80 10 10 Diet

80-10-10-dietThe 80 10 10 Diet by Dr. Douglas Graham is a raw food version of a low fat plant based diet, similar to that popularized by Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. John McDougall.

Graham, who is a lifetime athlete, has been eating a raw food diet for almost thirty years and raves about the health benefits from eating according to his method.

He has acted as dietary adviser to world-class athletes and celebrities including Martina Navratilova and Demi Moore.

Those new to raw foods may struggle with this diet as raw food takes a bit of getting used to.

Going Raw is a great introduction to raw foods and could be completed prior to 80 10 10.

80 10 10 Diet Basics



Graham proposes that the ideal ratio of nutrients to support health is:

  • 80% carbohydrates
  • 10% protein
  • 10% fat

Other low fat vegan diets rely on cooked starches such as rice, bread, and potatoes as the main source of calories.

Dr. Douglas Graham

Dr. Douglas Graham

Starches and grains are low in nutrients and because they taste bland we usually add sugar, salt, and fats which compromises their potential health value.

Graham overcomes this problem by basing his program entirely on raw foods with fruit forming the foundation of the diet. He states that fruit is the ideal food for humans and supports his claims with convincing arguments and scientific research.

Dieters are encouraged to eat mono meals of fruit where a single fruit is eaten in large quantities.

For example breakfast might consist of 4 pounds of watermelon. Graham explains that it is necessary to eat fruit in such amounts in order to obtain adequate calories, which is necessary to thrive on this diet.

Graham also advises dieters to consume approximately a pound of leafy greens each day such as lettuce, spinach, and celery. Foods high in fat such as avocado and nuts are generally limited to a small serving every second day or so.

Although the diet is the foundation of the program Graham emphasizes the importance of addressing other lifestyle factors, which include exercise, sunlight, adequate sleep, and emotional balance.

Recommended Foods

Fruit, vegetables, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, young coconut.

Sample 1 Day Meal Plan

 

Breakfast

3 lbs cantaloupe

Lunch

1 lb bananas

1 lb mangoes

Dinner
Course 1

1 lb apricots

Course 2

Orange Pepper Tomato Soup

(8 oz romaine lettuce

8 oz tomatoes

8 oz orange or yellow pepper

Parsley sprig)

Course 3

Heirloom Avocado Salad

(8 oz romaine lettuce

8 oz cucumber

12 oz tomatoes

6 oz avocado

¼ cup cilantro)

Try other vegetarian recipes here.

Exercise Recommendations

An important aspect of the program is regular daily exercise. Graham advises dieters to aim to do some aerobic exercise every day and to engage in strength training three times a week.

Graham states that if you are not exercising on a regular basis then you are not following the program.

Costs and Expenses

The 80 10 10 Diet retails at $29.95.

There will be an increase in the cost of groceries due to the need for a large amount of fresh produce.

Click here to purchase this diet for a discounted price.

Raw Food Benefits and Recipes

Pros

  • Many athletes have reported improved performance on this diet.
  • Good for dieters who like eating fruit.
  • Low fat diets are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and diabetes.
  • Higher in nutrients than low fat vegan diets that include cooked foods.
  • Encourages the intake of fruit and vegetables.
  • Encourages a physically active lifestyle.
  • Provides suggestions to gradually transition into the full diet plan.
  • Beneficial as a short term cleansing diet.
  • Food preparation is easy.

Cons

  • Highly restrictive. Difficult to eat out and in social situations.
  • Requires a complete overhaul of eating habits.
  • Many dieters will not enjoy eating this way.
  • Some dieters may have difficulty maintaining the recommended exercise guidelines.
  • Dieters will undergo withdrawal and detoxification symptoms in the initial stages especially if they are regular users of caffeine and alcohol.
  • Risk of nutritional deficiency especially if intake of leafy green vegetables is not adequate.
  • May be too low in protein, essential fatty acids and minerals including zinc and selenium.
  • May require the use of vitamin B12 supplements.

