Welcome in fascinating Sagers,
This episode on decoding the food pyramid is VERY long! I did not want to cut it into 3 parts. Consider it a special edition. 🌱
This week on Label to Table, my cohost Danni Macfarland and I dug into the newly released 2026 food pyramid and what it really means beyond the headlines. We talked about why this update feels different, how it could reshape not just personal eating habits but government funded food programs, and where we still see gaps and contradictions. The conversation took an unexpected and timely turn when decided to get spontanious and invited Kristi Keller 🇨🇦 to join us live to share her experience with chronic migraines and menopause, opening the door to a deeper discussion about glucose regulation, gut health, and real world application. What followed was an honest, practical, and unscripted decode of where nutrition guidance may finally be catching up with what many of us have been teaching for years.
I also wanted to say a big thank you to those of you who joined us live;
Corie Feiner Cliff Bellweather Kristi Keller 🇨🇦 Betty Boldbrew Mollie Lyon A Second Cup Corey Sweet Richard Hogan, MD, PhD(2), DBA Lana Jean Telles Brandon Ellrich Amy Jay Gayle Beavil, MA, BEd, CAPP 🇨🇦 Nolan Bechtold Nance Jacobs Being Human (love that name) Kurtis GeorgeCarlinWasRight (funny) R.V. Hughes Zach K Robert Feivor @James Niko Henrichon
Also a big welcome to new subscribers Nadia Karen Matt Hill thank you for joining the community. If you are new here, welcome and I do hope you will join us as well.
Are you curious?
If you have a product or ingredient for us to decode? Leave a voicemail at (656) 222-0848 or message me in the show notes. We would love to hear from you.
Check out Danni McFarland’s publication Back to Basics Nutrition
Show Notes
2026 food pyramid guidelines
On this episode of Label to Table, I sat down with my cohost, Danni McFarland, and we unpacked the buzz around the new 2026 food pyramid and what it signals culturally, not just nutritionally. We framed it as a shift back toward basics, real food, fewer ultra processed staples, and more personalization, with the reminder that no guideline can do the work of self awareness and individual experimentation for you.
new dietary guidelines 2026 and government funded programs
Danni and I talked about how these guidelines ripple beyond personal choice because government funded systems often follow them, including school lunch programs, SNAP related food programs, and even military food provisioning. That is why the updated pyramid feels more consequential than a graphic on a website because it can change what gets purchased and served at scale.
protein recommendations 2026 food pyramid
One of our biggest takeaways was the increase in recommended protein, moving from the long standing 0.8 grams per kilogram to a higher target range we discussed as 1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram. We treated this as a meaningful correction, especially for muscle, metabolism, and resilience, and we also warned that food companies will try to capitalize on “protein everything” marketing.
full fat dairy guidelines
Another headline change we focused on was the return of full fat dairy as a recommendation, which felt like a long overdue move away from fat free products that often replace fat with fillers and texture additives. We tied this to satiety and real food simplicity, and I kept coming back to the bigger theme: swapping “diet” versions for whole versions often reduces ingredient chaos.
reduced carbohydrates food pyramid inversion
We also noted the pyramid’s “flip” and the reduction in carbohydrate servings from older guidance toward a lower range we discussed as 2 to 4 servings per day, along with specific callouts that de emphasize white bread, packaged breakfast foods, tortillas, crackers, cookies, and other refined staples. We talked about how this felt more like a return to traditional carbs, like sourdough and rice, rather than a broad endorsement of flour based foods.
saturated fat 10 percent limit and healthy fats
While the updated pyramid nodded to cooking fats like olive oil, butter, and tallow, we questioned the continued cap of 10% of calories from saturated fat because it can read like a mixed message when fat is also positioned as supportive for brain and hormone health. We emphasized context and quality, and we both acknowledged this may be a political compromise rather than a physiological ideal.
gut health microbiome fermented foods and fiber
The inclusion of gut health was a standout for both of us, with mention of the microbiome, fermented foods, and fiber as part of “getting healthy again.” I connected this to the larger truth I see every day: digestion is not a side note, it is the front door to how the whole system behaves.
