Why the Guideline of “Eat Real Food” Isn’t That Simple
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans influence everything from school lunch programs to the nutrition advice people hear in doctors’ and dietitians’ offices. The latest version of the guidelines offers some useful ideas but also sends mixed messages and uses vague language that is confusing and harmful to people’s physical and mental health, especially for teens, families, and people with a history of disordered eating and folks from different backgrounds.
From my perspective as a dietitian, the issue is not that guidelines exist. It’s that they are often treated as strict rules rather than general guidance, with insufficient attention to individual needs or real-life circumstances.
“Eat Real Food” Sounds Simple, But It’s Not
The new 2025–2030 guidelines use the phrase “eat real food.” While this sounds simple, many doctors, dietitians, and eating disorder experts worry that people might not understand what it means. On the surface, this sounds reasonable.
‘Real food’ usually means fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and less-processed foods. These foods are close to their natural state, which can make it easier for people to follow this advice to support their health.
In practice, we see this phrase causing a lot of confusion.
“Real food” is not clearly defined, and when guidance is vague, people tend to fill in the gaps with food rules. For some, this turns into fear of packaged foods, frozen foods, guilt around convenience items, or pressure to cook everything from scratch.
That kind of thinking does not support long-term health or a peaceful relationship with food.
Helpful Recommendations, With a Catch
Some parts of the guidelines are helpful. They align with the advice dietitians often offer clients, like encouraging people to eat more of the following foods:
- fruits and vegetables
- high-fiber foods
- whole foods
They also suggest limiting:
- added sugar
- Heavily processed foods
These changes may help improve heart health and overall wellness. Where people often get stuck is turning these suggestions into rigid rules, especially without considering culture, access, medical history, or mental health.
Biggest Issue: Mixed Messages About Saturated Fat
The guidelines still recommend keeping saturated fat under 10% of your daily calories, a recommendation that has been in place for many years.
At the same time, the guidelines mention foods that are naturally higher in saturated fat, including:
- butter
- beef tallow
- red meat
- full-fat dairy
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says this is confusing because it contradicts its advice to limit saturated fat. They also warn that it could raise the risk of heart disease.
The American Heart Association also recommends limiting foods such as red meat, butter, lard, and tallow due to the increased risk of heart disease.
As clinicians, we agree, and in my experience, this is where extreme eating patterns often start.
When guidelines are unclear, people can feel confused. Some may even try extreme diets they find online.
If you are unsure, consider talking to a weight-inclusive registered dietitian who can offer advice tailored to your needs. [Our team has 6 weight-inclusive RDs, and you can get started by booking a discovery call here.]
Protein, Carbohydrates, and Ongoing Carb Fear
For many of my clients, especially teens, athletes, active adults, and people recovering from disordered eating, carbohydrates are critical for consistent eating and overall stability.
Another concern is that the guidelines might unintentionally encourage people to eat more protein and cut back on carbohydrates from the fear of “Carbs”.
Carbohydrates play an essential role in energy, brain function, and mood regulation. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy. Groups like athletes, teenagers, active adults, and people with higher energy needs – such as many of our clients recovering from disordered eating – need more carbohydrates to support physical performance and brain function, stabilize mood, and return to regular eating patterns.
Carbohydrates also provide fiber, which is important for good digestion, so clear and balanced recommendations are needed.
The guidelines do not clearly outline carbohydrate needs across different ages or activity levels. Without that clarity, people often under-eat carbs, which can negatively impact both physical and mental health.
Always find out your specific carb needs, so you know what to aim for based on your body, age, and activity level. [This is something a dietitian specializes in, so ask for help… Dr Google does not always factor everything into the advice given.]
Food Access Is Often Overlooked
One major limitation of the guidelines is their limited attention to food access.
Advice to “eat real food” assumes time, money, and access that many people do not have. Some people live in food deserts. Others are managing disabilities, financial stress, or packed schedules.
In these situations, foods like frozen meals, canned foods, packaged snacks, and convenience foods are not ‘bad.’ They can help people eat regularly and get enough nutrition.
Nutritious options like frozen vegetables, canned beans, and some convenient foods can absolutely be part of a balanced approach.
Final Thoughts from a Dietitian’s Perspective
From my perspective, the greatest risk of the new Dietary Guidelines is not that they are wrong; they show some progress, but they also send mixed messages that can cause confusion and encourage extreme views.
When guidance lacks context, it can fuel food anxiety, rigid thinking, and unnecessary restriction.
At Erica Leon Nutrition, we’ll keep holding our core beliefs about food and body image:
- Health is not built on extremes and restrictions.
- Food is not a measure of worth.
- ALL Bodies are worthy.
- Nutrition guidance should support both physical health and peace with food.
Guidelines can be a starting point, but they are NOT a personalized plan.
Ready for Support?
If you are unsure how these guidelines apply to you, your teen, or your family, you do not need to figure it out on your own. Book a free 15-minute consultation with me to help understand what kind of nutrition support fits your needs and connect you with the right dietitian on our team.
Book now to learn more about our services and get guidance that works in real life – because it is designed for your life, not a vague and confusing approach for over 300 million people.
Erica Leon is a Registered Dietitian and practices from a Health at Every Size (HAES®) lens. She and her team of eating disorder specialists and Anti-Diet Dietitians provide insurance-based care for eating disorders, disordered eating, chronic dieting, or other health conditions in a safe and non-judgmental space for healing.
We work virtually with our clients from our offices in Westchester County in New York as well as the tri-state areas of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, along with Alabama, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, and Wisconsin. We are in-network with the following insurance companies: Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Emblem Health and United Healthcare; including Oxford, UMR, and The Empire Plan (NYSHIP).
We take the time to learn where you or your family are in the pursuit of health. Respectful of your individual needs and lifestyle, Erica will provide an honest assessment of whether or not you are a good fit to work together. Click here to schedule a 15-minute Discovery Call with Erica to let us know about your needs, and to see which of our Dietitians is the best fit for you!
