Yesterday, the FDA and USDA released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, and they represent a meaningful shift in how healthy eating is framed in the U.S.
Instead of prescribing specific diets, the new DGA introduces a simplified, flexible food pyramid designed to “guide better choices, not dictate exact meals.” The core message is refreshingly clear: eat real food most of the time.
At the foundation of this new upside-down pyramid are fruits and vegetables—along with healthy fats, protein, and dairy. That structure aligns naturally with the Mediterranean diet and other evidence-based eating patterns. But here’s what truly stands out:
A cruet of extra virgin olive oil sits at the center of the pyramid—something entirely absent from prior DGAs. Even more significant, the Scientific Foundation for the DGA explicitly advises: “When cooking with or adding fats to meals, prioritize oils with essential fatty acids, such as olive oil.”
This marks a clear pivot toward a Food Is Medicine approach. While olive oil has long been the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, the new DGA recognizes healthy fats like olive oil as foundational across all healthy eating patterns. In fact, for those with higher calorie needs, the DGA allows up to 8 teaspoons of healthy fats like olive oil per day.
All of this raises an interesting question: Should olive oil be the symbol—the “poster child”—of the Food Is Medicine movement?
In a recent NAOOA blog post, “If Food Is Medicine, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Is the First Prescription,” Jessica Cording makes a persuasive case. A subsequent LinkedIn poll of 26 nutritionists, dietitians, physicians, epidemiologists, food policy experts, and researchers backed it up: extra virgin olive oil received more than three times as many votes as apples, avocados, or oranges.
👉 Do you agree? 👉 Is extra virgin olive oil the most powerful Food Is Medicine ingredient we have? 👉 How do you see the new DGA shaping nutrition guidance moving forward?
Join the conversation—and if you haven’t yet, check out the poll and weigh in.
