NewsHealth

Actions

More beans, less steak: These are the latest recommendations for a healthy diet

An expert panel was tasked with creating updated healthy diet guidelines that will go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture for review.
Beans
Posted

Nutrition experts want you to trade burgers and steaks for beans, peas and lentils. The advice was released Tuesday by the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

The panel was tasked with creating updated healthy diet guidelines that will go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture for review.

The new report reiterated much of what we already know: A healthy diet is lower in red and processed meats, as well as sugar-sweetened foods, refined grains and saturated fats.

RELATED STORY | Ranking the best diets for 2024

It also addresses topics like portion sizes and the practice of intermittent fasting. The panel said, "Time-restricted eating, especially when foods are consumed earlier in the day may be linked to improvements in metabolic conditions."

It says a healthy diet for all Americans age two and up is made up of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish.

The advisory panel said the diets of most Americans do not meet current guidelines and that childhood represents a critical window to influence the "development and socialization of eating behaviors."

Officials will draft final dietary guidelines which are set for release next year.