The American diet: 53 gallons of Soda, 42 pounds of corn syrup, 200 pounds of meat

The average American eats. A lot. As a new infographic, each year, food intake per person can amount to about 200 pounds of meat, 85 pounds of fat, 415 lbs of vegetables, 31 kilograms of cheese, 53 gallons of soda and 42 kilos of high fructose corn syrup.

In comparison, in 1950, Americans ate about half of the meat eaten today and what they eat was more like high quality, organically fed, free range meat now available for those who are able to pay sometimes three or four times more than the price for the rampant conventionally raised farm factory and at high risk animal protein product.

Sixty years ago, Americans consumed virtually zero pounds of high fructose corn syrup, but that number today — more than 40 pounds per person (3,865 teaspoons teaspoons per year or 11 per day) — correlates with the high increase in type II diabetes, obesity, heart disease and other diet-related diseases. HFCS is found in a number of unsuspecting foods from bread to condiments, is also an important ingredient in soft drinks and sodas, which the Americans are now drinking more than 50 liters per person each year, adding as much as 150 extra calories in HFC consumption per day.

Recent rebranding efforts aggressive industry HFC call it apparently more benign ' corn sugar ' have brought health advocates and interest groups public indignation as a series of studies linking HFCS more significant weight gain of sugar cane. HFCS are also made up primarily of genetically modified corn, which poses its own set of risks including organ damage, birth defects and cancer.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @ jillettinger

Image: daily infographics

Tags: diet-related disease, farms, genetically modified corn, high fructose corn syrup, organic meat

This entry was published on Saturday, September 17, 2011 to 12:00 am and is filed under green living, health, , organic, organic food, Live organic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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