FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Kyle Diamantas told Newsmax's "Wake Up America" on Thursday morning that the new inverted food pyramid that puts meat, dairy, and fresh produce at the center of the American plate is a "gold standard" approach to nutrition.
Diamantas framed the new model as a science-first update to decades-old advice he says helped steer consumers in the past toward too many refined carbohydrates and too little protein.
"This is a simple overhaul of the food pyramid of nutrition research," Diamantas said, calling the approach "a gold standard, scientific approach" that "satisfies all nutrition research."
He pointed to outside support for the updated nutrition guidelines as well, noting that "you saw the American Medical Association endorse this yesterday," as the FDA and its partners lean into the new framework.
At its core, Diamantas said the inverted pyramid prioritizes higher-quality calories and more protein — especially for Americans who have followed carb-heavy guidance for years.
"We've had too little protein in our diets for too long," he said.
Under the new pyramid, Diamantas said the emphasis is on "fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, healthy fats, and whole grains," while urging consumers to limit ultra-processed options.
"What we're calling for is that people should be cautious about certain ultra-processed or highly processed foods," he said, especially products with "high levels of refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and added sodium."
Diamantas contrasted today's health landscape with the 1980s, when federal guidelines first took hold, saying "diabetes rates and obesity rates that hovered in the 15% range" then have jumped to "over 50% of Americans suffer[ing] with obesity" today.
"The old 1980s nutrition that had us eating 12 servings of bread a day is clearly no longer the direction for this country," Diamantas said.
The biggest impact, he said, will come through government purchasing and food programs that serve millions of Americans.
"Where you're really going to see this change is in federal procurement," he said, citing everything from "Head Start" and "school lunches" to "SNAP, military meals, prison meals, VA clinics."
Still, Diamantas emphasized that Americans have the freedom to make their own dietary decisions.
"We would advocate that all Americans should adopt this lifestyle, but, at the end of the day, this is America," he said. "If you want to go eat 50 Ding Dongs, people should do that."
He also addressed affordability and access concerns, acknowledging "food deserts" but insisting the new pyramid can work for families on tight budgets.
"The great part about this diet that we've put together, and this new food pyramid, is that every American today can follow this diet, can follow this lifestyle, on the same budget or even less than they're spending now," Diamantas said. "We've done the math ... You can absolutely today eat on this pyramid for less money than you could previously."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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