Dr. Greger is a physician, international speaker on nutrition, and the co-author of one of my favorite books – How Not To Die. He also runs NutritionFacts.org, a nonprofit, science-based website that provides free videos and articles on nutrition. Check it out, it has a lot of great information! All of his work focuses on identifying the foods that have been scientifically proven to prevent and reverse various diseases.
Through all of his research, Dr. Greger created what has been termed the “Daily Dozen” – eleven foods (plus exercise as the twelfth element) that we should eat every day to maintain optimal health. Each food / food group has important contributors to our body that help build and maintain health while fighting disease. These include the following: beans, berries, other fruits, cruciferous vegetables, greens, other vegetables, flaxseed, nuts, spices, whole grains, and beverages.
The Daily Dozen all source from the understanding that not all health foods are the same. Some are found in abundance and others, like sulforaphane, are found almost exclusively in a single food group. In the case of sulforaphane, it is found only in cruciferous vegetables. The Daily Dozen diet is plant based, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t eat meat if you choose to. One strategy that you may want to try is to get the Daily Dozen in first, and if you have extra room in your daily meal plan, then eat meat.
I have never been good on diets. It seems that as soon as I tell my body not to eat something, it craves it even more! The main reason that I love the Daily Dozen is because it is about what you should eat, not what you shouldn’t. That I can do! One of my biggest downfalls is potato chips. I am a huge fan, especially of the ones that are really salty! With the Daily Dozen, I still eat the chips, but not until I’ve hit all the eleven categories. Not only do I feel less guilty about enjoying an unhealthy food, but I also know that my body has been provided with the nutrition to maintain itself and help fight any negative impact from eating the chips – it’s a win win!
You may find that it is helpful to print off the checklist and mark things off as you eat them throughout the day (at least while you are establishing the routine). There is also a free app that you can download to mark what you have been eating. The checklist includes space to track four days and is a great way to see areas that you might be missing.
Dr. Michael Greger is a physician, internationally recognized nutrition speaker, and co-author of one of my favorite books, How Not to Die. He is also the founder of NutritionFacts.org, a nonprofit, science-based website offering free videos and articles focused on evidence-based nutrition. If you haven’t explored it yet, it’s a fantastic resource filled with practical and research-backed information. Much of Dr. Greger’s work centers on identifying foods scientifically shown to help prevent—and in some cases even reverse—chronic disease.
Through years of research, Dr. Greger developed what is now known as the Daily Dozen—a simple framework outlining eleven foods (plus exercise as the twelfth component) that we should aim to include each day to support optimal health. The Daily Dozen focuses on nutrient-dense plant foods that work together to nourish the body, strengthen the immune system, and help fight disease.
The Daily Dozen includes:
Beans
Berries
Other Fruits
Cruciferous Vegetables
Leafy Greens
Other Vegetables
Flaxseed
Nuts
Spices
Whole Grains
Healthy Beverages
Daily Movement and Exercise
The idea behind the Daily Dozen is that not all healthy foods provide the same benefits. Some powerful protective compounds are concentrated in specific food groups. For example, sulforaphane—a compound linked to detoxification and cancer protection—is found almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale. By eating across all Daily Dozen categories, you give your body access to a wider range of protective nutrients.
Although the Daily Dozen follows a plant-based approach, it doesn’t mean you must eliminate animal foods entirely. One helpful strategy is to focus on getting your Daily Dozen servings first. If there’s still room in your meals afterward, you can choose to include other foods according to your preferences.
I’ve never been very successful with restrictive diets. The moment I tell myself I can’t eat something, I seem to crave it even more! That’s one reason I love the Daily Dozen—it emphasizes what to add to your diet rather than what to avoid. That mindset feels sustainable. For example, I still occasionally enjoy potato chips (especially the salty ones!), but only after I’ve checked off my Daily Dozen categories for the day. Not only do I enjoy them more, but I also know my body has already received the nutrients it needs. It truly feels like a win-win.
If you’re getting started with the Daily Dozen, you may find it helpful to print a checklist and mark off foods as you eat them throughout the day while building the habit. There’s also a free Daily Dozen app that allows you to track your progress easily. The checklist typically includes space to monitor several days at a time, making it easy to spot nutritional gaps and build a balanced routine.
So what is a serving?
- Beans – A serving is considered a quarter cup of hummus, half cup of cooked beans, or a full cup of fresh beans.
- Berries – A half cup of fresh or frozen berries, or a quarter cup of dried berries. Berries are one of those amazing foods that have benefits all around our body. Read more about them here!
- Other Fruits – A medium sized fruit, a cup of cut-up fruit or a quarter cup of dried fruit counts as a serving here.
- Cruciferous Vegetables – A half cup is considered a serving in this category. Check out the article on Cruciferous Vegetables to learn more about this powerful group of foods!
- Greens – A cup of greens is a serving. When I first learned about this I thought, great, if I have a cup of kale it counts as greens and cruciferous vegetables! Well, no. Unfortunately, a serving only counts towards one category.
- Other Vegetables – Eating two half-cup servings a day will satisfy your requirement here!
- Flaxseeds – See my article on Flaxseed for all of their amazing benefits. One tablespoon a day is all it takes. You can sprinkle it on many foods or buy one of the many crackers that are made with flaxseed.
- Nuts – A quarter of cup of nuts or two tablespoons of nut butter is all it takes! Check out walnuts – they have the most nutritional value of all nuts. Personally, I don’t care for them, but don’t mind them sprinkled on a salad. Try it out!
- Spices – This one is the easiest of them all! You just need a quarter teaspoon each day. Whenever you sit down for a meal just grab a spice bottle or two, sprinkle some on top and you’re done!
- Whole Grains – A serving is a half cup of hot cereal, cooked grains such as rice, or cooked pasta; a cup of ready-to-eat (cold) cereal; one tortilla or slice of bread; half a bagel or an English muffin; or three cups of popped popcorn.
- Beverages – One twelve ounce glass counts as a serving.
- Exercise – Ninety minutes of moderate exercise (like walking) or forty minutes of vigorous activity (such as jogging) is recommended. This can be split up over the day.
Enjoy and happy eating!
~Your Happy Healthy Life
