Florida Beef Council Welcomes New Dietary Guidelines Emphasizing Protein and Whole Foods
The Florida Beef Council is welcoming the release of the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which place a strong emphasis on whole foods and high-quality protein. As conversations around nutrition and healthy lifestyles continue to grow, beef is once again being recognized as an important part of a balanced diet.
DM Maples with the Florida Beef Council said the updated guidelines align closely with what nutrition experts and beef producers have long supported. “One of the big conversations happening right now is around the updates to the dietary guidelines for Americans and what we’re seeing is a strong emphasis on whole foods and high quality protein and we know that protein plays an important role in maintaining muscle and supporting metabolism and helping you feel satisfied after meals. Beef fits squarely into that conversation.”
Beef’s nutritional profile continues to stand out, particularly as consumers look for foods that deliver both quality and value. “It’s nutrient dense, it’s a whole food that provides protein along with so many other key vitamins and minerals,” Maples said.
The timing of the new dietary guidelines also coincides with the start of the year, when many people are focused on health-related goals. “This time of year of course it’s playing right into a lot of the new year’s resolutions so the dietary guidelines is update how do you make that work,” Maples said. He encouraged consumers to take advantage of online resources, adding, “I would say to your listeners you know search up recipes on the Beef It’s What’s Dinner page or the floridabeef.org.”
The Florida Beef Council offers a wide variety of tools to help make incorporating beef into meals simple and convenient. “We’ve got a really robust recipe database that makes it so easy to bring beef to the table more often with every meal,” Maples said. “You can search our database by things like five ingredients or less or maybe the type of cuisine you’re craving.”
Options range from Italian and Korean-inspired dishes to meals built around specific cuts of beef. “Of course also for those feeding a family there’s so many weeknight friendly options that are realistic for busy schedules,” he added.
Ultimately, Maples said beef can support a wide range of health goals. “So whether your goal this year is to eat better or maybe it’s cook more at home or just feel stronger, have better energy, beef really can be part of the solution and the dietary guidelines are agreeing with us and telling us just that.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.