Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy literally flipped the White House’s food guidelines on its head, and the changes come with glaring conflicts of interest.
According to The New York Times, five out of the 10 scientific experts tapped to make the latest dietary guidelines—which emphasize meat and dairy consumption—have financial links to “beef, dairy or pork industries, or food, infant formula, supplement or pharmaceutical companies.”
In a written statement to Daily Kos, Health and Human Services press secretary Emily Hilliard said, “All experts publicly disclosed any nutrition-related private interests, including those that could present an appearance or potential for private interests.”
"The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Nutrition Research coordinated an external peer review process, assigning two independent reviewers to each scientific review. Reviewers were selected based on relevant expertise and absence of conflicts of interest," she added.
The new food guidelines raised some eyebrows after Kennedy’s quackery-filled press conference to announce the new guidelines.
Off the bat, there is a jump in the daily recommendation for meat and dairy products, despite that scientific research says these foods contribute to worsening heart health. Kennedy’s push for red meat coincides with his efforts to end “the war on saturated fats.”
“[W]e are concerned that recommendations regarding salt seasoning and red meat consumption could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease,” the American Heart Association said in a press release Wednesday.
The workout-obsessed administration also bizarrely relaxed alcohol guidance—“a win for Big Alcohol,” said Mike Marshall, chief executive of the Alcohol Policy Alliance. The previous advice was for men to consume no more than two drinks a day and for women to consume no more than one. Now, there is no specified limit.
However, despite health concerns about alcohol consumption, Dr. Mehmet Oz will tell you that alcohol is necessary because people can apparently socialize only at bars.
"Alcohol is a social lubricant that brings people together,” Oz said in Wednesday’s press conference. “In the best-case scenario, I don't think you should drink alcohol, but it does allow people an excuse to bond and socialize, and there's probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way."
The White House’s press blast promoting the new food guidelines also included praise from food influencers who promote dubious nutrition advice, such as Vani Hari—who has built a reputation on her factually gray food investigations—and author Shawn Baker, who promotes a meat-centric diet.
But Kennedy has always had a soft spot for the sketchy types.
In May 2025, he pushed for Casey Means to be surgeon general. For those who need a refresh after a long 2026 (it has been eight days), Means never finished her surgical residency and doesn’t hold an active medical license. And yet, like other officials, Means has ties to the supplements industry.
While pushing the American diet toward less processed foods and more whole foods isn’t a bad thing, the devil is in the murky details—and who’s promoting them.