Too Extreme for Most

The 80 10 10 diet is an extreme approach to dieting that will not appeal to everyone. It is probably most suitable for individuals who are highly committed, such as professional athletes, or dieters who have a specific goal that they hope to achieve by following this plan.

Graham improves on many of the nutritional inadequacies of other low fat vegan diets and the intake of vitamins and minerals is much higher due to the inclusion of an abundant amount of fruit and leafy green vegetables.

However many people have reported problems following a raw vegan diet and it may be difficult to support optimal health without guidance or supervision from a qualified health professional who has experience with this approach to dieting.

169 Comments

  • RD May 3rd 2012

    heather, I agree with you. Wondering we might be able to chat, same experience with 801010 long term. I whole heartedly support a whole foods, no sugar, vegan, lwo fat, no grains, diet. Not convinced, after years of personal experience, that 100% raw is supportive for long term vitality, for each individual. I have found that eating occasional steamed veggie, or sweet potato very helpful.

    Reply
    • Noc Jul 2nd 2012

      okay, to get into shape , rid yourself of eescxs fat and lose weight ,,,,,do as follows:Stop drinking smoking (if you do this regularly)eat fruits vegetables all you can (buy a food/rice steamer to make it easy on you) (vegetables are not tasty, like junk foods,, but can be as you aquire your taste to them..and are loaded with energy and nutrients) avoid all junk food, cokes, sweets, etc and drink water, juice or milk only . If you eat meat ,,eat only steamed fish or chicken.also, do an hour of walking each day at least. or some type of excercise.* you should lose about 10 lbs per month (if need to)

      Reply
  • cew Apr 26th 2012

    It works *really well* but you have to know what you’re doing. Read the book, evaluate your ability to handle this lifestyle (can you afford it, can you eat that much fruit, etc.), and go to cronometer.com, where you can track all your nutrients. Remember to set it for 8-1-1, or your proportions (colored) will be wrong (the actual data showing will still be the same). Good luck!

    Reply
    • stacey Nov 13th 2012

      This is one of the most sensible posts i’ve seen.
      This life style is such a huge change from the standard North American diet and you really need to evaluate all aspects of it: financial factors, is it reasonable for your lifestyle, can you actually do it, etc.)
      Good point Cew!

      Reply
  • Tim Apr 21st 2012

    AJ,

    Don’t you think 3 months is not enough to judge that diet. Spend few years on it.

    Reply
    • Damon Jun 7th 2012

      Howdy, I’m new here and I haven’t tried this diet yet but I’m interested. I do admit I care much more about gettig a six pack than health reasons so I have an objective that may be different.

      But do you really think people would give a diet a whirl for a few years? People want results.

      Reply
  • AJ Apr 11th 2012

    @Kirt- You are spot on! I was just participating in a discussion last night/this morning on 30bananasaday.com started by a girl who claimed this diet was failing her. turns out, she was failing the diet- wasn’t even following it! every person who says that the diet doesn’t work didn’t give it an honest try, they all eventually disclose that they had been giving in to cooked food/fat cravings. anyone who says they tried 100% at HCRV(high-carb raw vegan) and still failed, is LYING!
    @Cara- I am in my third month of 80 10 10, 5th month of raw vegan, and 8th month of vegan. I found it for the same reasons as you, so I understand what you’re going through and I feel the same way as far as not needing to restrict calories anymore(for the most part, it’s still a journey. the urge is still present sometimes but the important thing is i DON’T act on it). i’m telling you, keep at this, it changes everything for the 100% better, i promise. good luck =]]

    Reply
  • Cara Apr 10th 2012

    I have just began a complete changed in my eating. For over 20 yrs. I have suffered from anorexia and major digestive disorders. I want to be free and live a healthy lifestyle. I have just started a raw vegan diet. I already feel more energy and healthier. I also no longer feel the need to restrict calories. I no I have a long journey to heal my body but I know I am on the right track. I see so much about eating many bananas, can I also use fruits like melons and kiwis and strawberries. Any other advice would be extremely helpful!

