Science Over Bias

The updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030, were published on January 7, 2026. The Dietary Guidelines’ longstanding, overarching advice has been that if alcohol is consumed, it should be done in moderation. These updated guidelines, underpinned by the preponderance of scientific evidence, reaffirm this important guidance.

The new guidelines are consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), which advised that “drinking less is better for health than drinking more” and that “there are also some people who should not drink at all.” 

The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Consensus Report, which is the scientific underpinning for the updated alcohol guidelines directed by Congress and is part of the Scientific Foundation document accompanying the new guidelines, concluded in part that those who drink in moderation have a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of all-cause mortality. The report also linked moderate alcohol consumption with an increased risk of breast cancer. The NASEM Report defines moderate drinking as: “≤1 drink/day for women and ≤2 drinks/day for men); a standard drink was defined as the equivalent of 14 grams of alcohol.” The report also explains: “Fourteen grams is the approximate ethanol content of 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, and 1.5 oz of spirits."

As of February 1, 2026, this site is no longer being regularly updated.