We use the phrase “standard American diet” to describe the stereotypical diet of Americans. But what does the standard American diet actually look like?

What Is the Standard American Diet?

• 63% of America’s calories come from refined and processed foods (e.g. soft drinks, packaged snacks like potato chips, packaged desserts, etc.)
• 25% of America’s calories come from animal-based foods
• 12% of America’s calories come from plant-based foods

Unfortunately, half of the plant-based calories (6%) come from french fries. That means only 6% of America’s calories are coming from health-promoting fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

There’s a good reason we abbreviate standard American diet to S.A.D. The standard American diet leads to standard American diseases that lead to standard American deaths.

What Can We Do?

To turn this ship around, we need to spread the word about the whole-food, plant-based diet, which is the only diet that has been scientifically shown to prevent and reverse chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Get Started:

What to Eat on a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
Visual Guide: What Does a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet Look Like?

Learn More:

Why the Nation’s Largest Health Plan Wants Its Doctors to Recommend a Plant-Based Diet
7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Meat
Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death
More Than Half of the Standard American Diet Can Be Purchased at 7-11

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