The Cure for the American Diet: Nutrient Density

The American diet causes disease. It is composed of 25 percent animal products and 62 percent processed foods and only 5 percent of calories from fruits and vegetables.(1) We could not have designed a more effective cancer-causing, heart-attack-causing diet if we had scientifically planned it. Our nation's food choices have produced a population with widespread chronic illness and health care costs spiraling out of control. You cannot escape from the biological law of cause and effect -- food choices are the most significant cause of disease and premature death. We cannot win the war on these diseases by putting more money into medical interventions or drugs. We must unleash the disease-fighting artillery in our own kitchens.

The key to excellent health and longevity is to eat a high ratio of micronutrients to macronutrients. Macronutrients contain calories -- fat, carbohydrate and protein -- thereby supplying us with energy. Micronutrients -- vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals -- don't contain calories, but have other essential roles. Thousands of these compounds work synergistically to detoxify carcinogens, deactivate free radicals, enable DNA repair, and maintain immune defenses. Lack of phytochemicals due to a low-micronutrient diet has an inevitable consequence: chronic disease. Low-nutrient foods also stimulate overeating. Low-nutrient, high-calorie food is known to be physiologically addictive, having effects on the brain similar to those of illegal drugs.(2) Dieting by portion control doesn't work because one is constantly fighting addictive drives. However, the drive to over-consume calories is blunted by high-micronutrient food.

I describe the basic principle of nutritional science with my Health Equation:

Health = Nutrients / Calories (H = N / C)

Your future health can be predicted by the nutrient density of your diet

The human body is a miraculous self-healing machine, but those self-repair systems require a nutrient-dense diet. It is normal for my diabetic patients to become un-diabetic, and for my patients with heart disease to have the plaque in their arteries shrink and slowly disappear -- these high-nutrient foods are powerful medicine:

• Green vegetables contain potent anti-cancer compounds called isothiocyanates (3), and are the most nutrient-dense of all foods.

• The Onion family contains cancer-protective organosulfur compounds (4), and consuming mushrooms regularly decreases the risk of breast cancer. (5)

• Fruits, especially berries and pomegranate. Berries are full of antioxidants and are linked to reduced risk of diabetes, cancers and cognitive decline. (6) Pomegranate has multiple cardiovascular health benefits, for example reducing LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, and accelerating atherosclerotic plaque regression. (7)

• Beans are a nutrient-dense weight-loss food -- they stabilize blood sugar, promoting satiety and preventing food cravings. Regular bean consumption helps to reduce cholesterol and is associated with decreased cancer risk. (8)

• Nuts contain a spectrum of beneficial nutrients including healthy fats , LDL-lowering phytosterols, circulation-promoting arginine, minerals and antioxidants; they have significant cardiovascular benefits and promote weight control. (9) Seeds are abundant in trace minerals, and each kind is nutritionally unique. Flaxseeds provide abundant omega-3s, pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc and iron, and sesame seeds are high in calcium and multiple vitamin E fractions.

Doesn't every American have the right to know they don't have to suffer a heart attack or a stroke? They can protect themselves. They could choose otherwise, but shouldn't they be informed of the most effective lifestyle to protect against cancer? Should they just be given drugs for diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and more or should they know they have the opportunity for a complete non-drug recovery? I believe the time is now to take action and improve the health of our country. If we mobilize our resources to educate people of all ages, we can win this critical war against heart disease and cancer, which we are presently losing. We don't need to find the cure, it has already been found and it is sitting there on the shelves of our grocery stores.

Dr. Fuhrman is a best-selling author, nutritional researcher and board certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine. Visit his informative website at DrFuhrman.com.