    Reply
    • phillip Jul 5th 2012

      i’ve found that as long as i stick with high carb fruit (i.e. every fruit besides avocado) that i feel great! and that’s eating up to 4000 calories a day! i eat EVERYTHING that is fruit. also any type of melon in the morning is one of the best wake up foods i’ve had. stick with it and there will never be any reason to calorie restrict. those glamorous pictures of raw vegans you see on google aren’t just lucky raw vegans, their results are to be expected. coupled with exercise, results similar to that are guaranteed. good luck and have fun with it!

      Reply
  • Kirt Mar 4th 2012

    @ Heather

    No, Not true. It is like saying financial success is only for a few select people but for most its simply imposable. Well it is if you sit on the couch watching mindless crap on TV every night. When all they have to do is learn what to do then apply those things. Yes it takes effort…

    Same with the 80 10 10. If you learn what to do then apply what so many before you have done you will reap the benefits.

    But I am sure its is much easier to make a post about how it doesn’t work then go back to American Idol with a gallon of ice cream :)

    Reply
    • stacey Nov 13th 2012

      I don’t think she was saying that it doesn’t work. She was simply saying that it doesn’t work for everyone and there are a lot of aspects about this lifestyle to consider.
      This judgemental attitude is not productive for people trying to be successful at this lifestyle. Let’s try being realistic, not an ass hole.

      Reply
  • Chantal Mar 1st 2012

    @Roberta – I would have to say a definite yes, it is MUCH too soon to expect weight loss, especially since you were on such a restrictive caloric diet. Your body needs to re-learn about it’s environment and that you are going to be feeding it in abundance. It was in a sort of starvation mode before, even if you didn’t see significant weight loss or feel too restrictive. So it takes time. Some people have reported to gaining a few pounds, and some quite a lot at first without seeing weight loss until months or even a year or so in. The healing process is SLOW, but I assure you a year or even 2-3 of not being at you “ideal” weight, is really not that big of a deal when you look at it in regards to your entire life, and all of the benefits and diseases you will heal. I promise you that if you stick to this long-term you will be fit, thin and extremely healthy. I gained a few pounds at first and am only a few months in. Here are my stats:
    - 5’4″
    -116-119lbs (I gained to about 122-125 or so the first few months, but it’s slowly coming off, and I know this is fat I’m now losing, not water weight)
    - I eat between 2500 and 3000 calories a day from sweet juicy fruit + vegetables and eat nuts/avocado 3 times a week
    - I work out 4-6 days a week, nothing too intense, whatever I feel like my body needs. Sometimes it’s laying in Savasana and sometimes I’ll kick out a 7 mile run AND do P90x. The most important thing is to listen to what your body needs.

    Another note, since you had such destructive eating habits before, you may have more healing to do. But trust me, it’s worth it. I wish you luck, send you love and strength and know in my heart that this IS the way we should ALL be living. We deserve it!

    -Namaste

    Reply
  • Roberta Feb 27th 2012

    Hey everyone! I recently started 80/10/10 and I’ve actually gained a few pounds! I have a history of restrictive and binge eating but really need to lose weight. I was eating about 1200 cal per day and doing Insanity + a 30 minute light walk. I’ve been on 80/10/10 for 6 days and following the guidelines religiously. Is it to early to expect weight loss?

    Reply
  • kyle Feb 23rd 2012

    it does not work

    Reply
    • giselle cioraru Jun 8th 2012

      It works for me!

      Reply
  • Bro. Bob Jan 30th 2012

    The Graham approach is the best approach there is. It is also the oldest diet we know any thing about in ancient history. (Gen. 1:29)

    Reply
  • Heather Jan 30th 2012

    The vast majority of people who seriously attempt this diet run into problems, particularly weight gain for women, teeth issues, lethargy and weakness, and severe vitamin deficiencies, including A, D and B12.

    How do I know this? I was one of them. What you begin to realize after failing to thrive on this diet is that the same thing happens to almost everyone else, thus there is a large underground network forming of people who are talking openly with each other about their honest experiences with this diet. Such honesty is not allowed for a moment by the vocal raw gurus promoting this diet, who do not want their livelihood (or their egos) threatened.