grass fed grass finished beef and regenerative agriculture
I added an important nuance here because “meat” is not a single category in real life, and I want to see clearer emphasis on grass fed, grass finished, and humane, regenerative practices rather than feedlot systems. We talked about differences commonly associated with pasture raised beef, including fatty acid profiles and the reduced likelihood of routine antibiotics and growth hormones, and I called out greenwashing where animals are grass fed early but grain finished later.
processed foods big food marketing and ingredient transparency
Danni and I leaned into the idea that industry responds to demand, not compassion, and that consumers create change with their pocketbook. We described how brands often roll out parallel versions of the same product with trend friendly claims, and we warned that the next wave will likely be aggressive protein marketing that looks virtuous on the front while staying suspicious on the back label.
bioharmony glucose regulated meals and menopause nutrition
I tied the pyramid’s structure to what I am seeing as a larger 2026 wellness language shift, including terms like bioharmony and “glucose regulated meals,” which is essentially low glycemic eating with a new outfit on. I also connected higher protein, adequate fats, and vegetables to supporting women through menopausal transitions, including temperature regulation and mood stability, through better glucose control and microbiome support.
migraines and nutrition surprise guest Christy Keller
Mid episode, the conversation took an impromptu turn when our surprise guest, Christy Keller, joined live to talk about chronic migraines, (well, we encouraged her to come on) menopause related changes, medication side effects, and whether food could help when elimination diets had not. Danni and I talked through practical nutrition angles including increasing supportive fats (like coconut oil), reviewing hydration and electrolyte balance, checking nutritional status and tracking patterns with a food and symptom log to identify triggers or additive exposures. I really hope Kristi decides to journal for a couple of weeks and get to know how her food maybe triggering symptoms.
pyramid inversion implications and listener question
After Christy hopped off, we went right into a great listener question from Betty Boldbrew , who asked how concerned we are about the pyramid inversion and what the “flip” might mean. I shared that I’m about a 7 out of 10 in a positive direction, and Danni agreed, with the big caveat that I still want to see more emphasis on grass fed and finished, pasture raised, bring back the raanchers who never stopped doing this, and organic and higher quality sourcing in the actual guidance.
GLP 1 medications and weight loss drugs
From there, I talked about what I believe the real ripple effect could be if people genuinely follow this new structure, especially the lower carb and glucose focused approach. I said it could put pharmaceutical companies on edge because better glucose management can reduce the demand for GLP 1 weight loss drugs, and I clarified what I mean when I say GLP 1, which is the category that includes medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. I also think it will also think it will affect the anti anxiety and anti depressant medications as eating this way helps reduce nutritional deficiencies.
glucose management A1C and metabolic health
I also connected the pyramid shift to what many of us have been teaching for years: better glucose regulation tends to mean lower A1C, steadier energy, better hormone output, and clearer thinking. My point was that this isn’t just about shrinking a waistline, it’s about improving how the body runs and how the brain feels day to day.
clarity energy and awareness shift
Then I took it a step further and shared my belief that when symptoms calm down and the body isn’t stuck in survival or protection mode, people get more mentally clear and more aware, and they start wanting better for themselves. I said I think we may see a bigger awareness shift this year if people actually adopt these changes, because when you feel better, you think differently, and when you think differently, you make different choices.
We wrapped up by coming back to the heart of the show, reading labels, questioning the norm, and making small shifts that add up. A big thank you to Christy Keller for jumping on so spontaneously.
Label to Table with Danni & Karen is a weekly decode of ingredients. We read the fine print on what goes on your plate, your skin, and in your space, translate the science, and help you choose with confidence so you can sage with sass and grace. Join us every Wednesday
⏲9 am Pacific
⏲10 am Mountain
⏲11 am Central
⏲12 pm Eastern
Are you curious?
If you have a product or ingredient for us to decode? Leave a voicemail at (656) 222-0848 or message me in the show notes. We would love to hear from you.
Please remember, small shifts, big impact. You deserve to feel strong, vibrant, and capable, because you are. Stay well, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, and elegantly and unapologetically roar.
And most of all, Lady, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in everyday life.
We will see you next week,
Karen
