Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Plans Sweeping Diet Shift: Saturated Fats Like Steak, Butter and Cheese to Be Encouraged in U.S. Dietary Guidelines
In a dramatic shift that has the food-industry, health experts and grocery aisles abuzz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—now serving as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services—has indicated that the forthcoming 2025-2030 dietary guidelines will reverse decades of conventional wisdom by encouraging the intake of saturated fats. That means butter, red meat, full-fat dairy and cream could soon be back in the spotlight, despite longstanding advice to limit them.
Under existing guidance, saturated fat has been capped at less than 10 % of daily calories, and many public health authorities have pushed for even stricter limits. But the Kennedy-led shift repositions foods like steak, butter and cheese as not just culturally acceptable, but possibly essential to a “whole-food” style of eating. The decision aligns with the “Make America Healthy Again” or MAHA movement, a campaign that emphasizes natural foods, less processed fare and a reevaluation of modern nutrition science.
Public reactions have been immediate and mixed. Food industry insiders are celebrating the potential boom in demand while certain health-care professionals are issuing caution. The Wall Street Journal notes that this policy would mark one of the most radical uniform changes in American nutrition policy in decades. With the guidelines due by the end of 2025, many outlets report that the recommendation to limit saturated fat — one of the most enduring features of U.S. dietary policy — may be loosened or removed entirely.
For generations, the argument has been that saturated fat raises “bad” LDL cholesterol and contributes to cardiovascular disease. That narrative helped shape nutrition guidelines, school-meal policy and public perception. Now, Kennedy says we’ve doubled down on avoiding fat and processed foods—and he argues that left us with something worse. “We built a world that demonizes whole milk, full-fat yogurt and meat,” he has said in interviews. “It’s time to bring real food back into the American diet.”
Supporters of the move say it reflects emerging studies that suggest context matters: saturated fats in minimally processed meats and dairy may not carry the same risk as previously believed. For example, some research has pointed out that unprocessed full-fat dairy may be linked to better glucose regulation and improved satiety. The new guidelines also extend to school meals, WIC programs and federal nutrition policy—changing what millions of children will eat at school, and what millions of low-income families will be advised to buy.
Critics, however, warn that this new direction could confuse consumers and undermine decades of public-health messaging. Organizations like the Center for Science in the Public Interest have urged the guidelines to maintain limits on saturated fat, citing strong evidence that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats lowers heart disease risk. They worry that in loosening restrictions, the policy exposes the population to renewed health risks, especially when consumption of saturated fats is already beyond recommended levels for many Americans.
The policy implications go beyond personal meals. The food manufacturing, dairy and meat industries are watching closely. If the change becomes official, products once labeled “full-fat” could return to favor without the stigma of “unhealthy,” and market demand could shift rapidly. On the nutrition front, meals in schools and hospitals could see full-fat dairy return, and meat-centred menus could replace lean-protein plans that have dominated federal guidance for years.
As the nutrition world braces for the final guidelines, the question is no longer whether saturated fats will remain demonized—but how the nation will respond. Will Americans embrace a return to steak, butter and cheese as part of mainstream dietary advice? Or will health experts resist the shift, arguing that decades of advice shouldn’t be undone overnight? One thing is clear: the debate is back, full-fat and front and centre.