    In truth, the raw leaders promoting this diet run their forums like totalitarian regimes, where members who are struggling to make the diet work for them are quickly banned, along with members who are asking too many questions. As a result of this, it can take a while to figure out the truth – that the vast majority of those who attempt this diet cannot make it work for them long term without running into serious health problems.

    Sure, there are some amazing success stories, like Michael Arnstein, but those folks are the exception, not the rule, and the rule is that a diet like 80 10 10, for most of us, would work wonderfully as a temporary detoxification/cleansing diet, but that trying to permanently live this way would be a disaster.

    You will occasionally run into people posting online about all the amazing success they’ve enjoyed on this diet, and how naysayers “just didn’t do the diet right,” but I can tell you that these people, by and large, are very new to 80 10 10 and are still enjoying their honeymoon phase, when the diet is working beautifully for them. Check in with these same individuals 2 years from now, and they will be singing a very different tune. It happens over, and over, and over again. Buyer beware.

    Reply
  • Michelle Bourke-Girgis Jan 19th 2012

    This diet sounds as though it is very high in sugar….? My nutritionalist advised me not to eat bananas for this reason….
    Would it not cause an increased risk of diabetes?

    Reply
  • charlie Jan 5th 2012

    A pound of melon for breakfast? In the middle of winter in the Pacific Northwest is simply beyond the budget of the average person. The cost of importing fruit to climates which can’t have it year round is simply prohibitive and tremendously wasteful of scarce resources. I’m sure it may be beneficial but highly impractical to those folks who don’t have the year round availability of the food.

    Reply
  • Llew Jan 3rd 2012

    Really Matt could you please provide evidence?

    There are plenty for long term healthy strong people on 80 10 10 / hcrv – just go to 30bananasaday.com, I have never met seen or heard of anyone who is on this type of diet that is weak. A common mistake with starters is that they don’t eat enough or they don’t understand the ratio as described in the book.

    I would also recommend reading the China Study (or audiobook).

    Personally I have never been so fit and healthy.

    With regards to short term detoxes – well I would say water fasting, or orange juice fasting is the way to go.

    Daniel – I know it’s hard – try and get your parents to read the book or the China Study – as a starter get them to watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucHEVNX2c9o.

    Hannah – this is a fantastic way to loose fat, you may pick up muscle weight if you are also trying to get fit – recommended.

    Livingdaylight – Watch this with regards to the cold – watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vaHSdTtLDXg

    Please get your teeth checked out as going on 80 10 10 can identify cavities / issues with your teeth.

    Reply
  • Matt Nov 23rd 2011

    You’re a high on too much fruit sugar !!
    80 10 10 is the most ridiculous long term eating plan
    unless you want to become weak and do very little physical work
    It would be good for very short term detoxes however

    Reply
  • Daniel W Nov 17th 2011

    Any advice anyone can give?

    I am 21 years old, and have been interested in raw foods, particularly fruitarianism, for almost 3 years now. I suffer from bipolar disorder, and am unable to work. I still live with my mom. Not only is it hard to convince her to buy enough fruit to help sustain this diet, but it is very difficult to stick with it when my family is constantly downing cooked foods, steaks, ice cream, etc. Does anyone have any advice or support they can offer me regarding this?

    Reply
  • Kevin Anthony Jones Nov 3rd 2011

    The 80/10/10 diet is the way to go.
    I try to eat just raw fruits and salad all of the time.
    As humans, we cook food purely because our cultures survived times when fruit was scarce by using otherwise inedible vegetables and bits of dead animals.
    And just because society appears to be built around eating cooked food doesn’t make it normal in any other sense.
    I’ve been eating fruit and salad as much as possible since April 2011 and all my running personal bests have been shattered. I just did the Dublin marathon and thought “that was easy” at the end despite shattering my marathon PB.
    Eat raw fruit and vegetables that don’t need cooking – have fun eating just one fruit uncooked as an entire meal – love the taste of natural, unenhanced salads – eat a packet of peas instead of peanuts as you walk around and savour every gorgeous mouthful.
    Read the 80/10/10 diet book BEFORE you make daft comments about it, because it is THE most healthy way to eat. Full stop!

