{"id":3906,"date":"2026-02-18T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tops.org\/wellness-wednesday\/?p=3906"},"modified":"2026-02-17T15:50:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T21:50:22","slug":"the-new-dietary-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tops.org\/wellness-wednesday\/the-new-dietary-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Dietary “Rules”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Federal dietary guidelines are periodically revised based on medical and scientific\u00a0research.\u00a0In January 2026, the latest\u00a0Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) were released by the United States Department of Agriculture\u00a0(USDA)\u00a0and the Department of Health and Human Services.\u00a0A few of the\u00a0most significant changes\u00a0include\u00a0recommending\u00a0that protein be consumed at every meal, along with\u00a0an\u00a0inverted\u00a0food pyramid that\u00a0features\u00a0whole grains at the bottom.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although some think the new visual is slightly misleading, Dena McDowell, MS, RDN, CD \u2014 currently the Director of Food Nutrition Services at Froedtert Hospital \u2014 graciously took the time to clarify for TOPS members how to interpret and apply this updated nutritional framework. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In the general sense, the new DGAs flip the script on heavy carbohydrate intake and focus on allowing more protein and fat. This can be a bit confusing as animal proteins and full-fat dairy have historically been limited in the\u00a0previous\u00a0recommendations,\u201d she explains.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cA key takeaway is to eat whole foods, focus on lean proteins and limit intake of processed foods as much as possible. Focus on proteins and be varied in your protein choices \u2014 including plant-based proteins (such as beans) \u2014 alongside animal proteins (like poultry and seafood). Also focus on fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts for gut health and overall wellness in addition to limiting added sugars and alcohol whenever possible.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it is helpful to stay informed about\u00a0what\u00a0the current DGAs\u00a0advise, it is not necessary\u00a0to dramatically alter a nutritional plan\u00a0that\u00a0aligns with your wellness goals and budget.\u00a0For those who could use extra guidance on how to gradually\u00a0modify\u00a0their dietary choices,\u00a0the USDA\u00a0does\u00a0provide\u00a0food plan examples<\/a>,\u00a0accessible via its website.\u00a0Each plan was created with a specific\u00a0affordability level in mind in terms of grocery shopping.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have questions or comments related to the new DGAs? Drop them in\u00a0the comment\u00a0box below, and I will\u00a0reply with\u00a0any\u00a0requested info\u00a0as soon as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have a fantastic rest of February! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

~Rachel<\/em> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Federal dietary guidelines are periodically revised based on medical and scientific\u00a0research.\u00a0In January 2026, the latest\u00a0Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) were released by the United States Department of Agriculture\u00a0(USDA)\u00a0and the Department of Health and Human Services.\u00a0A few of the\u00a0most significant changes\u00a0include\u00a0recommending\u00a0that protein be consumed at every meal, along with\u00a0an\u00a0inverted\u00a0food pyramid that\u00a0features\u00a0whole grains at the bottom.\u00a0\u00a0 Although […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3908,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,3,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","category-nutrition","category-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\r\nThe New Dietary "Rules" - Wellness Wednesday<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dietary guidelines have been updated, introducing an inverted food pyramid with whole grains at the base and eating protein with every meal.\" \/>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.tops.org\/wellness-wednesday\/the-new-dietary-rules\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The New Dietary "Rules" - 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