The HHS website cites the prevalence of unhealthy Americans under these guidelines as a reason for introducing the flipped pyramid. According to the website, the new guidelines focus on prioritizing protein, avoiding highly processed food and sugars and allowing healthy fats.

Stanley Wilfong, senior lecturer and program coordinator for nutrition sciences, debunked some common nutrition myths and advised students on how to discover a healthy, individualized diet. While many advertise themselves as “better than the Western diet,” Wilfong said, “that doesn’t mean it is necessarily good.”