    Reply
  • Bonnie Lynne Engel Sep 4th 2011

    Been doing the Dr. Hayes food combining approach and it is great? I think this is a step beyond and I am almost there. I still “fall off the wagon” sometomes butpart of that is lack of a place to get answers…like is Hummus considered cooked or raw! How do you eat beans without cooking them? I don’t see many raw kidney beans in the store!
    Help would be much appriceatedBonnie

    Reply
  • Ken Aug 29th 2011

    @Raederle…I’ve come to the same place…discovered it naturally w/o the 80/10/10 plan…but am now encouraged that I’m not alone. Check out The Fruitarian as well…he’s rawsome. I think that Mercola has some great information…he just can’t get over his meat addiction and has to rationalize it…sad. He’s a candidate for disease…sooner or later…and then he’ll learn.

    Reply
  • mike Aug 1st 2011

    We humans overcomplicate so many things, including health and eating. Our brains get in the way. If we watched how our nearest DNA relatives, 98% match, it’s chimpanzees. How do they eat? 10-10-80. If you think about how people have eaten over the last many thousands of years, before cooking, there was simply the food that grew in the ground, no processed oils or sugars or anything like that. And it got us all here!

    I’ve just been reading another phenomenal book soon-to-be-published on the 10-10-80 diet and food allergies (you can see the author’s website at preventivecare.com), and it rings true for me. I’ve been eating much closer to 10-10-80 the last 2 weeks, and I’ve lost weight and my energy levels are MUCH higher. I also don’t get the constant “crashes” and my moods are MUCH more stable!! And I’m only 2 weeks in! I’m already a raw fooder, so yes this seems “extreme” but then again, what’s “normal” about sucking milk from a cow’s udder? Udderly disgusting! But we call it “food”. Anyway, nice meeting you all.

    Reply
  • Paul Jul 30th 2011

    “May be too low in protein, essential fatty acids and minerals including zinc and selenium.”

    Um…what?? Did the author of this article even read the book?? It goes over this in MUCH DETAIL!

    Reply
  • shirlanne Jul 29th 2011

    I believe doctors know very little about nutritian, and yes the pharm companiesa and the fda are in bed with each other so to speak… come on there are so many people who believe in you and you have all let us down because of greed, you know that the corn syrup in products which are so readily advertised to our children are making them obese, unhealthy and health issues from the starting gate of their life…you would think by this time we would have a handle on obesity but its only getting worse, unfortunely people are so deceived by doctrine that is false and untrue because too of their belief in the system which is indeed making them so much heavier and unhealthy… have a concious about what you do and take a stand for what is right not what is popular or makes you more money… I grew up with a mother who is a top notch dietitian, she knows her stuff and she even if not popular gives the right unbiased opion,she worked a full time hospital administration job running a hospital kitchen, as well as taught doctors and nurses a nutrition course although it was a short couse that was all that was required… and we put our lives into their hands..mind you there are some dedicated doctors and nurses who do take their profession serious and take extra couses and are up tp date with information… but also should be in the concerns of medicines and foods that are in short making so many americans sick and fat……

    Reply
  • Brand Jul 26th 2011

    I’m definitely a basic traditional four food groups sort, due to my body’s response indicators. Too much fruit is not good, but some fruit is good, and that goes for all the foods. Livingdaylight who posted here is telling it straight. Response indicators. Animal products, cooked food, alcoholic beverages, salt, herbs, and spices are all good for us. It’s a matter of balance. We are Homo sapiens ssp. sapiens for a reason. Tools, fire, and the food we prepare are fundamental in making us the species we are, in addition to other factors.
    I’ve been involved in the full gamut of dietary practices since 1984, when I was 14. Basic thing is don’t over eat(however that may be for an individual), be in tune, live to perform and enjoy life. Not based on flawed research with ‘extensive studies’ and flawed books. Base it on reality with population at large and your own body. Your body reveals. Many ‘healthy’ plant based diets have caused harm to adherents, simply due to lack of balance, and not trusting and being in tune with one’s body.

