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"name": "Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD"
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"headline":"The Problem with the Standard American Diet",
"datePublished":"2019-03-10",
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"description":"Our diet in America is making us sick from chronic diseases. But, why? What is the problem with the Standard American Diet?",
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"text": "<ul><li>9500 BC - Introduction of agriculture</li><li>1760- Industrial Revolution, food processing begins</li><li>1940s- World Wars. America needs to get food to troops that won't spoil</li><li>1950s- Post-war era. Spread of TV ads & microwave dinners</li><li>1960s- High fructose corn syrup, a cheaper alternative to sugar starts being used</li></ul>"
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<article>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="#section1">What is the History of the Standard American Diet?</a></li>
<li><a href="#section2">What are the Standard American Diet Macros?</a></li>
<li><a href="#section3">How to Improve Your Diet</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<section>
<p>We have a problem in America. Tons of Americans today suffer from chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.</p>
<p>According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention six out of ten Americans have a chronic disease and four out of ten have two or more.<sup><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chronic-diseases.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">1</a></sup></p>
<p>There are many lifestyle factors that contribute to disease rates in our country (chronic stress and a sedentary life), but diet is one of the biggest contributing factors to this problem. </p>
<p>The typical diet we eat in America is commonly referred to as the Standard American Diet and is the reason why we are as a country struggling with illness and obesity.</p>
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<section id="section1">
<h2>What is the history of the Standard American Diet?</h2>
<p>The Standard American Diet (SAD) evolved over time during the last 10,000 years. Here is an approximate timeline:<sup><a target="_blank" href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/81/2/341/4607411" rel="nofollow noreferrer">2</a></sup>
<p><strong>9500 BC</strong>- Introduction of agriculture. Increased availability of calorie-dense foods like meat, sugar, grains, and salt.
<p><strong>1760</strong>- The Industrial Revolution was when food processing began, including the production of refined grains and refined vegetable oils. Government subsidies of grain and corn helped push this process along.
<p><strong>1940s</strong>- World Wars. America needed to get food to the troops that wouldn’t spoil. This initiated demand for processed, easy-to-use foods that wouldn’t spoil.
<p><strong>1950s</strong>- Post-war era. TVs were in every house, which allowed for advertising of food products. Microwave dinners and fast food became trendy.
<p><strong>1960s</strong>- High fructose corn syrup, a cheaper alternative to sugar, started being used. Food advertising for cheap processed foods was common.
<p>Pretty soon our grocery shelves were lined with ultra-processed foods that tasted great and had an extended shelf life. But this comes at a cost, these foods have little actual nutrition, but plenty of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. </p>
<p>Additionally, the government hasn’t really helped improve the situation for our health. The type of food available on grocery shelves has a lot more to do with politics than you might think. Agricultural policies have tended to support corn and wheat, not fruits and vegetables.</p>
<p>Major corporations want to make highly palatable foods that trigger you to want more and more. Generally, these foods are high in sugar, fat, and salt, making them very tasty and hard to resist.</p>
<p>All of these different political and cultural influences have created a food environment that is making us sick.</p>
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<h2 id="section2">What are the Standard American Diet macros?</h2>
<p>On average, the macronutrient breakdown for the Standard American Diet is as follows: <sup><a target="_blank" href="https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/chapter-2/current-eating-patterns-in-the-united-states/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">3</a></sup></p>
<ul>
<li>2200 calories</li>
<li>50% carbohydrates (mostly refined)</li>
<li>15% protein</li>
<li>35% fat</li>
</ul>
<p>The macronutrient split focuses heavily on carbs, the majority of which are refined and unhealthy. The biggest problem is the type of foods we are choosing to eat.</p>
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<p>According to a 2015 study in <a target="_blank" href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/3/e009892" rel="nofollow noreferrer">BMJ Open</a>, 57 percent of the calories Americans consume daily comes from ultra-processed foods, such as soda, pizza, or cereal. 15 percent of our calories come from refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. <sup><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/sugar-and-sweeteners-yearbook-tables.aspx" rel="nofollow noreferrer">4</a></sup></p>
<p>Another problem lies in not what we are eating, but what we are not eating. A government survey of American diets found that only 28 percent of our calories come from unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruit, eggs, or milk. <sup><a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/about_nhanes.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">5</a></sup></p>
<p>Most Americans are eating too many ultra-processed foods and too few unprocessed real foods. This eating pattern, in combination with a more sedentary lifestyle and excessive stress, is making us sick.</p>
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<h2 id="section3">How to Improve Your Diet</h2>
<p>The first step to improving your diet and your risk of chronic disease is to eat fewer ultra-processed foods and instead eat more real food.</p>
<p>Start by making small, easy changes. Here are a few examples:</p>
<ul>
<li>Instead of crackers or chips, choose nuts or organic veggies and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/easy-keto-friendly-salad-dressings/" rel="noreferrer">homemade dip</a>. </li>
<li>Instead of cereal for breakfast, choose hard-boiled eggs or a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/keto-breakfast-ideas/" rel="noreferrer">keto breakfast</a></li>
<li>Instead of soda choose water or flavored, sparkling water without added sugar</li>
<li>Instead of a sandwich choose salad piled high with veggies and protein</li>
<li>Instead of pasta choose <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/diet/creamy-garlic-parmesan-zoodles/" rel="noreferrer">zoodles</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Implementing a few simple swaps can help you gradually move closer to a diet that is based on real food, and therefore, effortlessly lower in carbs and calories. Over the last 100 years, the way we eat and our reliance on processed foods has really put our health at risk. Moving away from SAD to a more whole foods approach is what will help us get our health back on track.</p>
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