Less meat, more plants: top US heart body’s diet advice at odds with MahaAmerican Heart Association bucks Trump administration line to suggest prioritizing plant-based protein over meat In contrast to the federal government’s recommendation of use of beef tallow and consumption of red meat, the AHA pushed for plant-based proteins such as legumes, nuts and seeds. Photograph: Allen J Schaben/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images The American Heart Association’s new nutrition guidance, released on Tuesday, emphasizes a dietary pattern rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, prioritizing plant-based protein over meat. It also suggests limiting the use of sugar, salt and ultra-processed foods and replacing full fat dairy with non-fat and low-fat dairy. Donald Trump earlier this year announced a new slate of dietary guidelines that recommended Americans eat more protein from both animal and plant sources, and encouraged the consumption of full-fat dairy. In contrast to the federal government’s recommendation of use of beef tallow and consumption of red meat, the AHA is pushing for plant-based proteins such as legumes, nuts and seeds, choosing low-fat or fat-free dairy, and, when consuming red meat, selecting lean cuts, avoiding processed forms and keeping portions small. The Trump administration and health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s push to “Make America healthy again” has focused on the removal of synthetic dyes, other chemical ingredients, ultra-processed foods, consumption of less sugar and seed oils. The AHA also suggests Americans choose sources of unsaturated fats, avoid ultraprocessed foods and minimize intake of added sugars in beverages and foods. The organization recommended Americans to prepare foods with minimal or no salt, and limit the intake of alcohol. The guidance also recommended children can and should begin following a heart-healthy dietary pattern starting at one year old. The AHA’s guidance was aligned with the US Food and Drug Administration’s dietary guidelines on major issues, a spokesperson from the FDA said, adding they looked forward to working collaboratively with AHA. The AHA, which is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, releases dietary guidance about every five years to promote cardiovascular health. ARTICLE SOURCE: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/01/american-heart-association-dietary-guidelines-maha
But since people (except my wife, also a carnivore) act like it's the craziest thing in the world, I figure I better get connected.
We came to this nutrition approach via keto after listening to the podcast The Sacred Cow. Until going carnivore, I was like that woman on the commercial where she said that anywhere she went, she always makes sure to know where the bathroom is (sorry, can't recall the product they were selling). Digestion was better on keto but completely transformed doing carnivore.
My wife and I both lost significant weight even though we were both already very healthy. I recently realized after seeing pictures of myself from a recent trip that I was so into being lean that I had lost a lot of muscle.
Listening to an interview with Dr Chaffe opened my eyes to the change in hunger signals that is possible on carnivore and realized I needed to up my protein and get busy in the gym!
Looking forward to learning from you all and contributing where I can.