Photo: Ann H

What is America's staple dish?

Chicken. Whether it's roasted, baked, fried, transformed into a patty or used in a salad, sandwich or casserole, chicken is a major dietary staple in the United States.

healthyeating.sfgate.com - What Are the Staples of the American Diet? - Healthy Eating | SF Gate

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It’s no coincidence that the number of obese Americans has more than doubled since the early 1970s. The standard American diet – also known by the inadvertently appropriate acronym “SAD” – is widely considered one of the world’s unhealthiest diets. Its emphasis on processed and refined food products over natural, whole foods means that the average American consumes far too much sugar and sodium and doesn’t get the recommended amounts of dietary fiber and potassium.

Dessert

Cookies, cupcakes, brownies, pastries and other grain-based desserts are the No. 1 source of calories for Americans of all ages, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They’re also the leading source of solid fats and the second leading source of added sugars in the American diet. Foods that are rich in solid fats and added sugars tend to be high in calories and of little nutritional value. Dairy desserts also rank among the top 10 sources of calories, added sugars and solid fats.

Bread

Americans may prefer cake to bread, but only by a small margin. Bread, rolls and bagels – including refined, whole-grain and mixed-grain varieties – are the second biggest source of calories in the American diet. A piece of toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a roll with dinner can add up to a significant amount of calories – and sodium. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists bread as the No. 1 contributor of dietary sodium.

Chicken

Whether it’s roasted, baked, fried, transformed into a patty or used in a salad, sandwich or casserole, chicken is a major dietary staple in the United States. Americans get almost as many calories from chicken as they do from bread, according to the USDA. It’s not surprising, therefore, that chicken is the second leading source of sodium in the American diet. It’s also one of the primary contributors of saturated fat, the type thought to promote high cholesterol levels.

Sugary Drinks

Non-diet soda, sweetened water, energy drinks and sports drinks are widely consumed in the United States. Together, they’re the fourth biggest contributor of calories in the American diet. They’re also the No. 1 source of added sugars, responsible for more than 35 percent of the average American’s intake, according to the USDA. Fruit juice and fruit-flavored drinks, which constitute a separate category, are consumed less often. Even so, fruit drinks are still the third leading source of added sugars.

Pizza

Chances are fairly high that the average American family dines on pizza – the fifth leading source of calories in the American diet – at least one night a week. While it may be fast, convenient and satiating, pizza is notoriously high in calories, fat and sodium. Americans get more saturated fat from pizza than any other food, apart from plain cheese. Pizza is also responsible for more than 6 percent of the sodium consumed in the United States, making it the third leading source.

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