New guidelines for healthy eating say Americans should eat more whole foods and protein, fewer highly processed foods and less added sugar. Federal health officials released the 2025-30 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans on Wednesday. The guidelines are required by law to be updated every five years. They offer advice for healthy eating and provide the foundation for federal nutrition programs and policies. The guidance offers new advice to avoid prepared or packaged highly processed foods, to limit saturated fats and added sugars and to eat more protein. Research shows most Americans don't follow the dietary guidance.
A new study finds that climate change is increasing sugar consumption in the United States. As temperatures rise, Americans, especially those who are poorer and less educated, are drinking more sugary beverages. That results in more than 100 million pounds of added sugar consumed annually compared to preindustrial times. The study, published in Nature Climate Change, shows that sugar intake increases with temperatures between 54 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers analyzed weather and purchase records from 2004 to 2019. They found that low-income families and people working outdoors consume more sugary drinks. This trend could worsen health inequalities as the climate continues to warm.
Coca-Cola said Tuesday it will add a cane-sugar version of its trademark cola to its U.S. lineup this fall, confirming a recent announcement by President Donald Trump. Trump said in a social media post last week that Coca-Cola had agreed to use real cane sugar in its flagship product in the U.S., which has been sweetened with high fructose corn syrup since the 1980s. Coke confirmed the new product Tuesday when it announced its second-quarter financial results. Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected earnings as higher prices overcame weaker sales volumes. Case volumes fell 1% globally and 1% in North America, but Coke said pricing was up 6% for the April-June period.
The debate over whether Coca-Cola should use high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar in its signature cola obscures an important fact: Consumers are increasingly looking for Coke with no sugar at all. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, which was introduced in 2017, uses both the artificial sweetener aspartame and the natural sweetener stevia in its recipe. It's one of Coca-Cola's fastest-growing products. The scrutiny over Coke's sweeteners began Wednesday, when President Donald Trump announced that the Atlanta company had agreed to switch to using cane sugar in the version of its trademark beverage made in the U.S. Coca-Cola didn't confirm the change, but it defended high fructose corn syrup in a social media post on Thursday.
Ultraprocessed foods make up the bulk of the U.S. food supply and most Americans don't go a day without eating some. The foods include sugary cereals, frozen dinners, soda, potato chips and ice cream. They've been linked to a host of negative health effects from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, depression, dementia and early death. But most research has found links, not proof, for those health consequences, making it difficult to target specific foods for reform or regulation. Food manufacturers argue that processing boosts food safety and supplies and offers a cheap, convenient way to provide a diverse and nutritious diet.
