The Trump administration is launching a significant campaign against added sugars while shifting focus onto saturated fats in the latest dietary guidelines.

On Wednesday, Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced that the updated dietary guidelines, effective until 2030, will spotlight the role of saturated fats. These fats, prevalent in our diet, are a crucial energy source for the body.

Saturated fats are primarily found in animal-derived foods such as cheese, red meat, and butter. Extensive studies over the years have linked these fats to increased levels of LDL cholesterol, which contributes to plaque formation in the arteries, restricting blood flow.

This arterial blockage is a key factor in heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming close to one million lives annually. It is also a contributor to the obesity epidemic.

The former dietary guidelines, revised every five years, advised that saturated fats should constitute no more than 10% of an individual’s daily caloric intake. For a person consuming 2,000 calories a day, this translates to a maximum of 20 grams of saturated fat.

The American Heart Association recommends an even stricter limit, suggesting only 6% of daily calories be sourced from foods high in saturated fats, equating to roughly 120 calories per day.

Kennedy, however, has called the previous guidance on saturated fats ‘antiquated,’ instead shifting the blame for America’s chronic disease epidemic on ultra-processed foods and artificial dyes.

He said in a press briefing Wednesday: ‘Today the lies stop. We are ending the war on saturated fats.’ 

Along with classic junk foods like soda, the new guidelines will advise against consuming fruit juices and foods high in refined carbohydrates like rice, oats and bread.  

Robert F Kennedy Jr is seen above in Wednesday’s press briefing unveiling the new dietary guidelines

Physicians and dietary experts told the Daily Mail that while small amounts of saturated fat are unlikely to cause lasting effects, encouraging Americans to eat higher amounts could worsen already increasing rates of heart disease and obesity, contradicting Kennedy’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda.

Anna Schraff, nutrition coach and founder of Mediterranean for Life, told the Daily Mail: ‘The bottom line is that the most rigorous scientific evidence consistently shows higher saturated fat intake is linked with increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and dementia.

‘Since heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States, this is deeply concerning.’

Processed foods, which the administration is strongly advising against, are also less expensive than whole foods, creating a nutrition gap for impoverished Americans. 

The push to limit red meat began in the 1970s and 1980s as evidence started to emerge suggesting the saturated fat in red meat raised levels of LDL cholesterol – the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol.

High cholesterol has long been shown to cause plaque to build up in the arteries, putting strain on the heart.

In 1980, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans adopted the rule to consume no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, which has remained in place until now.

Pictured above is a previous food pyramid used by the USDA in the early 2000s, which emphasized refined grains like bread and pasta

Dr Jessica Mack, a clinical occupational therapist in New York, told the Daily Mail that while saturated fat in high quantities is linked to heart damage, foods high in the fat also have important nutrients.

One large egg, for example, contains about 150 milligrams of choline, about one-quarter of the recommended daily value. Choline is an essential nutrient also found in protein sources such as salmon and beef and chicken livers that supports memory, mood and muscle control.

It’s thought to boost levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which controls memory and learning, and reduce levels of neurotoxins like homocysteine that damage neurons.

A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that older adults who consumed more than one egg per week had a 47 percent reduced risk of dementia compared to those who had less than one egg in a week.

The researchers noted this was likely due to the choline in the eggs.

Dairy products like cheese and milk are also rich in calcium, which has long been shown to strengthen bones and teeth, support muscle function and help blood clot.

Dr Mack said: ‘These are nutrient-rich foods that provide protein, calcium, vitamins A and D and healthy fatty acids. When sourced well, from grass-fed or pasture-raised animals, they can be excellent sources of nutrition.

‘The key is moderation and mindful pairing with whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains.’