The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines

The pyramid, flipped.

HHS and USDA brought the pyramid back, and turned it on its head. Real food sits at the top, refined carbs slide to the bottom, and protein finally gets the room it deserves.

Three zones, one plate

What the new pyramid actually says.

The new inverted US food pyramid showing protein, dairy, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits at the top, with whole grains at the narrow base.

Visual based on the new pyramid from realfood.gov.

01
Protein, Dairy & Healthy Fats
The widest band, top-left. Animal protein, whole-fat dairy with no added sugars, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, olives and avocados take centre stage.
02
Vegetables & Fruits
Sitting alongside protein at the top. Whole forms preferred over juice, the more colour on the plate the better.
03
Whole Grains
The narrow base. Choose oats, brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, barley. Pull back on refined and ultra-processed carbs.

Why it's upside down

Real food first. Refined carbs last.

For decades the base of the pyramid was bread, pasta and cereal. The 2025 redesign flips that. The widest space goes to the foods that build and protect your body. Whole grains stay on the plate, but they no longer dominate it. Ultra-processed foods, added sugars and artificial additives sit firmly in the limit column.

5 years

These guidelines shape US public nutrition through 2030.

Seven priorities

What to actually do with all this.

Protein at every meal

Make protein the anchor of breakfast, lunch and dinner, not an afterthought.

Vegetables and fruits, daily

Whole forms preferred. Aim for variety and colour over counting servings.

Fats from whole foods

Nuts, seeds, seafood, eggs, olives and avocados. Skip the seed-oil shortcuts.

Whole grains over refined

Oats, brown rice and whole wheat in, white bread and sugary cereal out.

Limit ultra-processed foods

Cut back on added sugars, artificial additives and packaged snack foods.

Water as the default drink

Plain water and unsweetened drinks for hydration. Sodas and sweet juices stay rare.

Right-size your portions

Match plate size to your age, sex, body size and activity. One number does not fit all.

On the plate

Eat more of this. Ease up on that.

Eat more of

Eggs, fish, lean poultry and lean meats
Soy, tofu, lentils, beans and peas
Whole-fat dairy with no added sugars
Vegetables of every colour, every day
Whole fruit, not juice
Nuts, seeds, olives and avocados
Seafood at least twice a week
Whole grains: oats, brown rice, quinoa, barley
Plain water as your default drink

Ease up on

Sugar-sweetened drinks and sweet juices
Foods with added sugars
Refined grains: white bread, white rice, sugary cereal
Ultra-processed snack foods
Processed meats high in sodium
Artificial additives and colourings
Deep-fried fast food
Late-night snacking out of habit
Oversized portions of energy-dense foods

Across the lifespan

Good nutrition looks different at every stage.

Performance and prevention

Adulthood is about protecting muscle, supporting heart and metabolic health, and keeping ultra-processed foods to a minimum.

Spread 20 to 40 g of protein across each meal for muscle synthesis.

Choose fats from whole foods over refined oils.

Train two to three times a week so your protein actually does its job.

Where the new pyramid shows up

Ready to find your number?

The Protein-O-Meter gives you a daily protein target built around your age, weight and goals, backed by 74 randomised trials.

Open the Protein-O-Meter