The Diet of the Average American

You’re probably eating too much meat. Now, I know what you’re thinking – don’t worry, I’m not trying to push a vegetarian lifestyle on you. However, an average American eats over three times the global average amount of meat and consumes one and a half times the average protein requirement in a day, according to a 2010 report, and meat intake in Americans has increased even since then. Further, most Americans do not meet the daily recommendations for vegetable or fruit intake. We’re seeing a wide-spread excess in meat/protein consumption and deficiency in the nutrients provided by plants.

The Health Benefits of Eating Less Meat

High meat consumption is associated with a plethora of health risks. Meat products often contain environmental pollutants that are highly soluble in fat, meaning that they won’t be flushed out in waste but rather stored in the body fat; this increases health risks, specifically for cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Studies have also shown that a quarter of the meat eaten by Americans consists of processed meats like bacon, deli meats, hot dogs or sausages. Processed meats are much higher in cholesterol and saturated fats, which increases the risk of heart disease, hypertension and cerebrovascular incidents where blood flow to the brain is disrupted; additionally, processed meats were classified as carcinogenic to humans, specifically in relation to colorectal cancer, by the cancer agency of the World Health Organization. In the same study, red meats were classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” There is also strong evidence that high red meat intake increases the risk of diverticulitis, inflammation in the colon, among men. Multiple studies have also noted a link between red meat consumption and ulcerative colitis (UC), which is contributed to by the interaction of meat heme and amino acids with the gut microbiome; those components are converted into toxins that increase risk for UC. 

Diets that rely on more plant-based foods, however, provide various benefits to human health. Focusing on grains, lentils, peas, nuts, beans, vegetables and fruits culminates in a diet that is much richer in vitamins, fiber and other nutrients. This helps support heart and digestive health, as well as disease prevention. Meat-based proteins lack the amount of fiber, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants provided by plant-based proteins. That said, plant-based proteins are typically not complete proteins on their own, meaning they don’t contain all of the essential amino acids that your body needs to derive from food. As such, it is important to consume proteins from a wide variety of sources.

How to Make a Change

Making any big changes in your diet can be difficult, but you don’t have to make those changes all at once. A great first step may be to eat a meal with no meat once or twice a week. When eating plant-based proteins like beans, try to pair them with a whole grain like brown rice; this will provide the complete spectrum of amino acids that your body needs. Certain plant-based protein options do offer complete proteins completely on their own, such as tofu. These foods may seem overwhelming to prepare, but there are a lot of great resources online that outline easy ways to put together tasty dishes with no meat. Budget Bytes, for example, has great options listed for a variety of types of meals, and they’re all affordable. Alison Roman also keeps a list of unique dishes with no meat, which can be fun to make. Beyond Meat is a popular meat substitution brand, and their website includes recipes that teach you ways to prepare meat substitutes, if you’re interested in trying some of those out. There are many different ways to approach a meatless meal, and the internet is a wonderful resource for exploring them.

When you do eat meat, you may want to focus your consumption primarily around leaner meats, such as fish or poultry. Avoiding red meat outside of special occasions could be enormously beneficial, especially if eating entirely meatless meals is a struggle for you. You don’t have to completely cut anything out of your diet unless you want to, but being mindful about what you put on your plate now can make such a huge difference for your health down the line.

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On August 25th, 2026, Dolly Parton and Tim Curry passed away, both at the age of 80. Parton had been battling cancer for a short time, while Curry passed away as a result of coronary artery disease. Millions of people mourned the passing of these two public figures loved by many around the world.

