The New Food Pyramid & the Mediterranean Diet: A Return to Real Food
By Nancy A. Palermo, MD The newly released 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines represent one of the most meaningful shifts in federal nutrition policy we’ve seen in decades. For the first time in a long while, national guidance is beginning to align with what science and common sense have been telling us all along: real, whole foods support health, while highly processed foods drive disease. From a Functional Medicine perspective, this change is long overdue. The updated guidelines are illustrated using an upside-down food pyramid, emphasizing whole, nutrient-dense foods at the foundation, particularly protein, healthy fats, and lower-glycemic carbohydrates. While the recommendations are not perfect, they signal an important shift toward prevention, metabolic health, and longevity. At its core, this new pyramid closely mirrors the principles of the Mediterranean diet, one...
