The U.S. government has made a significant shift in its official advice on alcohol consumption, removing long-standing daily limits for Americans. The change was highlighted during a White House briefing on Wednesday featuring Dr. Mehmet Oz and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A Major Shift in Federal Guidance
The newly released 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, developed by the Trump administration, have eliminated the previous recommendation that men limit themselves to two drinks or fewer per day and women to one drink or fewer. This guidance had been a cornerstone of federal nutrition advice for years.
During the briefing, Dr. Oz, the former talk show host who now serves as an administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, explained the rationale. He stated that officials "generally moved away" from the specific numerical limits because "there was never really good data to support that quantity of alcohol consumption."
Oz suggested that past data linking moderate drinking to health benefits might have been "primarily confused with broader data about social connectedness."
New Wording and a Focus on Social Connection
In the updated guidelines, alcohol is addressed more briefly. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) now advises that people should "consume less alcohol for better overall health" and should avoid it entirely if pregnant, taking certain medications, or have a family history of alcoholism.
Notably, the new guidance does not mention that alcohol is a known carcinogen, a fact highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. Instead, Dr. Oz framed alcohol's potential value as a "social lubricant that brings people together."
"In the best-case scenario, I don't think you should drink alcohol, but it does allow people an excuse to bond and socialize, and there's probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way," Oz told reporters.
Blue Zones and the "Celebratory" Model
When asked to explain the science behind the new language, Oz pointed to the world's "blue zones"—regions like parts of Greece and Japan known for longevity. He noted that residents there often consume "small amounts taken very judiciously and usually in a celebratory fashion."
"So there is alcohol in these dietary guidelines, but the implication is don't have it for breakfast," he continued. "This should be something done in a small amount, hopefully in some kind of an event that may have alcohol added."
The briefing underscored a clear pivot in federal health messaging, moving from quantified daily limits to a broader, more nuanced discussion of moderation, context, and the potential social benefits of occasional consumption.
