Washington “declares war” on ultra-processed foods

(Washington) The Trump government “declares war” on ultra-processed products and added sugars, and encourages 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 Minister of Health, Robert Kennedy Jr, from the White House.

A leading figure in the movement which intends to “make America healthy again” (MAHA), the minister, who has also shaken up vaccination policy since taking office, has made the fight against junk food one of his priorities, in a country affected by obesity and diabetes.

“More proteins, more dairy products, more good fats, more whole grains, more fruits and vegetables,” summarized Minister of Agriculture 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 on “lean meats” in particular, the new roadmap advises consuming “a variety of proteins, of animal origin, eggs, poultry, seafood and red meat, and of plant origin, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy”. She also invites us to favor other cooking methods – roasted, grilled, pan-fried – than frying.

Americans are also encouraged 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, wholemeal bread or corn tortillas, can cost around three dollars today,” said the Minister of Agriculture.

Tackling ultra-processed foods is a “very strong recommendation” that Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at New York University, “supports wholeheartedly.”

But the important place given to animal proteins and whole dairy products in the recommended plan is “contradictory and ideological”, she told AFP.

According to her, these new recommendations will benefit the meat and dairy industries.

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