RFK Jr. on new nutrition guidelines: "What we're stressing is that people should be eating protein"

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CBS News on Wednesday that one key goal of the Trump administration's new dietary guidelines is to encourage protein consumption, defending the new food pyramid against criticism that it could lead to more saturated fat consumption.

"What we're stressing is that people should be eating protein," Kennedy told CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes.

Trump administration officials unveiled the dietary guidelines on Wednesday. The guidance encourages Americans to steer clear of ultra-processed foods and added sugars and to prioritize protein, dairy, fruit, vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains. It lists red meat as one source of protein, and says meat can be flavored with "salt, spices, and herbs."

Earlier Wednesday, Kennedy argued protein and healthy fats were "wrongly discouraged in prior dietary guidelines," saying: "We are ending the war on saturated fats."

The American Heart Association lauded the new guidelines for discouraging processed foods and encouraging whole grains, fruits and vegetables. It also called protein "an essential component of a healthy diet."

But the group said it's concerned the mentions of red meat and salt "could inadvertently lead consumers to exceed recommended limits for sodium and saturated fats, which are primary drivers of cardiovascular disease." 

The American Heart Association has long said that excessive saturated fat consumption can raise people's LDL cholesterol levels, leading to a higher risk of heart disease. The group emphasized Wednesday that it believes people should try to get protein from lean meats and seafood, and to limit their red meat consumption.

Asked about that criticism, Kennedy insisted to Cordes that "there is no good evidence that saturated fats drive cardiac disease," calling it "dogma" based on an older study.

He noted that the guidelines still advise people to keep saturated fat at 10% of their daily caloric intake, which he called "pretty low." The 10% recommended limit also appears in the government's prior nutrition guidelines.

"A lot of people thought it should be much, much higher," Kennedy added.