{"id":27718,"date":"2026-03-23T10:36:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T08:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carnisostenibili.it\/?p=27718"},"modified":"2026-03-25T14:26:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T12:26:57","slug":"the-inverted-food-pyramid-reflections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnisostenibili.it\/en\/the-inverted-food-pyramid-reflections\/","title":{"rendered":"The Inverted Food Pyramid: Reflections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We present the reflections of Professor Giuseppe Pulina, president of Carni Sostenibili, on the recent US government nutritional guidelines. The Mediterranean Diet is also a winner in America.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After an initial analysis of the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025\u20132030<\/strong><\/a>” (USDA\/HHS<\/strong>), of the “Scientific Foundation” document and of the related technical “Appendices”, in light of the relevant scientific literature<\/strong> and the contributions already prepared by our association, we propose these notes (download the complete document in Italian here<\/strong><\/a>) for further study and evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary, the message emerging from the new American Guidelines is surprisingly simple: Americans are advised to eat more or less as we have always done in the Mediterranean<\/strong>. Not a “new” diet, but a return to a dietary model based on real foods, defined portions, balance, and moderation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


The problem is not meat, but ultra-processed products<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The document stems from the recognition of a failure<\/strong>. After decades of recommendations focused on reducing single nutrients and the demonisation of certain foods, the United States finds itself immersed in an unprecedented metabolic crisis<\/strong>. The new guidelines recognise that the problem is not meat or animal fats, but a food system dominated by ultra-processed products<\/strong>, sugars, and refined carbohydrates<\/strong>, which today provide the majority of calories consumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The way scientific evidence is interpreted is also changing. The guidelines more rigorously distinguish between experimental evidence and simple statistical associations<\/strong> and scale back the claim of a strong, proven causal link between meat consumption, especially processed meat, and an increased risk of chronic disease. The same applies to saturated fats<\/strong>, whose impact depends on the dietary context and actual substitutions, not on the nutrient in isolation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


The problem is not what you eat, but how you eat it<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When examining the recommended amounts<\/strong>, the picture becomes clearer. The suggested portions of meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products, when translated into actual consumption, are very close to those typical of Mediterranean populations<\/strong>: regular but not excessive consumption, integrated into a varied and structured diet based on fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In essence, the new US guidelines don’t propose a nutritional revolution, but rather a belated alignment with a model that<\/strong> has always existed in the Mediterranean. A diet in which the problem isn’t excessive meat or traditional foods, but the replacement of real foods with hyper-processed, industrial products<\/strong>, rich in calories and additives, yet low in nutritional value.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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