Americans Told to Cut Down on Red Meat

Americans have been told to cut down on red meat in new advice released on Tuesday by a panel of nutrition experts. Recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that Americans should eat more beans, peas and lentils, cut back on red and processed meats and starchy vegetables and limit sugars, sodium and saturated fats. Newsweek reached out to Dietary Guidelines for Americans via email for comment.

What did the panel say about a healthy diet?

The nutrition panel said a healthy diet includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, and vegetable oils that are high in unsaturated fats. They also said a healthy diet is lower in red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, refined grains and saturated fats and may include fat-free or low-fat dairy and foods that are lower in sodium. It may include plant-based foods.

"The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee did extensive food pattern modeling and there was no nutrient concerns identified," Kristina Petersen, an associate professor in nutritional science at Penn State University, told Newsweek. "Protein is generally not a concern in the U.S. The vast majority of the U.S. population regardless of diet consumed meets protein recommendations. Iron is a nutrient of concern for some population groups including women. With a well-planned diet, iron requirements can be met by incorporating a range of different plant-based foods. "The recommendation was emphasis of legumes as a replacement for red and processed meat. This means people can still consume red meat if chosen, but where possible look for opportunities to substitute some meat for beans e.g. when making chili or a pasta sauce reduce or remove the meat and include more beans. "A challenge to including legumes is preparation. Dried legumes can take a long time to cook, but using canned legumes is a great alternative for quick food preparation. "It should be noted that legumes [dried or canned] tend to be much cheaper than red meat, so incorporating more legumes is a good way to reduce grocery costs."

Why have Americans been advised to cut down on red meat?

The advice to reduce red meat consumption follows multiple medical studies that linked red meat consumption to various diseases. "Replacement of red meat with legumes is associated with lower risk of heart disease," Petersen said. "Replacing red meat with beans will result in a reduction in saturated fat intake, the amount will depend on the fat content of the red meat typically consumed. "High saturated fat intake increases LDL-C, a strong causal risk factor for heart disease. Beans contain fiber, red meat does not. Increasing bean intake will increase fiber intake. Higher fiber intake is associated with lower risk of heart disease as well as some cancers, including bowel cancer." In 2023, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that consuming two servings of red meat per week is linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while plant-based alternatives like beans are associated with reduced risk. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition in 2022 found an increased cardiovascular disease risk with higher red meat consumption—particularly processed meat—and suggested legumes as a healthier substitute. A 2021 modeling study published in Public Health Nutrition demonstrated improved nutrient adequacy and dietary quality when legumes replaced red and processed meat in diets. A study presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference revealed a 14 percent higher dementia risk with daily processed red meat consumption. At the same time, substitutions with legumes and nuts lowered dementia risk by 20 percent.

What did the study say about ultra-processed foods?

The panel did not come to any conclusions on ultra-processed foods, though it had considered over 40 studies, including some that showed ultra-processed foods with becoming overweight or developing obesity. However, the experts had concerns over the quality of the research and ultimately decided the evidence was too limited to make recommendations. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) constitute a significant portion of the American diet. Research indicates that approximately 60 percent of daily caloric intake for U.S. adults comes from UPFs, with this figure rising to nearly 70 percent among children, according to Florida Atlantic University. A 2024 study published in The BMJ reviewed 45 analyses involving approximately 10 million participants and found that high intake of UPFs is linked to increased risks of various health issues, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders. Research from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute suggests that UPFs may contribute to colorectal cancer by promoting chronic inflammation and suppressing the immune system.

Do Americans follow dietary guidelines?

The advisory panel acknowledged that most American diets don't meet current dietary guidelines. Over half of U.S. adults have one or more chronic health conditions related to their diet, and 18 million U.S. households have insecure sources of food, the report said. The report concludes, "Nutrition-related chronic health conditions and their precursors continue to threaten health through the lifespan." It added that this "Does not bode well for the future of health in the United States." Update 12/16/24, 11 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Kristina Petersen. Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.