, healthy fats, and what the guidelines don’t say about alcohol.

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