Taiwan to publish new dietary guidelines in Q2 2026: Minister

Taipei, Jan. 11 (CNA) Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration (HPA) will issue new daily dietary guidelines in the second quarter of this year, its first such update since 2018, according to Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良).

A draft of the new guidelines was completed late last year, but given the need to review newly released U.S. dietary recommendations, as well as the Lunar New Year holiday, they will likely be released sometime in the second quarter, Shih said at a promotional event on Friday.

The new U.S. dietary guidelines, organized in an inverted pyramid, call on Americans to eat more protein and whole foods, while reducing their intake of highly processed foods and added sugars.

A Taiwan-based dietitian association told CNA it agreed with some of the changes in the U.S. document, but questioned the recommendations on red meat and whole-fat dairy, citing their high saturated fat content and excessive red meat's link to an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

As for the changes that can be expected in Taiwan's updated guidelines, Shih said that eggs would be promoted more than in the past, given the growing body of research showing they are an excellent source of nutrition.

Also, while earlier guidelines only recommended skim or low-fat milk, the updated guidelines recognize that whole milk contains important nutrients, as long as it is consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, Shih said.

What do Taiwan's current daily dietary guidelines say?

Taiwan's 2018 dietary guidelines define six main food groups, and offer varying nutritional recommendations based on a person's gender, age, height and weight.

In general, they encourage adults to eat one and a half to four bowls of whole grains or starchy vegetables, three to five servings of vegetables, and two to four servings of fruit per day.

The guidelines also recommend consuming 1.5-2 240-milliliter cups of milk (or other dairy), 3-8 servings of protein foods and one serving of nuts or seeds.

Regarding protein foods, the HPA recommended prioritizing beans, fish, eggs and meats in that order, so as to limit saturated fat intake.

The HPA illustrated the guidelines using the "MyPlate" concept, which suggested eating a fist-sized portion of fruit, slightly larger portions of vegetables and starchy foods, a palm-sized portion of protein, and one teaspoon of nuts or seeds at every meal, along with two glasses of milk per day.