Don’t miss the full story, whose reporting from Jonel Aleccia at The Associated Press is the basis of this artificial intelligence-assisted article.
New federal dietary guidelines recommend Americans consume up to double the previous amount of protein daily, but nutrition experts question whether the increase is necessary and warn it could lead to more processed food consumption and health risks.
Some key facts:
• The new guidelines recommend 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, up to double the previous recommendation of 0.8 grams.
• Adults are now advised to consume at least 100 grams of protein per day, with half or more coming from animal sources.
• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “We are ending the war on protein” when announcing the changes.
• The average adult man already consumes about 100 grams of protein daily, meeting the new recommendation.
• Nutrition experts say most Americans already consume more protein than they need, and there’s no new evidence supporting dramatically increased consumption.
• Excess dietary protein can be converted to fat by the liver, potentially increasing abdominal fat and diabetes risk.
• The new recommendations are based on 30 studies examining higher protein diets’ effects on weight management and nutrient adequacy.
• Experts worry the guidance will boost sales of protein-enriched processed foods, contradicting the guidelines’ message to eat whole foods.
READ MORE: New diet guidelines say to double up on protein, but nutrition experts are wary
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