The nutrition crisis is hard to ignore. In the United States, 90% of healthcare spending goes on treating lifestyle-related chronic diseases; 70% of adults are overweight or obese, and one in three teenagers is prediabetic. The new American nutrition reform unveiled in January 2026, along with the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement, aims to steer people back toward meals built from real, recognisable ingredients by pushing artificial colourings and industrial formulations to the sidelines. Dr Borbála Beta, an occupational health specialist with additional qualifications in lifestyle medicine at Dr Rose Private Hospital, compares the MAHA approach with Hungary’s official “Okostányér” (Smart Plate) dietary guidelines.
What do the new American guidelines promote?
A key goal is to halt the spread of obesity and prediabetes. Under the banner of “back to basics,” the focus shifts to unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods such as meat and other animal proteins, full-fat dairy products, vegetables and fruit. There is a strong push to drastically reduce added sugars, refined carbohydrates and chemical additives. The long-running “war” on saturated fat is declared over, with the guidelines stressing that fats from natural sources such as butter, beef tallow and olive oil can be part of a healthy diet. On alcohol, the new stance finally breaks with the old idea that moderate drinking might have health benefits, instead highlighting the risks.
The “new” enemy: what exactly are ultra-processed foods?
These are industrial products that barely resemble their original ingredients and contain components you wouldn’t find in a home kitchen, such as hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, flavour enhancers like monosodium glutamate, and various emulsifiers. They are manufactured through industrial processes and engineered to have a very long shelf life and to be extremely palatable. During processing, the original structure of the food is largely destroyed, so nutrients are absorbed more quickly, often triggering sharp insulin spikes. Low-nutrient raw materials are frequently dressed up with artificial colours and flavours to make them more appealing. Typical examples include fizzy drinks, fruit drinks, breakfast cereals, packaged pastries, salty snacks and crisps, instant soups, frozen pizzas, and reconstructed meat products such as liver spreads, processed cold cuts or chicken nuggets. These foods are not really “new” villains. For years, excessive consumption has been clearly linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and a higher risk of heart disease, so it is welcome that they are now a central focus of the new US guidelines.
MAHA versus Okostányér
The new American recommendations and Hungary’s Okostányér share several points. Both stress daily vegetable and fruit intake, ideally filling half the plate, a sharp reduction in added sugar and salt, and generous water consumption. The main differences lie in how they view fats and dairy. Okostányér favours low-fat options and plant oils, and suggests up to 500 grams of meat per week, mainly poultry. MAHA questions the role of refined seed oils and low-fat dairy, instead positioning natural fats such as butter, tallow and coconut oil, whole milk, red meat and high-quality animal proteins as cornerstones of the diet.
Carbohydrates are another area of divergence. MAHA is critical of grains, preferring vegetables as primary carbohydrate sources. The criticism is not aimed at plants themselves, but at issues such as potential gut microbiome disruption and possible carcinogenic effects linked to glyphosate residues, as well as ultra-refining. White flour products and sugary cereals can provoke dramatic insulin responses, while compounds in grains such as lectins and phytates may inhibit mineral absorption and are sometimes associated with “leaky gut” concerns. Okostányér, by contrast, highlights the fibre and B-vitamin content of whole grains. MAHA does support certain grains that have undergone less genetic modification over the past century and tend to have a lower glycaemic load or more digestible protein structures, including millet, buckwheat, sorghum, quinoa and spelt.
MAHA also promotes the increasingly accepted view that restoring gut health naturally is fundamental to preventing chronic disease. Fermented foods play a key role here. Fortunately, fermentation has deep roots in Hungary: barrel-fermented sauerkraut, leavened pickles, kefir, natural yoghurt and sourdough bread all fit neatly into this picture.
In summary, the new guidelines are right to emphasise cutting added sugar and salt, reducing ultra-processed foods and limiting alcohol. At the same time, more relaxed messaging around saturated-fat-rich foods such as red meat and butter may be controversial. Higher saturated fat intake can raise LDL cholesterol and potentially increase cardiovascular risk, and these foods are energy-dense, meaning small portions can contain a lot of calories, making overconsumption and weight gain more likely.
So who is right?
Large-scale studies consistently link whole-food, plant-rich diets with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. High fibre intake and phytonutrients support the gut microbiome and help reduce systemic inflammation. More recent research, however, suggests that natural fats do not increase heart disease risk when combined with a low intake of refined carbohydrates. Such dietary patterns can be particularly effective in reversing metabolic syndrome and preserving muscle mass with age.
The growing scientific consensus is that the key issue is not choosing between two extremes, but looking at how processed food is and how nutrient-dense it is. Newer approaches in nutrition science, including both MAHA and Okostányér, are less focused on the plant-versus-meat debate and more on tackling ultra-processed foods. Research shows that a vegan diet can also be unhealthy if based on industrial meat substitutes and refined carbohydrates, just as a meat-based diet can be harmful if centred on processed cold cuts and fast-food meats. Both plant-based and animal-protein-inclusive diets have delivered excellent long-term results when they avoid ultra-processed foods.
The middle ground
The Mediterranean diet remains the most thoroughly researched dietary model in the world. Its benefits are supported not only by observation but by decades-long clinical trials involving tens of thousands of participants. Rather than excluding major food groups, it focuses on quality, proportions and minimal processing. While a strict plant-based diet avoids animal products and MAHA is more liberal with fats, the Mediterranean model strikes a balance. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes form the backbone, but high-quality animal proteins also have a place. Fats are welcomed, but extra virgin olive oil and nuts are preferred over saturated animal fats, with proven cardiovascular benefits. Red meat is recommended only occasionally, once or twice a week at most, with greater emphasis on fish, seafood and poultry, bridging the gap between meat-free and meat-heavy diets. Dairy appears mainly in fermented forms such as yoghurt and cheese, and in moderate amounts, unlike the higher dairy intake encouraged by the new US guidelines. One of the Mediterranean diet’s greatest strengths is sustainability. It is less restrictive than a vegan diet, making it varied, easier to follow long term and simpler to fit into everyday life, helping avoid nutrient deficiencies without placing heavy reliance on large amounts of red meat for either the body or the environment. It is no surprise that this model regularly receives top professional recognition for chronic disease prevention.
One more thought
Good food is also a source of pleasure. Eating a varied diet is an experience and an important part of social life, offering far more than just fuel for the body. If we force ourselves to completely deny our tastes and preferences, we either set ourselves up to fail or miss out on experiences that can also support emotional wellbeing. Instead of strict prohibitions, drink more water, move more and make smarter food choices.