References:

1. USDA Economics Research Service, 2005. ; www.ers.usda.gov/publications/EIB33; www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FoodConsumption/FoodGuideIndex.htm#calories

2. Johnson PM, Kenny PJ. Dopamine D2 receptors in addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rats. Nat Neurosci. 2010 Mar 28. [Epub ahead of print]

Scripps Research Institute (2010, March 29). Compulsive eating shares addictive biochemical mechanism with cocaine, heroin abuse, study shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 16, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100328170243.htm

3. Higdon JV et al. Cruciferous Vegetables and Human Cancer Risk: Epidemiologic
Evidence and Mechanistic Basis. Pharmacol Res. 2007 March ; 55(3): 224-236

4. Powolny AA, Singh SV. Multitargeted prevention and therapy of cancer by
diallyl trisulfide and related Allium vegetable-derived organosulfur compounds.
Cancer Lett. 2008 Oct 8;269(2):305-14.

5. Zhang M, et al. Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women. Int J Cancer. 2009;124:1404-1408

6. Bazzano LA, Li TY, Joshipura KJ, Hu FB. Intake of fruit, vegetables, and fruit juices and risk of diabetes in women. Diabetes Care. 2008 Jul;31(7):1311-7.

Hannum SM. Potential impact of strawberries on human health: a review of the science. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2004;44(1):1-17.

Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Willis LM. Grape juice, berries, and walnuts affect brain aging and behavior. J Nutr. 2009 Sep;139(9):1813S-7S.

Stoner GD, Wang LS, Casto BC. Laboratory and clinical studies of cancer chemoprevention by antioxidants in berries. Carcinogenesis. 2008 Sep;29(9):1665-74.

7. Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, et al. Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood pressure and LDL oxidation. Clin Nutr 2004;23(3):423-33.

8. Bazzano LA, Thompson AM, Tees MT, et al. Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2009 Nov 23. [Epub ahead of print]

Aune D, De Stefani E, Ronco A, et al. Legume intake and the risk of cancer: a multisite case-control study in Uruguay. Cancer Causes Control. 2009 Nov;20(9):1605-15.

9. Sabaté J, Ang Y. Nuts and health outcomes: new epidemiologic evidence. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1643S-1648S. Epub 2009 Mar 25.

Mattes RD et al. Impact of peanuts and tree nuts on body weight and healthy weight loss in adults. J Nutr. 2008 Sep;138(9):1741S-1745S.

 

 

 

Follow Joel Fuhrman, M.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/drfuhrman

Comments

[Deb B]

02:28 PM on 09/14/2010

Health = nutrient / calories? I'm fine with the sentiment, but shouldn't an equation have numbers? Exactly what units are you using to measure health, and how do those units cancel out with nutrients and calories?

It's a little hard to take anyone seriously when they insist on expressing non-quantitative ideas as equations- it reminds me of the grade school posters that said things like "Learning = Fun" or "Our School = Respect + Learning"....

[Michael Muha]

01:51 PM on 09/15/2010

Health==the food you eat....has a number (ANDI score). These scores or numbers can be found in Whole Foods Grocery stores or Dr. Fuhrman's Book. Bottom line, leafy green vegetables have the highest ANDI scores(Aggregate Nutrient Density Index). The numbers are much more about micro- nutrients rather them macro-nutrients. If a food has less calories and lots of micro-nutrients, it has a high score. Not everyone wants an equation with units: many want to simply understand the eating style.

[Alice Daigre Lamy]

03:47 AM on 09/14/2010

Come ON, folks!! Wake up and smell the dollars!!
nothing new under the sun......


http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=6717

[G love]

09:53 AM on 09/13/2010

I have been completely vegan for a number of months now and am now evolving into more raw food eating. I get picked on all the time because of it. I know what I am doing is best for the human body. If people think it's too hard to stop eating meat, or they think it's too expensive or think nothing is wrong with it, let them eat it. I guess it will be population control. Those people will die from heart attacks, strokes and disease. If that is what they want then fine. I am tired of wasting my breath. I do my research before I make claims I am unsure of.

[equianimi]

09:04 AM on 09/13/2010

Making your own kefir is always something I mention, but most people here probably already know about that.

