The Daily Dozen: A Plant-Based Checklist
Dr. Michael Greger's Daily Dozen is a checklist of 12 food categories (plus weekly exercise and a B12 supplement) drawn from his own reading of the nutrition literature. The checklist as a whole has not itself been tested in a randomized trial; it is his synthesis of many separate literatures, with individual claims underneath it that carry real but variable-strength human evidence. This is informational, not a prescribed diet.
3 servings a day 1 serving = half cup cooked beans or quarter cup hummus
Legume intake is linked to favorable cardiometabolic markers in the literature Greger cites.
1 serving a day 1 serving = half cup fresh or frozen, or quarter cup dried
Berries carry polyphenols Greger's checklist prioritizes for their studied associations with cognitive and cardiometabolic outcomes.
3 servings a day 1 serving = 1 medium fruit or quarter cup dried
Whole fruit intake is part of the broader plant-diversity case for fiber and micronutrients.
2 servings a day 1 serving = 1 cup raw or half cup cooked
Leafy greens are one of the most nutrient-dense categories on the checklist.
1 serving a day 1 serving = half cup chopped or 1 tbsp horseradish
Cruciferous vegetables carry sulfur compounds Greger's checklist singles out separately from other vegetables.
2 servings a day 1 serving = half cup nonleafy vegetables
Rounds out plant diversity beyond the greens and cruciferous categories.
1 serving a day 1 serving = 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
Ground flaxseed is Greger's chosen source of plant omega-3 (ALA) and lignans.
1 serving a day 1 serving = quarter cup nuts or 2 tbsp nut butter
A concentrated source of healthy fats, protein and minerals in the checklist.
1 serving a day 1 serving = quarter tsp turmeric, his flagship example, or another herb or spice
Greger highlights turmeric's studied compounds as representative of this category.
3 servings a day 1 serving = half cup hot cereal or 1 slice bread
Whole grain intake has observational links to lower mortality Greger cites as the basis for this line.
60 oz a day Water, green tea or hibiscus tea, 60 oz/day
Hydration target, with green and hibiscus tea named as his preferred choices within it.
Once a day 90 minutes moderate activity, or 40 minutes vigorous activity
The one non-food line on the checklist; Greger treats daily movement as part of the same package.
Supplement, do not skip At least 2,000 mcg cyanocobalamin once a week, or at least 50 mcg daily
A largely plant-based diet risks B12 deficiency; this is his stated minimum for anyone eating that way, and it is not optional.
Each item on the list traces back to a body of observational and, in some cases, randomized evidence linking that food category to a health outcome (for example, legume intake and cardiometabolic markers, or whole grains and mortality).
View sources
Podcast: Putting the Daily Dozen to the Test (NutritionFacts.org, his own channel)
Daily Dozen Checklist (NutritionFacts.org)
Not medical advice. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a qualified clinician before changing your health routine.
Independent curation. YourProtocol is an independent platform. This protocol is based on the publicly available work of Michael Greger and is not created, reviewed, endorsed by, or affiliated with Michael Greger or MD, FACLM · Founder, NutritionFacts.org.
Is this for you
- Anyone who wants a single checklist for what to eat most days
- People considering a more plant-based pattern who want the honest evidence framing
- Readers who want food categories with servings, not a rigid meal plan
- Anyone on a largely plant-based diet who needs a clear B12 reminder
Cautions
- The checklist as a whole is expert synthesis, not an RCT-tested intervention; individual items underneath it carry real but variable-strength evidence.
- This advocates a whole-food, plant-based eating pattern, a dietary position, not a neutral recommendation that fits every reader.
- Anyone on blood thinners or with kidney disease should check the vitamin K (leafy greens) and mineral content of this pattern with a clinician before making large dietary changes.
- The B12 recommendation exists because plant-based diets risk B12 deficiency; keep it, do not treat it as optional.
- NutritionFacts.org states it is a nonprofit and that Dr. Greger donates book and speaking proceeds to charity; that is his stated position, not independently audited here.
- Educational only, not a prescribed medical diet.