Taiwan association questions U.S. guidelines on red meat, whole milk

Taipei, Jan. 9 (CNA) A Taiwan-based dietitian association on Friday expressed reservations about recent U.S. dietary guidelines recommending red meat and whole dairy, noting that local guidance already emphasizes adequate protein while cautioning against excessive consumption of red meat.

Huang Tsui-hua (黃翠華), vice chairman of the Taiwan Dietitian Association, told CNA that the guidelines are designed for Americans and revised every five years, adding that the recommendations reflect U.S. conditions, and whether Taiwan should follow them depends on local dietary habits and national circumstances.

The response came after the U.S. recently released its 2025-2030 dietary guidelines, which reorganized food groups in a new inverted pyramid, placing meat, dairy, and healthy fats alongside fruit and vegetables at the top. The guidelines also advised Americans to limit highly processed foods and added sugar.

Among the changes, the recommended daily protein intake was raised from about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to 1.2-1.6 grams. Huang explained that the previous 0.8-gram recommendation was based on a low-protein diet for people with kidney problems, and said the updated range is more practical and better for the general population.

Huang noted that Taiwan's dietary guide from the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) already recommends consuming about one palm-sized portion of protein per meal. It prioritizes sources in the following order: legumes, fish and seafood, eggs, and poultry or red meat, and advises avoiding processed meats.

She also agreed with the U.S. guidelines on limiting highly processed foods, noting that studies have linked them to chronic inflammation, which is associated with many diseases. She called this part of the updated guidelines commendable.

Regarding red meat and full-fat dairy -- foods that many nutritionists have previously advised limiting -- Huang said the guidelines contain a contradiction.

Despite mentioning that red meat intake should not be restricted, she said they still maintain that no more than 10 percent of daily calories should come from saturated fat.

Both foods are high in saturated fat, and overconsumption can pose health risks, she added. Citing numerous studies, Huang noted that excessive red meat has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, noting that she does not fully agree with the guidelines' stance.

On full-fat dairy, Huang said the key is ensuring adequate calcium intake, cautioning that excessive animal protein, as is common in the U.S., can make the blood more acidic, causing calcium to leach from bones and potentially weaken them over time.

Separately on Friday, Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said the HPA is currently updating its daily dietary guidelines, which are expected to be released in the second quarter of this year.

On whether Taiwan will follow the U.S. guidelines, Shih said at an event that health guidance must "keep pace with the times" as nutritional science advances, without giving a direct answer.