A growing body of evidence indicates it is time for a paradigm shift in dietary advice about red meat. There is a need to address the fact that advice to limit red meat remains standard even though red meat in- takes in developed countries appear to be well within dietary guide- lines. It is important to recognize that recommendations to reduce the consumption of unprocessed red meats are unnecessarily restrictive based on recent studies. Moreover, an overzealous focus on limiting nu- trient and protein-rich unprocessed red meat may have distracted from effective nutrition strategies to address chronic diseases associated with the growing burden of obesity and aging populations. In an era of in- creasing intakes of highly processed ready-to-consume foods it is im- portant to reconsider nutrition priorities. Public health can clearly benefit from practical advice on how to choose, cook and enjoy whole- some, minimally processed foods more often. Unprocessed red meats are one of the best sources of high quality protein and make important contributions to nutrient intakes. Current evidence strongly supports a new approach that emphasizes the value of naturally nutrient-rich foods, such as lean unprocessed red meats, as part of a healthy balanced diet.