What the New Dietary Guidelines Get Right (and Wrong) About Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. — yet a large portion of that risk is within our control, including what we eat.  

With the release of the new 2026 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), there’s been renewed conversation about what “heart-healthy eating” should look like. While very few Americans actually follow DGAs, they still shape school meals, federal nutrition programs, and food policy nationwide, and they give us a helpful reference point for conversations around healthy eating.

The new DGAs emphasize “real food” and reduce reliance on highly processed products, a welcome framing that isn’t new but is spotlighted more clearly and explicitly than before. That said, the impact of any guideline depends on how well it aligns with real-world evidence.  

Here, we focus on three nutrients with some of the strongest and most consistent links to heart health: fiber, saturated fat, and omega-3 fats. And take a closer look at how well the new DGAs reflect what the best science actually shows. 

Fiber: The Heart Helper That's Still Underemphasized 

Fiber is one of the most reliable “heart helpers” in nutrition. So, it's confusing that in the new DGAs, whole grains sit at the bottom of the pyramid, which might read like they should make up a smaller portion of the diet. That framing is worth unpacking, because whole grains are a major fiber source, accounting for around 40% of fiber intake among those who meet their fiber recommendations.  

However, when you look beyond the pyramid, the numbers are the same as before: about 2–4 ounce-equivalents per day (similar to the prior DGAs of 3 ounces). This range should not be interpreted as a minimum, considering the heart health benefits of whole grains extend well beyond these baseline targets. However, the bigger change is the tone: the new DGAs recommend all grains be whole, whereas older DGAs said “make ≥50% of grains whole.” 

That older “half-and-half” approach partly reflected reality — cost and access. Fortified refined grains were helping prevent nutrient deficiencies, and most (roughly 85%) grain intake in the U.S. is still refined, so “half whole” was a more practical first step than a hard pivot overnight. However, for heart health, the evidence strongly supports whole grains, not refined grains, so the updated emphasis makes sense.  

As another important fiber source, fruits and vegetables are still front and center in the DGAs. The problem is in execution, with only around 10% of Americans meeting fruit and vegetable recommendations, making this one of the biggest missed opportunities for fiber and heart health.

Bottom line: Build most of your meals from whole-food sources, like vegetables, beans and lentils, whole grains, and fruit, and you’ll be in a much better place for heart health.

Saturated Fat: Where Nuance Matters Most 

Saturated fat is another nutrient where nuance matters. The new DGAs still recommend keeping saturated fat below 10% of total calories, which is unchanged from the prior MyPlate DGAs. At the same time, they now list full-fat dairy and red meat as protein options, and even butter and beef tallow within their “healthy fats” category. That fits their broader “real food” message, but it deserves a closer look if heart health is your goal.  

Processed meats carry the most risk, but an excess of unprocessed fatty meats and high-fat dairy may still raise your risk for heart disease when saturated fat creeps above 10% — especially if you have high cholesterol.  

For optimal heart health, aim to prioritize plant oils (like olive and avocado oil), along with seafood, poultry, and plant proteins, while clearly limiting fatty processed foods first and foremost, and then being more mindful of portions and frequency of higher-fat unprocessed animal foods. 

Omega-3 Fats: A Missed Opportunity 

Rounding out the trio are omega-3 fats, especially the marine forms of EPA and DHA. These fats support heart health in several ways, including lowering triglycerides, supporting blood vessel function, and reducing the risk of serious cardiac events.  

Previous MyPlate DGAs were clear about this, explicitly recommending seafood at least twice per week to help meet EPA and DHA needs. The new DGAs still include fish as a protein option, but they no longer spell out how much to eat or why EPA and DHA matter. That’s a missed opportunity, given the consistent evidence that supports the Canyon Ranch recommendation to aim for at least two servings of seafood per week for heart health.  

Of note, whole seafood appears to confer greater benefit than omega-3 supplements, likely because fish comes packaged with other heart-supportive nutrients. If you don’t eat seafood, a fish oil or algae-based supplement may be worth discussing with your physician or dietitian. 

The Bigger Picture 

Together, fiber, saturated fat, and omega-3 fats help explain a simple pattern we see again and again: diets built around plants, seafood, and minimally processed foods are best for the heart.

The new DGAs get a lot of the big picture right, particularly their repeated and emphatic emphasis on whole foods and reduced ultra-processing. Where they fall short is clearly prioritizing the nutrients with the strongest and most consistent links to heart health.  

At Canyon Ranch, we continue to ground our advice in science: prioritizing fiber-rich plants, keeping saturated fat in check, and including seafood regularly.

How Canyon Ranch Can Help 

At Canyon Ranch, our nutrition services connect you with licensed nutritionists and dietitians. They specialize in heart health, metabolic wellness, and sustainable eating patterns. Through one-on-one personalized nutrition consultations, you can address specific concerns like high cholesterol, blood pressure management, or weight loss, while learning practical strategies to build a heart-healthy plate that fits your lifestyle.