As you may know, I recommend a low-fat diet.
This may fly in the face of current diet fads and trends that tout the benefits of ‘good fats’ to no end.
Yet, I have never found anything more powerful for health as a high carb, low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet.
In fact, there’s not a single scientific study showing that you can reverse heart disease on a low-carbohydrate diet.
However, countless studies have proven that you can do so on a low-fat, plant-based diet.
The key thing is… total fat intake has to be kept at around 10% of total calories. That’s when you start to see the benefits.
Benefits include:
- Much higher energy levels
- Improved digestion
- Prevention and reversal of degenerative diseases
- Lower body fat without portion control
- Better sleep
- Improved mood
Before switching to raw foods, I used to eat the standard American diet, which is the diet most people call ‘normal’, and my health suffered terribly as a result.
Those problems were resolved by increasing the carbohydrate content of my diet in the form of fruit, and eliminating excessive quantities of fat — mainly by quitting animal products, as well as cutting down on processed foods and refined foods (such as oil).
My new diet is not original however… I first came to these conclusions after studying Natural Hygiene for 6 years, and especially the work of Dr. Herbert Shelton.
Shelton (1895-1985) is considered the modern founder of Natural Hygiene, and is an inspiration to countless health seekers around the world.
He produced a wealth of literature of almost 40 books and other information material, and helped over 40,000 patients recovered their health through water fasts and low fat diets.
In later studies, the work of author T.C Fry has also influenced me. His diet advocates getting most of your daily calories from fruit, with plenty of green vegetables, and a maximum of 10% of fat by total caloric intake.
That means, for most people, less than 1/2 avocado a day, on average (and not every day, if you’re not very active or athletic).
Finally, getting up to date on the latest science in human nutrition through the work of many great nutritionists and health teachers has reinforced my belief that a low-fat diet is best for your health.
The doctors and authors who also influence me are:
Dr. Keki Sidwha
Dr. Douglas Graham
Dr. John McDougall, MD
T. Colin Campbell, PhD
Dr. Neal Barnard, MD
Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, MD
All of those doctors and teachers, and at least a dozen more that I won’t mention today, recommend a low-fat, plant-based diet.
What’s a low-fat diet?
Essentially, it doesn’t mean avoiding all fats. But it means getting most of your calories from carbohydrates (from whole food sources), and fewer than 10% of your calories from fat; some people allow up to 15%.
In practice, that means:
- Do not consume any oil.
- Do not consume any food of animal origin, especially dairy products, beef, chicken, and eggs.
- Do not eat more than one ounce of nuts a day, or half an avocado, on average.
- Eliminate those foods if you have heart disease or wish to lose weight.
When you follow such a program, your taste buds will require a bit of adaptation. It’s not that fat has much taste, but it helps carry flavours, like salt or sugar.
Also, when we eat a higher-fat diet, our taste buds get used to it.
According to Dr. Esselstyn, it takes around 12 weeks to adapt to a low-fat diet.
Initially, you may find the food bland and unappetizing, but, after a while, you will enjoy it even more than your old food; you will even find the taste of a high-fat meal repulsive.
This entire process takes around 12 weeks, so be patient.
I can attest that it’s true. Nowadays, if I eat something that many people would consider ‘delicious’, I will find it extremely unappetizing if it contains a lot of fat.
Unless, of course, all that fat is mixed in with sugar, this tends to fool everyone’s taste buds.
You’d be surprised how your general vitality improves after adopting a ‘low fat’ vegan diet.
But let’s make it clear, vegan is only healthy when is ‘low fat’, and not otherwise.
You can go to a fast food restaurant and eat French fries with Coca Cola and you can call that a vegan diet, right? But it doesn’t make it healthy, correct?
A high fat, ‘processed vegan diet’ is not healthy for us, or for our planet, and as a result, for all the animals that live in it.
Sources: Life Science, Renegade Health, Hygienic Review
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21 Responses
So encouraging to find someone not going along with the faddish high fat, earth unsustainable diet. thanks.
Thank you. xx
I have been a vegetarian for a little over 7 years and leaning more towards raw and low fat vegan options. Thanks for sharing this information.
