The new dietary guidelines prioritize animal protein and dairy over fiber-rich foods.Most Americans fall short on fiber, which is vital for gut health, cholesterol and longevity.Easy ways to boost fiber include eating beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds and leafy greens.<\/p>\n
In case you missed it, the new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released last week<\/a>, and with it came a new food pyramid<\/a> that focused on animal protein and dairy, with fruits and vegetables coming secondary.\n<\/p>\n By prioritizing meat and dairy products, you\u2019re getting a good source of protein<\/a>, which can help support your bone health, muscle growth and metabolic health. But it\u2019s impossible to thrive while eating a primarily carnivorous diet<\/a>\u2014in fact, you\u2019re missing a glaring essential nutrient that can only be found in plant-based sources. Spoiler alert: it\u2019s fiber, and Americans are already falling short on it in their eating habits. Here\u2019s how the new guidelines missed the mark, and a dietitian weighs in on ways to incorporate the nutrient in your breakfasts, lunches and dinners.\n<\/p>\n The Importance of Fiber <\/p>\n Yes, the dietary guidelines recommend fruits and vegetables, and even states that \u201chigh-fiber foods support a diverse microbiome, which may be beneficial for health.\u201d But the new food pyramid highlights otherwise, only suggesting three servings of veggies and two servings of fruit per day\u2014without providing specific measurements of these servings.\n<\/p>\n Not to mention, beans and legumes are barely mentioned, as they\u2019re visually on the new pyramid but not explained, despite being a crucial source of budget-friendly fiber and plant-based protein. Our nutrition editor and registered dietitian Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN<\/a>, dives deeper into fiber\u2019s snub in the new guidelines.\n<\/p>\n \u201cFiber is critical for managing our cholesterol, blood sugar and supporting a healthy gut microbiome,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhen you don\u2019t consume enough fiber, one of the more immediate effects is digestive discomfort. Long term, not eating enough fiber could increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, increase chronic inflammation and even weaken the immune system.\u201d\n<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just the guidelines de-prioritizing fiber\u2014it\u2019s also 90% of Americans not getting enough of the nutrient<\/a>. To combat this statistic, Peck offers more ways you can up your fiber intake beyond the partially-recommended leafy greens and whole grains.\n<\/p>\n \u201cA simple way to boost fiber intake is to eat more beans,\u201d she says (and we predict that beans and legumes will be a trending ingredient category in 2026<\/a>). \u201cYou can enjoy beans as a side, or they can be added on top of your favorite salad, used to make tacos and veggie burgers, or blended into your go-to sauces and soups.\u201d Our editors love Broccoli-Cheddar Butter Beans<\/a> and No-Cook Black Bean Taco Bowls<\/a> for simple pantry dinners to meet their fiber goals.\n<\/p>\n \u201cAnother easy way to boost dietary fiber is to try whole-grain versions of your pantry staples,\u201d Peck continues. \u201cFor example, regular pasta contains 0 to 2 grams of fiber per serving, but whole-grain pasta can contain up to 8 grams per serving. You can also add nuts and seeds to your favorite smoothies, salads and soups.\u201d\n<\/p>\n In short, there\u2019s plenty of ways to boost fiber in your diet. While the new dietary guidelines focus on protein, consuming enough fiber<\/a> is key for your digestive health, cholesterol and longevity. You can also consider taking a fiber supplement<\/a>, but consult with a healthcare professional or dietitian to see what\u2019s best for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The new dietary guidelines prioritize animal protein and dairy over fiber-rich foods.Most Americans fall short on fiber, which…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":410818,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[97,269],"class_list":{"0":"post-410817","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=410817"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/410817\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/410818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=410817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=410817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=410817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}