Several readers have written to ask for links to media appearances related to What to Eat Now.  

I’ve been trying to keep a list.  Here’s what I have so far.  Enjoy and thanks for asking!

• Nov 12: Nutrition Action, Bonnie Liebman
• Nov 11:  NPR’s Fresh Air, Tonya Mosley (audio). Transcript.
• Nov 11:  Amanpour & Co (video). Excerpt.
• Nov 11:  Consumed, Elizabeth Dunn
• Nov 10: A1, Alison Brody (audio).
• Nov 10: Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, Meghan Rabbitt
• Nov 5:  Washington Post, Anahad O’Connor 
• Sep 18: Science Magazine

From earlier this year

• May 2: New Yorker Radio Hour (audio), Dhruv Khullar
• Apr 7:  New York Times profile, Elizabeth Dunn

As I noted last May, I get asked all the time about what they will say, but have no inside information.  But this may be a good time to go over the clues.

The process

• A scientific advisory committee reviews the research and writes a report.  This was released in December.
• Unspecified (to date) people in USDA and HHS write the guidelines.

The promises

• They will come out “hopefully early fall” (this did not happen)
• Now, according to Reuters, the new dietary guidelines will be released some time in December.

What they won’t say

• They will not continue the tradition of “leftist ideology”  [I think this must mean plant foods]
• They will not promote seed oils (RFK Jr prefers beef tallow).
• They will not promote sugar; RFK Jr says sugar is poison.  [But declared a MAHA Win for Coca’ Cola’s replacement of high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar]
• They won’t say anything about sustainability [anything about climate change is forbidden]

What they will be about

[According to Reuters] Kennedy said the new guidelines would change the kind of food served to military service members and children in schools, but gave no details on the new recommendations.

“If we want to solve the chronic disease crisis, we have to tackle obesity,” Kennedy said. “Obesity is the number one driver of chronic disease,” he said, adding that 50% of the adult U.S. population was obese or overweight, driving costs up for diabetes care and cardiac diseases.

What they might say

Beef

• In its Plan to Fortify the Beef Industry, the USDA says the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines will “encourage protein as the foundation for every meal.”
• In an announcement to ranchers, USDA quotes RFK Jr, “we are restoring whole foods as the foundation of the American diet and ending the decades-old stigma against natural saturated fat in beef and dairy products. We will strengthen America’s ranching industry so families can choose nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods.”

Dairy

In a news conference, officials gave some clues.

We are going to be there for the dairy industry…our agencies are about to release more dietary guidelines in the next several months that will elevate those products to where they ought to be…There’s a tremendous amount of emerging science that talks about the need for more protein in our diet, and more fats in our diet, and there’s no industry that does that better than this industry.

Speculation

When RFK Jr first talked about the new guidelines, he said they would ignore the scientific advisory committee report and would be simple, short (5 pages), easy to understand, and out by September.  I’m guessing that the conflict between the science and ideology is proving more difficult to resolve than anticipated.

The science continues to argue for a largely (but not necessarily exclusively) plant-based diet, reduced in meat and ultra-processed foods from current levels.  RFK Jr initially talked about the need to reduce intake of ultra-processed foods, but the second MAHA report merely asked for a definition.

This administration seems obsessed with protein, a nutrient already in excess in US diets.

If it wants to do something about obesity, it needs the guidelines to suggest ways to reduce calories.  Nobody has mentioned that word so far.

As I keep saying, I can’t wait to see what the new guidelines will look like.  Stay tuned.

I first learned about this from food safety lawyer Bill Marler: Botulism Alert: ByHeart—brand powdered infant formula linked to 13 illnesses in 10 states.

All 13 cases included in this outbreak are reported to have consumed ByHeart-brand powdered infant formula. Officials in several states have collected leftover infant formula for testing. This testing is underway, and results are not yet available. [Note: Cases are now up to 15].

The FDA announced the out-of-caution recall.