I agree with you. I realized the only diet makes my body to be in its normal shape and standard, is low fat diet. I felt repulsive on smell of meat or butter in my food only after 3 weeks starting this diet.
thank you for information you share with us.
What if you are diabetic. Does eating fruit increase your blood sugar levels?
The issue with type 2 diabetes is “fat”. I fully explain it in my book. x
I have a question for you….How much “real” coconut should one eat in a day, or in a week? You mention having no more than a 1/2 of an avocado, or an ounce of nuts a day. What about coconuts? And, what about drinking the coconut water? (real coconut water from a young coconut) O.K. that was 2 questions.
Thanks in advance.
Thnku very much. Simple 2 understand.
Great article. What about seeds (chia, flax seeds, etc) what would the portion be?
Thank you very much. It is veery informative. 🙂
I agree low fat makes the difference! In your raw dinner receipes many dishes have1-2 cups of nuts or up to 2 avocados. How can i understand that if you recommend just to eat not more than one ounce of nuts or 1/2 avocado a day?
Implementing low fat for dinner is the hard part without good tasting dishes.
Your downloads have no file attached to them. I am in Santa Monica, California (Southern CA) Where can I buy your books.Your information has changed my life.
Mary Crane
We just sent you an email, please check your inbox.x
Thank you for your post. I eat LOTS OF fruit for breakfast and lunch, but find that after the lunch I still feel hungry or want something savory/fats like nuts, seeds, or avocado. How to address this?
I am a 71-year-old vegan new to the lifestyle. I need to protect my cardiovascular system and lose weight. That would mean no nuts or avocados. My concern is about my brain. Will it thrive on this diet or do I have to worry that’s a brain my age should have some Nourishment from fat.
Do you consider fat from vege and fruits? Or only from processed oil, butter and ghee? I will count my fat from nuts, avacodo,,oil, butter , chi seeds, flex seeds, hemp seeds, sugar, brown suger, palm sugar, coconut butter etc…
Everything I am reading makes so much sense – I went vegetarian for the animals and then (far later than I wish I had) vegan for the animals when I understood more but I eat a lot of processed vegan foods and I now need to be a good vegan! I know I have to do it for myself but I also have to do it to be a good advert for being vegan so as to help more animals. I have downloaded your free e-book thank you and am going to try the transition slowly.
Can I just ask, why is being a bad vegan bad for the animals – sorry if that’s a stupid question but I would like to understand this?
Agree, but olive oil is good for you unless is cooked?
Hi Ariel,
I have been vegan for almost 4 years and I love it and what it has accomplished for my health. I do try to eat raw as much as possible (but am often tempted by all the vegan “junk” food available these days). My question is about the fat content – even when I’m raw I include nuts, seeds and avocados…I would like to slim down further, but if you eliminate all fat, what about absorption of fat soluble vitamins, ADEK? I’ve always been under the impression that without at least a small amount of fat, those nutrients can not be absorbed…also with certain healthy spices, such as turmeric. I’ve been told in the past that there must be a small fat source included to reap full nutritional benefits. I’d very much like to gain further perspective on this topic! Thank you!!
Hi
What is your take on soya products..vegan cheese and plant based milks…also protein powders for smoothies.
Should one be adding seeds .
Best daily diet ideas please for weight loss and health.
Great article, I have been low fat wholefood plant based high raw, but worry I am not low fat enough, many people have commented on what is the quota for daily fat intake, it would be good to know the exact measurements so here is a guide for an ounce of nuts:
A one-ounce serving of nuts greatly differs. The following equal one ounce: 24 almonds, 18 medium cashews, 12 hazelnuts or filberts, 8 medium Brazil nuts, 12 macadamia nuts, 35 peanuts, 15 pecan halves and 14 English walnut halves (3)
Now I am thinking that is quite a lot of nuts but I will not eat that many and I do have a tablespoon of tahini a day and half a cup of almond milk,. I only have about a quarter of avocado maybe twice a week. My 19 year old has a lot more though but he is still under weight. He is on a plant based diet too.
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