    Reply
  • saab Jul 19th 2011

    Actually, I really think Dr. Mercola actually did write that. What he wrote here is not really much different from what he says in his website. He does have a few articles where he simply attacks fruits and veganism. Robert Atkins, Timothy Ferris, and Mark Sisson are just a few examples of what the fruitarian community calls “anti-fruitites”.

    Reply
  • autumn Jun 29th 2011

    i do not believe that was dr mercola who wrote that.

    Reply
  • frank Jun 28th 2011

    Joseph,

    Providing it’s really you…and based on what you said above in this blog or highlighted below…my questions/comments are:

    “Hello, I’m Dr. Mercola. I am a registered O.D. and the author of the mercola health website. Based on my years of practice, I have concluded that fruit should be avoided at all times. In 1985, after a few weeks of eating fruit for breakfast I was stunned to discover my fasting triglycerides had skyrocketed from below 100 to nearly 3,000 (yes that is not a typo)! Clearly this diet was NOT right for me and was rapidly doing some serious damage to my body. I’m thankful I caught my mistake before it was too late. Veganism is not healthy and will result in nutritional deficiencies. People MUST have some sort of animal products to keep healthy. Also, fruits are absolutely NOT a healthy food and WILL raise triglycerides. Red-meat on the other hand will keep you in shape and will not affect cholesterol or triglyceride levels in a bad way despite the saturated fat and cholesterol content.”

    1. Did you really say fruits are dangerous and so is being a vegetarian but do eat plenty of red meat and worry not about the fat, cholesterol, et al, because it’s the only way one can actually survive?!!! Evidentially, you are like many doctors, who listen to nobody if not legends in their own minds, read very little but love drastic statements…the power of the God Complex and possess a dirtily little hobby of being a paid talking piece for big pharma, dairy, meat, etc.

    Perhaps this why Napolean said “doctors will have more hell to pay than even we generals in the end!”

    2. This is foolish and surely I waste my time; mostly because you are either a paid sell out and/or you are so arrogant you refuse to read continuously. I think they say a PhD is the same as 100 books…so, what does that mean for people who read thousands of books articles, periodicals, journals, and conduct interviews, experiments, etc., compared to doctors (I cant even capitalize the name because I disrespect so much of the profession) who are so arrogant they stop learning after big pharma gives them all they need to know…you take your orders from pharma reps…did NOT study any nutrition and are just guessing at most things and make unwieldy comments in order to raise your PR quotient and then hope to sell more products…

    When people start thinking again, allopathic medicine will be for trauma only…unless your kind kills us all first…which is a high probability.

    3. In 1985 you ate some fruit and now your entire life, practice and PR machine is anti fruit…this sounds as stupid as anything I’ve heard to date from the people who kill a million plus iotragenically each year and hide it, but then whine when insurance companies crank your rates because they see that you get sued all the time for killing people or worse.

    4. Any other supreme wisdom…should we stay away from vegetables too, how about water, perhaps oxygen? Today’s science is tomorrow’s junk mail, especially when it’s completely unfounded, purely opinionated and based mostly off of greed.

    5. IF you really did study anything in school besides how to keep people coming back for more so you can buy another boat, plane or trip to the strip club with a pharma rep, Please explain the difference between mother’s breast milk, fruit, consumption of burned meat of another animal and vegetables, enzymes, co enzymes and fiber chemically speaking.

    Tell us which ones are healthy and why; and which aren’t and why?

    6. Tell us one more time why it is that we see in color and beside pollinators (and very few animals who have very limited color visually speaking) that we can see all the bright fruits…smell them, taste them and call them “low hanging fruits,” which by the way often need opposing thumbs to open (tubers, etc., require a farmer, shovel or snout to dig out of the ground and must be cooked with spices, fat, etc., to eat…sounds real natural, especially 10,000 years ago) and why is it we have a sweet tooth, why is it the brain only feeds off of simple sugars…why is it everything else we eat is broken down to simple sugars…and why it is fruits have the same or similar nutritional content as mothers milk…when infants grow the most…explain why excess protein is excreted as soon as possible from the body…please explain why natural foods are bad for us but the products you hock are actually goof for us?