Infant botulism is a rare but potentially fatal illness that presents a serious threat to the health of infants which occurs when Clostridium botulinum spores are ingested and colonize the intestinal tract, producing botulinum neurotoxins in the immature gut of infants. Affected infants can present with some or all of the following signs and symptoms: constipation, poor feeding, ptosis (drooping eyelid), sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered cry, generalized weakness, respiratory difficulty, and possibly respiratory arrest.

• The FDA has an ongoing investigation of infant botulism among babies in the U.S.
• The FDA has not identified a direct link between any infant formula and these cases and there is no historical precedent of infant formula causing infant botulism.
• ByHeart is taking the proactive step to remove any potential risk from the market and ensure the highest level of safety for infants.

But then: Breaking News: Tested sample of ByHeart powdered infant formula linked to illnesses – preliminary tests are positive for Botulism 

CDPH [California Department of Public Health] has tested a can of powdered infant formula that was fed to an infant with infant botulism. Preliminary results suggest the presence of the bacteria that produce botulinum toxin, consistent with the same toxin reported in the confirmed infant cases.

On its website, ByHeart has “an update for our ByHeart Family.”

Today, we were made aware by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that a single, previously-opened sample from one of the two recalled batches of ByHeart formula tested positive for Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes infant botulism. We are treating the CDPH’s test result very seriously.

However, testing from a previously-opened can lacks scientific basis to establish causation between the product and illness. We know that Clostridium botulinum is a bacteria that exists naturally in the environment—in places like soil, dust, and even vegetables—meaning that an opened can can be contaminated in multiple ways.

Currently global regulatory and scientific authorities do not recommend testing powder infant formula for Clostridium botulinum, and no U.S. or global infant formula company tests for Clostridium botulinum.

I looked up ByHeart Formula.  It claims to be a healthier alternative to commercial infant formulas:

• Closest-to-breast-milk patented protein blend (alpha-lac, lactoferrin, partially hydrolyzed proteins)
• Made with organic whole milk (not skim)
• Clinically proven benefits (easy digestion, less spitup, softer poops, more efficient weight gain, supports brain & eye development, immune health and gut health).

Clinically proven?  By Heart has a clinical trial to prove it, in which infants were fed By Heart or a commercial formula.

Conclusions: “The SF [study formula] resulted in improved parent-reported gastrointestinal tolerance and more efficient growth with less daily formula and protein intake supporting that this novel formula may potentially reduce the metabolic burden of protein overfeeding associated with infant formula.”

Sources of Funding: “This trial was funded by ByHeart, Inc. No funding was received from National Institutes of Health (NIH), Wellcome Trust, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, or other sources.”

Conflicts of interest: At least five of the authors report honoria for serving on the By Heart Scientfic Advisory Board.

OK, so this is a standard industry-funded study with results interpreted as favoring the sponsor’s interests.

But take a look at the accompanying editorial.  Its authors note that the effects of the By Heart formula are “almost identical” to those of the comparison commercial formula.

“There were no consistent differences in any of the growth parameters measured….no data are presented supporting that this formula achieves outcomes closer to the breastfed reference than did the control formula.”

By law, the contents of infant formula are tightly regulated; formula-fed infants are entirely dependent on formula for their survival.

That’s why this situation is such a tragedy.

Let’s hope ByHeart can figure out a way to make sure this never happens again.

Resources: Bill Marler’s additional links

• FDA Dashboard – ByHeart – you have some issues
• ByHeart Cronobacter Recall 2022 and FDA Warning Letter 2023 predates Botulism Outbreak 2025 
• What is BabyBIG? Treatment of choice for Infant Botulism 
• What you need to know about Botulism during an Outbreak

Today marks the official publication of my new book, What to Eat Now!  All 703 pages of it!

Here’s the press release.

Order it—ISBN 9780374608699—from Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Books-a-Million   Bookshop   Powells   Target

It’s a thoroughly revised version of What to Eat, published in 2006.

