Eating Real Food: What the New Dietary Guidelines Mean for Your Health
New nutrition guidance is helping people rediscover the benefits of real, whole foods and making it easier to build healthier, more nourishing meals.
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 released by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture, focus on one main idea: eat real food. These guidelines shift away from processed foods and encourage choosing nutrient‑dense, minimally processed ingredients, and reducing added sugar. “We support the strong emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, improved fiber intake, healthier fat choices, and promoting water and unsweetened beverages over sugary drinks” said Goshen Health Diabetes Educator Kendall Coney, MS, RD, CDCES.
Why the Guidelines Matter
According to realfood.gov, more than 70% of American adults are overweight or obese and nearly 1 in 3 American adolescents between the ages 12 to 17 have prediabetes. These new guidelines are designed to address these trends by encouraging food choices that restore health rather than simply managing symptoms.
Focus on Eating Whole, Nutrition-Dense Foods
1. Prioritize protein at every meal. Aim for a variety of high quality, nutrition-dense protein from both animal and plant sources such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds.
2. Include healthy fats from whole foods. Healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, eggs and seafood. These foods are recognized as valuable parts of a balanced diet when eaten in appropriate portions.
3. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Prioritize fresh, whole, colorful produce. Frozen or canned with no or very limited added sugar are also good options.
4. Choose whole grains and limit refined carbohydrates. Fiber‑rich grains are encouraged, while white breads, sugary cereals, and refined snacks should be reduced.
What Goshen Health Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Say
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists agree on the core message: Focus on real, nutrient‑dense foods. Choose plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while cutting back on highly processed foods and added sugars. Keep saturated fat under 10% of your daily calories and choose healthier fat sources.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionists also share a few concerns: “Higher consumption of red meat and full‑fat dairy, if not balanced appropriately, may increase saturated fat intake and cardiovascular risk,” said Goshen Health Diabetes Educator Amber Kaehr, MA, RD, CDCES.
“While fatty meats and cheese appear at the top of the pyramid, this can send mixed messages between the higher number of calories and saturated fat that can be eaten vs trying to reach healthy lifestyle goals such as losing weight or reducing the number of medications taken,” said Sherri Kramp, MBA, RDN, LD, Clinical Nutrition Manager at Goshen Health.
Moving Forward with Confidence in Your Health
While the renewed focus on real, whole foods offers many health benefits, it is important to approach these guidelines with balance and personalization. Not all foods affect every person the same way, especially those managing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or high cholesterol. Paying attention to portion sizes, choosing leaner protein options when appropriate, and balancing higher-fat foods with plenty of fruits, vegetables and fiber-rich grains can help ensure these changes support your long-term health goals.
“There are some concerns about the intake of full-fat dairy and red meat compared to heart-healthy lean meats and low-fat dairy,” said David Coil, DO, MHA, Medical Director at Goshen Physicians. “Patients should focus on balanced choices that support heart health while still enjoying nutritious, satisfying foods.”
For people managing conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, focusing on real food can help control risk factors beyond blood sugar alone, including cholesterol, blood pressure and inflammation. Choose foods that fuel your body, support heart health and lower your risk of chronic disease over time. “Our goal is to meet patients where they are on their health journey and work together to improve the health of our community,” said Priyanka Mathias, MD.
Eating real food is a practical, sustainable step toward better health.
To learn more about the new guidelines, check out Eat Real Food or talk to your primary care provider to refer you to Goshen Hospital’s Nutrition Therapy. or a Diabetes Educator.