    And why we are at 100, down from #1healthiest since WWII…or the decline of gardens but increase of meat as you say? The 20,000,000,000 animals that are slaughtered, eaten, worn or sat on in cars, furniture, etc.; wouldn’t you say that 20 billion for 275MM people is a bit in excess?

    Please explain the destruction of the ocean, earth, farmland, erosion and salinization (50M acres to just salinization and erosion annually) and 150 times deforestation on land are we doing to the ocean as we rip it apart with trawlers. Oil, greed, insanity, poverty, drug addiction, etc., all trumped up by people like you who push what you want for your own gain…we are our brothers keeper and its about each other, not oneself.

    Are you a quack? Sure seems like it.

    Unimpressed.

    Frank
    PS Doctors, Politicians, Lawyers, etc., are supposed to defend us, stand up for us, take the bullets for our country when needed but instead, on a whole you’re mostly cheap sell outs. The entire BS you push about being elite, educated, etc…huh!! Teddy Roosevelt said it best with “a man may steal from a rail car but an educated man will steal the entire rail road!!”

    Reply
  • Roz Jun 10th 2011

    I think any diet that GIVES UP fruit is extreme. I’m interested in this… and want to get the book to learn more. I’m vegetarian… and don’t believe excess protein is good. What the heck is Joseph Mercola talking about except his own personal opinion. Not everybody is the same but even doctors shouldn’t knock what works!

    Reply
  • Richard May 24th 2011

    The best diet there is. Been eating this way, low-fat raw-vegan for about year. First what I noticed was that my bad skin had improved significantly. I’ve slept so much better as well and never felt this energetic. Thank you Douglas Graham!

    Those who are worried about about “getting enough protein” need to shape up. Do not take adviced from supplment merchants nor the meat & dairy industry. Instead look for clinical, peer-reviewed academic studies.

    The theory:

    “There is little evidence that muscular activity increases the need for protein, except for the small amount required for the development of muscles during physical conditioning. In a view of the margin safety in the RDA, no increment is added for work or training” (Torun Et al., 1977)

    Objective experience:

    “Later in his career Dr. Schendel studied amino acids and had a hand in establishing the recommended Dietary allowances for protein. In 1970, he convinced me to do a 2-month study on my body to determine if massive protein intake was beneficial. I was consuming more than 300 grams of protein a day back then. I kept accurate records of my food intake and activity for 60 days, and even collected all my urine for the same period. Afterward, I used the Kjeldahl method for determining nitrogen in my urine, which is a measure protein utilization.

    To my surprise, any time I consumed more than the RDA of protein, the excess was excreted in my urine. Dr. Schendel concluded that my kidneys were working overtime to metabolize the excess protein. He also explained that human kidneys and livers show overuse symptoms in the presence of massive amounts of protein. We know from long-term animal studies that high-protein diets will shorten life spans. So, I stopped my massive protein diet and immeadiately felt surge of energy unburdening my kidneys and liver. In the 1970s, the daily recommendation for protein was 0,36 gram of protein per pound of body weight”.

    Ellington Darden, “The new high intensity training” (2004).

    Protein is the least of all nutrients to be worried about.

    Reply
  • Theresa May 19th 2011

    Raw food is the way to go… in 14 days I lost 24 lbs of water weight effortlessly. It took 3 days to quit feeling the detox affects of my body releasing things that were toxic. You will feel worse first. If this happens slow down the process of changing over from a cooked diet to a raw one. Your system cannot support and overload of toxins and that is the primary reason people feel bad when they start this way of eating. Be sure to have a food ready to slow the process down and continue to move to a 100% raw food diet. Don’t give up! It works!

    Reply
  • Not Mercola Again May 11th 2011

    Hi I am not Dr Mercola.

    I’m unconvinced by Mercola’s comments and found being subscribed to his newsletter like having hawkers knocking on my door every hour. He uses every Marketing trick in the book, despite, rightly, leveling that same criticism at Pharma.

    Reply
Date Last Reviewed: April 11, 2013