A lot has changed, much more than I imagined when I set out to do this.  I thought it would be a six-month project, but it’s now four years later.

The big changes?  Ultra-processed, plant-based, and cannabis, for starters.  But there’s much, much more.

This is a book about how to think about food issues.  Come with me on a trek through supermarkets to see what today’s food marketing looks like, and its effects on our health and that of the environment.

I’m collecting information and reviews on this page.

Come to the event at NYU:

The Culinary Historians of New York and the NYU Department of Nutrition and Food Studies invite you to the semi-official launch of the book: The Politics of Your Plate: A Conversation with Dr. Marion Nestle, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., NYU Bobst Library, 70 Washington Square South, Richard A. Chase North Reading Room, 2nd Floor.  Register here.

Enjoy!!!

In case it’s not obvious, I view studies claiming major health benefits from eating one food—mangoes in this case—to be about marketing, not science.  We don’t eat just one food; we eat diets of enormous complexity.  This makes such studies inherently ridiculous.  And I’m not the only one who thinks so.  Some examples:

I.  Insulin sensitivity

This one comes from Obesity and Energetics Offerings’ occasional series on “Headline vs Study”

Headline: Daily Mango Consumption May Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight or Obese Adults.

Study: RCT [randomized control trial] of Mango or Control Product: Markers of Inflammation [Joint Primary Outcomes] Were Not Different at the End of 4 Weeks. [Oops]

Here’s the press release from the National Mango Board: New Study: Eating Mangos Daily Shown to Improve Insulin Sensitivity and Blood Glucose Control.  It notes: “This study was supported through an unrestricted grant from the National Mango Board (NMB). NMB had no influence over the study or its findings.”

II.  Cholesterol and blood pressure

Here’s the blurb for this one: Journal of the American Nutrition Association Mango intake linked to short-term cholesterol, blood pressure benefits A two-week trial in postmenopausal women found that daily mango consumption lowered blood pressure and fasting cholesterol, though it did not affect microvascular function or inflammation markers. Read More

Conclusions: Further research using amounts of mango typically consumed, over an extended period of time, are warranted [well, at least this is an honest assessment].

Funding: This study was supported by a research grant from the National Mango Board. The sponsor had no role in the design or conduct of the study, the data analysis, interpretation of the results, or the decision to publish.

III.  Diabetes prevention

Basiri R, Dawkins K, Singar S, Ormsbee LT, Akhavan NS, Hickner RC, Arjmandi BH. Daily Mango Intake Improves Glycemic and Body Composition Outcomes in Adults with Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Study. Foods. 2025; 14(17):2971. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14172971 

Conclusion: The daily consumption of mango for 24 weeks improved the glycemic control, insulin sensitivity, and body composition in adults with prediabetes, which supports the potential of mango as a practical dietary intervention for metabolic health.

Funding: The National Mango Board provided funding for this study.

From ConscienHealth: Magical Mango Thinking About Preventing Diabetes

Diabetes Prevention?

But the real problem with claiming a benefit for diabetes prevention is that this study did not study the onset of diabetes.

So do mangoes prevent diabetes? Not likely. Not all by themselves.

Are they a better snack than sugary granola bars? Probably so.

From Medical News Today: Is it OK to eat mango if you’re at risk for diabetes? Experts weigh in

• In a recent study, mangoes more effectively improved prediabetes risk factors in a new study than low-sugar granola bars.
• The key to mangoes’ better results likely lies in their being a whole food with natural fiber, vitamins, and nutrients.
• However, experts agree that the best way to avoid type 2 diabetes is to eat a balanced, healthy diet and be physically active, rather than to depend on a single ‘superfood’ to prevent the condition.

Comment

Enough said.  I love mangoes (although I have to be careful about their skin and pits).  Their deliciousness is reason enough to eat them.  I suppose the Mango Board has to justify its existence….

I just got my first copy!  My new book, What to Eat Now!  All 703 pages of it!

