Dairy foods were prominently recognized in the newly released 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which encourages consumption of “real food” with eating patterns built around protein, dairy, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats and whole grains, alongside a reduction in highly processed foods.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services continue to emphasize dairy’s role in healthy eating patterns, pointing to nutrients many Americans struggle to get enough of, including calcium, vitamin D, potassium and high-quality protein. In addition, the Dietary Guidelines:
Highlight Flexibility in Dairy Fat Choices: The Dietary Guidelines acknowledge full-fat dairy as a source of healthy fats and an appropriate choice within healthy eating patterns. At the same time, guidelines reaffirm that saturated fat intake should generally remain below 10% of total daily calories. Offering a range of fat levels gives consumers the flexibility to choose dairy foods that fit their personal preferences, culture and lifestyle needs.
Give Attention to Added Sugars: The Dietary Guidelines recommend no added sugars in the diet between ages 0 and 10 and emphasize that meals should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars. These recommendations may influence how flavored milk is consumed in certain settings. However, evidence shows that dairy foods with minimal added sugar can be included in healthy eating patterns, increase nutrient intake and contribute positively to health outcomes, especially among children. In addition, added sugars in dairy foods do not reduce overall nutrient density or counteract health benefits of the products.
Emphasize ‘Real’ Foods: The Dietary Guidelines embrace a whole-food philosophy and discourage consumption of highly processed foods. That said, processing is not inherently bad. In fact, many processed foods are nutrient dense and have beneficial health impacts. For dairy, pasteurization ensures safety and quality, while fermentation used for yogurt, cheese and kefir adds live cultures that support gut health and strengthen the microbiome. Processing can also improve nutritional profiles by reducing added sugars, sodium or saturated fat, and by fortifying key nutrients.
At Dairy Council of California, our focus is on elevating the health of children and communities by promoting lifelong healthy eating patterns that include milk and dairy foods, and we believe the new Dietary Guidelines are supportive of this cause by reaffirming dairy as a nutrient-dense whole food at all fat levels.
Learn more about dairy’s role in healthy eating patterns at DairyCouncilofCA.org.