Remembering Dolly Parton

In March of 2025, Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, Carl Dean, passed away. In a statement released days before her death, Parton revealed that she was “dealing with some health issues that [she] just didn’t pay attention to when [she] was watching over Carl.” In 2025, she publicly spoke about her feelings when Dean passed, saying that “it’s a big adjustment just trying to change patterns and habits. I’ll do fine, and I’m very involved in my work and that’s been the best thing that could happen to me. But I’ll always miss him, of course, and always love him. He was a great partner to me.” In the year after Dean’s death, Dolly Parton did just that: work. Following her death, Parton’s manager, Dany Nozell, issued a press release which stated that “Dolly worked up until the day she died. She loved seeing her dreams come to life, and loved knowing her work brought people joy. Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked, for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come.” Nozell also added, “If you see unreleased music, products, books, experiences and campaigns launched through official Dolly Parton channels, you can have confidence in knowing that she placed her personal stamp on it.” Some of the active Parton projects include Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel, Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum, a collaboration with Kendra Scott, DOLLY: A True Original Musical On Broadway and much more. Most of these projects are set to launch in late 2026 or early 2027.

Parton also took part in extensive philanthropic work. Starting in the 80’s, Parton created the Dollywood Foundation to reduce high school dropout rates in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Parton was originally from. She went on to create the Imagination Library, which provided free books to young children in the county. Today, the Dollywood Foundation still offers scholarships to Sevier County high schoolers, and the Imagination Library now services children all over the USA and has even extended into Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Australia, donating over 300 million books as of 2025. Parton’s kindness didn’t stop there; over the years, she has supported research into pediatric infectious diseases, donated to the Salvation Army and hospitals, advocated for equality and LGBTQ+ rights, and so much more.

Dolly Parton had an astounding impact on the world; her absence from it will be felt deeply. Shortly after her death, her goddaughter Miley Cyrus took to Instagram to write, “The feeling of losing my Aunt Dolly is beyond what feels right to share. Our most sacred moments were private and they’ll stay there behind the stage, beneath the glamour & between our hearts. What I KNOW is Dolly would want me to feel it, write a song about it, and then continue on and be strong. I have an angel by my side. I always have. One of our last conversations was about music and metamorphosis… I will always love her and want to make her proud. My heart breaks for the world, her family and friends who will miss her deeply. We’re in this loss together and we will see her in all of the most beautiful things.”

Remembering Tim Curry

While a stroke in 2012 limited Curry’s ability to work from that point on, the work he’s put out in his lifetime has also been immensely impactful. Possibly most memorable was his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” where he performed in a corset, full makeup and fishnets, a look heavily inspired by drag queens and a historical moment of representation for the queer community. His frequent presence in children’s media like “The Wild Thornberrys,” “Home Alone 2” and “Muppet Treasure Island” made him an integral part of many Americans’ childhoods. Even those born after these works were initially released likely grew up with Tim Curry on their screens at home. 

The impact of Curry’s work reaches far and wide, and even when his stroke restricted him to mostly voice acting, he kept going with projects like “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” a popular animated series, and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again,” which Curry narrated and appeared in as his first live-action role following the stroke.  Being involved in this work allowed him to express his sense of humor, which Curry said was “absolutely vital” to him, explaining, “It’s not tough to maintain. It is just part of my DNA.”

One thing is for certain: Tim Curry will be missed. There has been an outpouring of love from actors he’s worked with in the past. Susan Sarandon, who worked with him on “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” took to Instagram to write, “What I loved about him most was his heart. Even wheelchair-bound he continued to be so sweet and generous with his fans. Thank you Tim for meaning so much to so many people. Love you, S.” Nell Campbell, another member of the cast, released a statement saying that “He was a wit, kind, thoughtful, generous, quite shy, bookish, loved you being naughty and joyful company. Had Tim not been cast in the original stage show of ‘Rocky Horror,’ who knows if the film would have followed. I will miss him tremendously.” Joe Mantegna wrote in an Instagram post, “Of my 17 years on Criminal Minds, one of my greatest joys was being able to work with Tim Curry. Rest in peace dear Tim.”

Their Legacies

Dolly Parton and Tim Curry will certainly not be forgotten. The amount of creativity and passion they put into their careers truly spoke to people, which is why they became such beloved figures. Even with them gone, the work they made over the course of their lives will continue to live in the hearts of their fans.