Eat Real Food

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall Reaction to the New Guidelines

  • Many commenters say the advice (“eat real food, fewer refined carbs, more protein, veg, and whole grains”) is broadly in line with what good doctors and non-US food guides (e.g. Canada, Finland) have been saying for years.
  • Others argue it is being oversold as a dramatic break from the past when earlier US “MyPlate” guidance already de‑emphasized the classic 1990s grain-heavy pyramid.
  • Several people report that diets similar to these guidelines (high in whole foods, low in sugar and refined carbs) have significantly improved their weight, autoimmune, or inflammatory conditions.

Protein, Meat, Dairy, and Fats

  • Strong debate over the heavy visual and textual emphasis on animal protein, whole milk, cheese, butter, and steak:
    • Supporters say meat and eggs are highly bioavailable, satiating, and compatible with low‑carb, keto, and carnivore approaches.
    • Critics cite links between saturated fat/red meat and cardiovascular and colorectal cancer risk, and worry the pyramid downplays those risks.
  • Seed oils vs saturated fat is contentious: some claim seed oils drive inflammation and saturated fat is “good”; others respond that evidence is mixed and that mainstream cardiology still recommends limiting saturated fat.
  • The recommended protein intake (1.2–1.6 g/kg) is seen by some as appropriate, by others as “athlete-level” and excessive for sedentary people.

Processed Food, Grains, and Sugar

  • Broad agreement that ultra‑processed foods, added sugar, and sugary drinks are major drivers of obesity and chronic disease.
  • Some argue “processed” is too vague; home‑baked bread, canned beans, and infant formula can be labeled highly processed despite being nutritious.
  • Whole grains vs refined grains: several lament how rare whole grains are in restaurants and note shelf‑life and milling as barriers.

Cost, Access, and SNAP

  • Multiple comments note the gap between guidance and reality: fresh “real food” can be expensive, time‑consuming, and hard to get in food deserts.
  • Restricting SNAP from buying soda and candy is praised by some as obvious and attacked by others as paternalistic, logistically complex, and vulnerable to lobbying by beverage and corn interests.

Politics, Trust, and Lobbying

  • Many distrust anything under the current administration and especially RFK Jr., citing vaccine rollbacks, anti‑Tylenol rhetoric, and deregulation of health and food safety.
  • The visible presence of steak and full‑fat dairy, plus disclosed ties to beef and cattle groups, fuels suspicion that meat and dairy lobbies shaped the visuals and framing.
  • Some note the irony that similar healthy‑eating messages under previous administrations were fiercely attacked by the opposite political camp.

Site Design and Communication

  • The site’s heavy scroll‑jacking and animation are widely panned as confusing, inaccessible, and “Apple-style marketing” that obscures the simple underlying message.
  • Several argue guidelines alone won’t move the needle without structural changes: subsidies away from corn/sugar, regulation of additives, and investment in school meals and public access to healthy foods.