[muddasar48]

10:11 AM on 09/12/2010

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[Deborah Bennett SLP]

09:22 AM on 09/12/2010

I have been eating according to Dr. Fuhrman's guidelines for over six years, and can attest that this eating style is health promoting, satisfying, and need not be expensive or difficult, even for someone near poverty level. I gave the vegan version a one year try and it was great, but have chosen to add a small amount of meat/eggs once in a while for variety for the last five years. I never have cravings or go hungry. I've never felt better, either.

[Last Gasp]

03:08 AM on 09/12/2010

organ meats, egg yolk, coconut oil, bone broth, sour kefir.

[FreeSpeech4All]

12:48 AM on 09/12/2010

Once you start eating real foods on a regular basis, you will not go back. It does not have to cost a lot. My diet is not perfect, but I don't eat beef, I treat other meat (poultry and occasionally fish) as a condiment, not the main entree. I grow my own veggies and u-pick berries and freeze them; they are the basis of the fruit smoothie I have every day. I go to the farmer's market. I do not eat fast food or processed and in fact, most of it tastes awful. Eating real foods will alter your taste buds and after a while, you won't want to eat the bad stuff.

Those who have commented on here that it is too expensive or inconvenient to eat healthy, are not trying hard enough. Plenty of things like beans, rice, greens are inexpensive. There are tons of recipes online. Most people who say they are too busy to cook are the same people who will spend hours in front of the TV or on the internet. With a little planning, you can do a lot. Start out small and work your way up. Add one new meal or new eating habit a week and eventually you'll see real change.

[Last Gasp]

03:10 AM on 09/12/2010

beef is a healthy food. fats and carbohydrates. people all over the world have eaten it for millions of years and had genetically healthy babies.

There never was a vegetarian culture that thrived.

[Deborah Bennett SLP]

09:16 AM on 09/12/2010

Beef has fat and protein (the kind of protein that promotes cancer and heart disease), no carbohydrates. And no fiber or antioxidants. It is abundant in calories and saturated fat. Read "Healthy at 100" to read about many vegetarian or near-vegetarian cultures that not only survive, but thrive, with none of the diseases that are killing us in the US.

Dr. Fuhrman's plan can be done as a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore plan. The main issue is nutrient density of the overall diet.

[Rob Halpin]

10:25 PM on 09/12/2010

Beef is loaded with saturated fat and has zero fiber. It's absolutely not healthy. There is no nutrient in beef that isn't better derived from plant sources.

Also, humans haven't been on the *earth* for "millions of years" so we certainly haven't been eating beef that long.

[JRN]

12:51 PM on 09/11/2010

Great article.

I have finally started cleaning up my diet, and have made myself a chart that I fill in daily. I don't measure calories, but every day I try to come as close as I can to eating the number of portions of healthy foods that I should eat. Every day I try to eat 1-2 servings of whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa . . .), 3+ servings of vegetables, 2+ servings of fruit, some dairy, some protein (lean meat, beans, nuts, eggs).

I have finally figured it out. When I do this, I have fewer cravings because I'm giving my body what it needs. I still eat plenty of calories, and my portion sizes may even still be a little too big, but I am FULL, and I find that there is just no room left for the "junk". It's the best "diet" I've ever been on!

It is harder. It takes more planning, a little more shopping, and certainly more time cooking. But if you can do it, it's worth it.

[Paul Surovell]

10:17 PM on 09/11/2010

One great thing about Dr. Fuhrman's program is that you can eat unlimited amounts of vegetables (cooked and raw) beans (including peas and lentils) and fruit. As you learn about the delicious recipes you can eat with these ingredients alone (in his books and on his website) these unlimited categories of food begin to make up by far the biggest part of your diet. The only food categories you have to limit are starchy vegetables (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes), nuts and seeds (usually about a handful per day) and avocado (not more than one per day). Essentially what happens is that the nutrient-dense foods predominate and less nutrient-dense foods -- oils, sugar, starchy vegetables and processed foods generally -- are eliminated or become of secondary importance.

