The Trump administration wants each American’s plate loaded with protein at every meal, and food chains are eating it up.
But some items represent a departure from that guidance, including a new push for more red meat consumption. The changes encapsulate Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s commitment to upping Americans’ protein intake. The new guidelines recommend a daily dose between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. That translates to an average 126 grams of protein for men and 109 for women. The previous guidelines recommended between 13 and 56 grams of protein per day, depending on age and gender.
The guidelines could feed into the booming interest in protein consumption in the U.S. Despite eating more protein than many other countries—especially meat—most Americans say they want to increase the amount of protein in their diets. Major food chains are heeding the call.
Since taking office, RFK Jr. has vocally backed high-protein foods as an essential part of dietary health.
