General description
Dr. Dean Ornish is a medical doctor who is the author of several best-selling diet books, including, eat more, weigh lessand daily cooking. Dr. Ornish is primarily a cardiologist and created his diet primarily as a way to lower cholesterol in his patients and reverse symptoms of heart disease. Ornish is a vegetarian and recommends a plant-based diet as a means of lowering cholesterol and reducing weight. His diet claims to not only reduce weight, but also reverse the symptoms of heart disease. The staples of this diet are large amounts of vegetables and fruits, supplemented with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains. Ornish recommends a diet that is 70% carbohydrate, 20% protein, and 10% fat, while the typical American diet is 40% fat, 40% carbohydrate, and 20% protein. Ornish was and is a prominent critic of low-carb, high-fat diets, such as the Atkins diet, and claims that low-carb diets pose a health risk.
advantages
- Healthy: A diet low in fat, rich in fruits and vegetables is widely recognized as one that will not only promote weight loss, but also better overall health.
cons
- Too strict: As nice as it is to eat only fruits and vegetables, most people can’t sustain such a diet long-term, and that’s not the goal of all weight loss programs.
Bottom line
If you love fruits and vegetables and would be happy and satisfied subsisting on that food, then of course this diet might be right for you. If you feel hungry after eating only salads, there are other plans that can help you lose weight without such a restrictive regimen.