[Paul Surovell]

11:08 AM on 09/11/2010

I can attest from personal experience that Dr. Fuhrman's program is everything that it claims to be. It takes some work to adapt but the rewards are transformative. It is absolutely worth the time, effort and expense.

[StephenJK]

06:54 AM on 09/11/2010

It costs buku bucks to get away from the poison in the American diet. Reverse Osmosis filtrated water. Organic produce. Grass-fed, no antibiotic/hormone meat. This is the diet of people who are rich. Sorry doc, no can do.

[zymos]

10:57 AM on 09/11/2010

I don't understand people saying this stuff is so expensive.
I guess it depends where you live.
Grass fed organic beef costs 5.99- 8.99 lb (ground beef being on the low end) and organic chicken 4.99-8.99 lb at my local coop.

Yeah- it is more than the industrial meat from the supermarket, but you don't need to eat pounds and pounds of it either- we're talking about maybe an additional 10$ a week for the whole family.

[rc42]

11:27 AM on 09/11/2010

I agree with you.Eating more healthy is only as expensive and complicated as people make it.Insead of eating low quality meat everyday eat better quality meat only a couple of times a week.We have cut down on our meat portions and added more veggies and beans.

[StephenJK]

08:09 AM on 09/12/2010

Yeah, where do you live? I live in Chicago. It's ridiculously expensive here.

[BLACKCAT66]

01:16 PM on 09/11/2010

I work in the plumbing industry and I can tell you that reverse osmosis sytems are overkill for most parts of the country. Unless you live in an area with really really bad water or someone in your household with a comprimised immune system reverse osmosis is way overboard. Better off with just a good standard filtration system (and it doesn't have to cost a lot). Reverse Osmosis filters out EVERYTHING in the water including benificial nutrients and minerals, its costly and wasteful (takes two gallons of water for every one it produces) and people find that the water tastes 'dead' or 'flat'. Organic produce, especially in season, has come down in cost since there is more market presence. I have found this web site a good way to find local sources of organic meat and produce in my area:
http://www.localharvest.org/

[StephenJK]

08:07 AM on 09/12/2010

Thanks for the info, Blackcat.

RO is the only way to get fluoride, pharmaceuticals and other junk out of the water. I can get nutrients and minerals elsewhere.

[PalMD]

04:49 PM on 09/10/2010

I've got a bit of a response up:
http://scientopia.info/blogs/whitecoatunderground/2010/09/09/your-disease-your-fault/

[Crows]

11:10 PM on 09/10/2010

Malarkey.

[Clinton Northcutt]

02:29 PM on 09/10/2010

Hemp food products contain all of the essential fatty acids: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/16637630

[naples4kids]

12:32 PM on 09/10/2010

Not per calorie consumed! Leafy Green Vegetables are generally the most nutrient dense food per calorie

[liveandlearn]

01:32 AM on 09/10/2010

i don't think the cure is easily found in the grocery store. one has to get some things from a variety of stores because unless you have the money to shop at whole foods, real food is expensive. still, being sick is even more expensive.

[Ergon]

10:40 AM on 09/10/2010

For those who can, I recommend local farmers markets and grow your own.
Take out can actually be more expensive in the long run.

[Deborah Bennett SLP]

09:12 AM on 09/12/2010

This diet style does not have to be expensive. I live at the poverty line and have been eating this way for over six years. I shop at discount grocery stores and take advantage of in season produce and sales at regular grocery stores. I have never shopped at Whole Foods. I grow some things that take little space or care, like tomatoes and green leafy vegetables.

With no health insurance, I view eating very high on the nutrient density scale as my insurance against the common diseases that kill most Westerners.

[UhOh1]

01:03 PM on 09/12/2010

thanks. you are correct.