The official publication date is November 11, but it can be pre-ordered.  ISBN 9780374608699. Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Books-a-Million   Bookshop   Powells   Target   It comes hardbound and in Kindle and Audible editions.

Enjoy!

Early press coverage

• Washington Post interview with Anahad O’Connor
• NBC4 Washington
• Kirkus Review (starred review)

I wish USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins would use less inflammatory language in making her announcements.  They sound right out of George Orwell’s 1984—or the 1950s McCarthy era—and do not speak well for American democracy.

Let’s start with the banner at the top of USDA websites.  If nothing else, it violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from partisan public statements.

Next, take a look at ICYMI: Secretary Rollins Pens Newsweek Op-Ed “Theatrics Don’t Feed the Hungry” [my emphasis]

What began as a program for the neediest Americans, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps, has exploded to serve one in every eight Americans. The food stamp rolls have not only skyrocketed due to eligibility loopholes and regulatory boondoggles—each allowing for millions of work-capable adults with school age children to participate—but a program that has recently become a “leverage” point for Democrats in their self-inflicted government shutdown…So, the truth has revealed itself. Democrats’ support for programs like SNAP is now reduced to cynical control over people’s lives.

Instead of focusing on reopening the government and keeping programs like SNAP and WIC functioning…Senate Democrats are holding firm on propping up failed government programs with billions in health care subsidies that benefit corporations over people. Not to mention exposing their far left agenda items: illegal aliens, open borders, gender mutilation and more…It is unconscionable.

I agree on “unconscionable.”

On Monday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins’ filed this comment on X:

@POTUS is doing everything he can to help our most vulnerable mothers and babies while Radical Left Democrats continue to obstruct.

Name-calling does not help.

Red-baiting does not help.

Civility might.

I’ve been trying to keep track of what’s happening with SNAP, but it hasn’t been easy.

Fortunately, Jerry Hagstrom’s Hagstrom’s Report “Ag News As It Happens” does the heavy lifting.

But first, a brief recap.

The current government shutdown is about SNAP benefits.  Republicans want to cut benefits; Democrats don’t.

The Trump administration said it could not use emergency funds to pay SNAP benefits during the shutdown, because Congress has not appropriated money for SNAP for fiscal year 2026.

Friday, October 31

Two federal judges disagreed.  They said USDA should issue at least partial benefits through November.

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts v U.S. Department of Agriculture: Memorandum and Order
•  Speaker Johnson and Secretary Rollins Remarks on Day 31 of Government Shutdown (video)
• The New York Times : Government Ordered to Pay Food Stamp Benefits During Shutdown

Also, President Trump said he wanted SNAP benefits paid.

Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do. I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.

In the meantime, the USDA issued a sharp edict to retailers: Do not give any special discounts to SNAP recipients.

Saturday, November 1

Leah Douglas writes in Reuters:  As US federal food aid lapses, most states unable to fill the void

Just five states, Delaware, New Mexico, Louisiana, Virginia and Vermont, and the District of Columbia have said they will pay for some or all of the November food aid, according to a Reuters review of state websites and public statements. The rest have said they will not pay for the benefits due to technical or cost barriers, or provided no explanation.

The USDA said in an October 24 memo that it will not reimburse states if they cover the cost of benefits.

• CNN: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent won’t say whether Trump will use emergency funds to restore SNAP benefits
• NBC News: Trump administration faces Monday deadline to respond to judge’s SNAP order
• Associated Press: SNAP benefits cut off during shutdown, driving long lines at food pantries
• Politico: Trump admin will partially fund November SNAP benefits

Tuesday, November 4

Here is President Trump on Truth Social:

SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Biden’s disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly “handed” to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before! Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Yes, SNAP benefits increased—during the pandemic.  No, they were not haphazardly “handed” out for the asking.

If Trump will not provide benefits during the shutdown, let’s hope the courts intervene.

Tomorrow: the McCarthy-era rhetoric