Taipei: Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) will issue new daily dietary guidelines in the second quarter of this year, its first such update since 2018, according to Health Minister Shih Chung-liang.

According to Focus Taiwan, a draft of the new guidelines was completed late last year. However, due to the need to review newly released U.S. dietary recommendations and the Lunar New Year holiday, the guidelines are expected to be released in the second quarter. The new U.S. dietary guidelines, organized in an inverted pyramid, encourage Americans to consume more protein and whole foods while reducing their intake of highly processed foods and added sugars.

A Taiwan-based dietitian association expressed agreement with some aspects of the U.S. guidelines but raised concerns about the recommendations regarding red meat and whole-fat dairy. They cited concerns over the high saturated fat content and the association of excessive red meat consumption with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

Regarding anticipated changes in Taiwan’s updated guidelines, Shih mentioned that eggs will be more prominently promoted due to growing research highlighting their nutritional value. Additionally, while previous guidelines recommended only skim or low-fat milk, the updated version acknowledges the nutritional benefits of whole milk when consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Taiwan’s 2018 dietary guidelines outline six main food groups and offer nutritional recommendations based on an individual’s gender, age, height, and weight. Generally, they advise adults to consume one and a half to four bowls of whole grains or starchy vegetables, three to five servings of vegetables, and two to four servings of fruit daily. The guidelines also suggest consuming 1.5 to 2 cups of milk or other dairy, 3 to 8 servings of protein foods, and one serving of nuts or seeds.

In protein recommendations, the HPA prioritizes beans, fish, eggs, and meats in that order to limit saturated fat intake. The guidelines use the “MyPlate” concept, which proposes a fist-sized portion of fruit, slightly larger portions of vegetables and starchy foods, a palm-sized portion of protein, and a teaspoon of nuts or seeds at each meal, accompanied by two glasses of milk daily.