The Standard American Diet: The Diet from Hell

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Give Fruit a Chance

The vast majority of people in the United States follow the Standard American Diet, known by its acronym: SAD. This popular diet is high in meat, dairy, fat, sugar, refined products, processed foods and junk food. It includes very few servings of raw vegetables or fruit.

In fact, a study showing compliance with the 2005 U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines, showed that only 25% of Americans ate at least one fruit serving a day, while less than 10% ate the recommended minimum amount of vegetables. (1)

Data by the USDA also shows that in the United States, 25% of dietary calories come from animal products, which are high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Another 63% come from processed foods that contain added fats, oils, sugars, and refined grains. Only 12% of the U.S. consumed calories come from plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Unfortunately, up to 50% of these plant foods are not consumed in their whole natural state. Instead, they are processed and consumed in the form of candy bars and other snacks. (2)

Simultaneously, over the past few decades, the health of the general public in the United States has declined dramatically. Chronic diseases and conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis, are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems.

Statistics show that as of 2012, about half of all adults in the U.S. had one or more chronic health conditions, and one fourth of all adults had two or more chronic health conditions. (3) In addition, seven of the top 10 causes of death in 2010 were chronic diseases. Two of these chronic diseases, heart disease and cancer, together accounted for nearly 48% of all deaths. (4) Research also shows that more than one-third of adults are obese (5), that arthritis is the most common cause of disability (6) and that diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure and lower-limb amputations (aside from those caused by injury) (7).

Countless studies have shown statistic correlation between the Standard American Diet and this historic decline in public health. This is why this diet is called: SAD.

Even more sad is the fact that the Standard American Diet is popular around the world and accepted by almost every industrialized nation. This shift in diets to include more animal products, sugar and corn syrup happened quickly after World War II.” (8) Interestingly enough, a study by Harvard showed that people with a higher socioeconomic status have a better diet than those from a lower status. (9) This gap is increasing, with the middle class in countries like the United States quickly disappears, as the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.

People from lower socioeconomic classes tend to favor this deadly diet because it includes cheap foods, that are high in calories, and take little time to prepare. This leads to massive consumption of frozen meals, fast food, and out-of-the-box meals designed to have an addictive response. Other factors that lead people to follow the SAD include lack of education about the damaging effects of animal products and processed foods, and lack of education on the vast amount of healthier options available.

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