Low-Fat Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet

A low-fat, whole foods plant-based diet, also known as a low-fat whole foods vegan diet, has been popularized by Dr. John McDougall, author of The McDougall Program, and Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live. On both plans, the dieter adopts a totally vegan diet and concentrates on eating naturally low-fat whole foods. The diets center around eating fruits, legumes, whole grains and vegetables. McDougall and Fuhrman advocate this type of diet for weight loss and to obtain maximum health.

Vegan

A vegan diet excludes all foods made of or by animals. All meats including poultry, fish and seafood, all dairy products, eggs and animal byproducts such as lard and gelatin are abstained from on a vegan diet. The diet consists of plant-based foods such as grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, vegetarian meat substitutes, soy products such as tofu and soy milk, other dairy substitutes and oils.

Whole Foods

Whole foods are foods containing all of their nutrients naturally provided by Mother Nature. Whole foods have not been processed or refined, and they do not contain synthetic, artificial or lab-created ingredients. Nothing has been added to them, either, including fiber or protein. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains such as brown rice or oatmeal, nuts and legumes are examples of whole foods.

Processed foods, conversely, are foods that do not look as though they could be found in nature "as is." Prepackaged foods such as frozen dinners and canned soups, all purpose flour, refined sugar, anything with trans fats or high fructose corn syrup, junk food, artificial sweeteners, sodas, "diet" foods like Weight Watchers bars and SnackWell's cookies and store-bought juices are examples of processed foods.

The McDougall Program

The McDougall program completely eliminates fats. Salt is also severely restricted, with only small amounts allowed to make food more palatable. On the plan, the dieter can eat unlimited whole grains such as oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat couscous, vegetables and legumes. However, all nuts and seeds are banned, and fruit is limited to two servings per day. For maximum weight loss, Dr. McDougall also recommends reducing the consumption of soy products.

Eat to Live

The Eat to Live program eliminates fats and all foods containing flours until the individual reaches an ideal weight. On the plan, the dieter eats an unlimited amount of non-starchy vegetables with slight restrictions on the consumption of fruits, grains and legumes. On the diet, it is recommended that 1 pound of salad and other raw vegetables be eaten every day with 1 pound of cooked non-starchy vegetables, four servings of fruit, 1 cup of starchy vegetables and whole grains, 1 cup of legumes, 1 ounce of nuts and 1 tablespoon of flax seeds. Once an ideal weight is reached, unprocessed fats and foods with whole wheat flours may be added back into the diet but must be consumed sparingly.

Benefits

Studies suggest that a low-fat vegan diet based on whole foods can aid in weight loss, help with diabetes, lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. For example, a study by Stanford University suggests that a low-fat vegan diet has twice the cholesterol-lowering power of omnivorous low-fat diet. Similarly, a study done at George Washington University revealed that eating a low-fat vegan diet helps individuals better manage type 2 diabetes. A study performed at University of Massachusetts Medical School revealed that a low-fat vegan diet slows cancer growth, and similar results were discussed by T. Colin Campbell in The China Study.

Dr. Kerrie Saunders also published the "Vegan Diet As Chronic Disease Prevention: Evidence Supporting the New Four Food Groups," which explores numerous scientific studies and evidence that suggests eating meat and dairy causes disease and, conversely, observing a vegan diet will prevent and cure diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and many others. Most recently, research done by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn suggested that a fat-free vegan diet can prevent and reverse heart disease.

Considerations

A balanced vegan diet will provide the body with all of its nutritional needs. However, a poorly planned diet may result in deficiencies of vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and iodine. Therefore, it is important that any individual on a vegan diet eat a wide variety of fruits, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables to ensure adequate nutrition.