A healthy, balanced diet is essential for optimal health and longevity. Eating the right foods can not only help you feel your best but can even add years to your life.
Highlights:
- A large focus is placed on plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts
- Promotes the consumption of healthy fats, such as those in avocados and olive oil
- Discourages consuming too much-processed food, fizzy drinks, and a lot of red meat
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One such diet, known as the American diet, has been shown to be beneficial for overall health and well-being. Let’s explore what makes this diet so special and why it could potentially add 10 years or more to your life.
What Is the American Diet?
The American diet is based on a traditional Mediterranean-style eating plan, combined with elements of a typical North American diet. It focuses on whole, unprocessed foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy products, eggs, and fish. Red meats are limited to no more than twice per month and unhealthy snacks are discouraged altogether.
For the first time ever, a yearly ranking of the top diets now includes family-friendly diets. In the yearly ranking of diets published by U.S. News & World Report, the flexitarian, Mediterranean-style, and TLC diets all tied for first place in the family-friendly category.
For the sixth consecutive year, the Mediterranean diet came in first place as the best diet.
The American Diet Today
The average American diet is composed of mostly processed foods. According to the USDA, Americans are consuming more processed meats and refined grains than ever before. Refined grains include white flour, white rice, and other grains that have been stripped of their nutrient-rich bran and germ. And when it comes to meat, Americans are eating more red meat than any other type of meat.
This shift away from whole foods isn’t without consequences. Ultra processed foods can lead to an increased risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.
While there are some healthier alternatives available (like lean proteins or complex carbohydrates), they often come with a hefty price tag which makes them inaccessible to many people in the US.
Benefits of the American Diet
The benefits of this style of eating are numerous; research suggests that following an American-style diet could reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 30%, stroke by up to 20%, type 2 diabetes by up to 40%, and certain types of cancer by up to 20%. In addition, studies have found that people who follow this type of diet tend to live longer than those who don’t—by up to 10 years!
With its focus on processed, packaged foods and fast-food meals, it’s no wonder that the American diet has received a lot of criticism over the years. But while this type of diet is not ideal for long-term health and wellness, it does offer some benefits. In this blog post, we’ll look at some of the key benefits associated with the American diet.
Convenience
The first benefit of the American diet is convenience. Processed and packaged foods are more convenient than cooking from scratch because they take less time to prepare, require fewer ingredients, and can be stored for longer periods of time without spoiling. This makes them ideal for busy families or individuals who don’t have a lot of time or energy to devote to cooking meals from scratch.
Budget-Friendly
Another benefit of the American diet is that it can be budget-friendly. Fast food restaurants often offer value meals that are designed to be cost-effective for customers on a budget. Packaged and processed foods are also typically cheaper than fresh ingredients, making them attractive options for those looking to keep their grocery bills low.
Variety
Finally, another benefit of the American diet is that it offers a wide variety of options. Fast food restaurants offer countless different meal combinations so you can choose something new every time you go out to eat. There’s also an almost endless selection of packaged foods available in stores so you can find something that appeals to your taste buds without having to spend hours in the kitchen cooking from scratch.
Extra tip: Reducing your intake of saturated fats from red meats and dairy products will help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for cardiovascular diseases like hypertension or stroke. We, the creators of recipe to cook always suggest you exercise for at least 15-20 minutes daily.
The American diet is not ideal for long-term health and wellness but it does offer some benefits such as convenience, budget-friendliness, and variety. If you’re looking for quick meal options or want to save money on groceries without sacrificing flavor then the American diet may be right up your alley!
How To Follow the American Diet
If you are interested in giving the American diet a try, start by introducing more plant-based proteins into your meals (such as beans and lentils). Try incorporating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily into your meals; aim for a variety of colors so you get plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Limit red meat consumption as much as possible (no more than two servings per month) and focus on lean proteins such as chicken or fish instead. Finally, limit processed foods (including snack foods), refined carbohydrates (like white bread), and added sugars; these can be detrimental to your health in the long run.
Making Smart Swaps
It’s not always easy to make drastic changes overnight so it’s important to focus on making small adjustments over time until they become part of your daily routine.
If you enjoy eating pasta dishes try using whole-grain versions instead; if you crave something sweet opt for fresh berries or dark chocolate instead of candy bars; if you need an afternoon snack reach for an apple rather than potato chips; replace white rice with quinoa or couscous in meals; increase your consumption of leafy greens such as spinach, kale or Swiss chard; and swap out regular butter for coconut oil when cooking.
Making these small swaps can help create new healthy habits that will last a lifetime. The American Diet has been proven over time to be beneficial for both physical health and longevity.
If followed correctly it can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases while adding years onto one’s life expectancy – up to 10 years! Those looking for a healthier lifestyle change that will make an impact on both their overall well-being now and in the future should consider changing their eating habits towards an American Diet.
By combining elements from both North American & Mediterranean diets it brings together some delicious options that could have long-term benefits when incorporated into one’s lifestyle. Give it a try today!
Test Your Life Expectancy Today
A useful tool to determine your life expectancy based on a variety of lifestyle and health factors is the Northwestern Mutual Lifespan Calculator. The calculator can provide you insights into how your behaviors, health, and family history may affect your lifespan by asking for information about these things.
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Conclusion
Lowering cholesterol levels and lowering your risk of cardiovascular disorders like hypertension or stroke can both be accomplished by reducing your consumption of saturated fats from red meats and dairy products. According to the PLOS Medicine study, you should eat less than three food groups to live longer. These include red and processed meats, refined cereals, and beverages with added sugar.
Start having a healthy diet from now with the team recipe to cook.