Washington “declares war” on ultra-processed products

(Washington) The Trump government has “declared war” on ultra-processed products and added sugars, and encouraged Americans to favor “real foods”, fruits and vegetables but also red meat, in its nutritional recommendations published Wednesday.

“Today, our government is declaring war on added sugars. Ultraprocessed foods, full of additives, added sugars and salt, are harmful to your health and should be avoided. My message (…) is clear: eat real food,” urged the American Secretary of Health, Robert Kennedy Jr, from the White House.

A leading figure in the movement that intends to “make America healthy again” (MAHA), he, who has also been shaking up vaccination policy since he was Donald Trump’s secretary, has made the fight against junk food one of his priorities, in a country faced with obesity and diabetes.

“More protein, more dairy products, more good fats, more whole grains, more fruits and vegetables,” summarized Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

In these new recommendations, updated every five years, the American authorities call for avoiding the consumption of ultra-processed products rich in added sugars, such as prepared meals, chips, industrial cakes, sodas or even energy drinks, in favor of homemade foods.

In the protein section, when the previous version focused in particular on “lean meats”, the new recommendations urge to consume “a variety of proteins, of animal origin, eggs, poultry, seafood and red meat, and of plant origin, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy”. They also invite us to favor other cooking methods – roasting, grilled, pan-fried – than frying.

Americans are also being pushed to eat “whole fruits and vegetables.”

However, these recommendations raise the question of their financial accessibility.

“The Trump government is working to ensure that all families have the means,” he said in the introduction to the new instructions.

“A meal including pork, eggs, cheese or whole milk, tomatoes, other fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grain bread or corn tortillas, can cost around $3 today,” the Department of Agriculture also said.

National data released this summer found that more than half of Americans’ calorie intake came from ultra-processed foods between 2021 and 2023, a global high.