Dr. Fuhrman's food pyramid. Agree?

susanswan

I like Fuhrman's emphasis on nutrient dense foods, like whole fruits and veggies with high antioxidants.

LOVE this way of eating! I am stuffed all day long! It is very liberating to me to get enough food to eat. It is way more than just losing weight here, it is about your health. I'm sold and I'm in! Feel absolutely fantastic and I'm not stopping.

grinch031

For those who also noticed poultry was missing, I think the group entitled "eggs, fish, & fat-free dairy" shows a picture of a whole chicken.

Seriously though it ticks me off that beef is grouped with processed foods.

cmayfield3

I tried following his diet for a while. I'm a longtime vegetarian so the deemphasis on animal products wasn't a problem for me. The problem was all the vegetables! 1 pound cooked and 1 pound raw, with the raw to be mostly salad greens. Have you ever seen a pound of salad greens? It overflows a huge mixing bowl. Even if you split that up throughout the course of the day, it's a lot of salad! I would get halfway through a bowl of lettuce and feel like I couldn't eat another bite. Not that I was full, just, it became completely unappetizing after a while.

To be fair, a lot of adherents blend their greens along with fruit into a smoothie and drink it... I never tried that but it's probably a lot easier that way.

Protein shouldn't be a concern as vegetables and legumes are full of protein. Brussels sprouts are 31% protein for example.

FunandFitMom

I would agree. Higher fiber, varied nutrients in the veggies and fruits with higher fat and processed stuff toward the top. makes sens to me!

stellaskies

This is do-able except cheese. I need cheese. NEEEEEEED IT!

_VoV

I tried following his diet for a while. I'm a longtime vegetarian so the deemphasis on animal products wasn't a problem for me. The problem was all the vegetables! 1 pound cooked and 1 pound raw, with the raw to be mostly salad greens. Have you ever seen a pound of salad greens? It overflows a huge mixing bowl. Even if you split that up throughout the course of the day, it's a lot of salad! I would get halfway through a bowl of lettuce and feel like I couldn't eat another bite. Not that I was full, just, it became completely unappetizing after a while.

To be fair, a lot of adherents blend their greens along with fruit into a smoothie and drink it... I never tried that but it's probably a lot easier that way.

Protein shouldn't be a concern as vegetables and legumes are full of protein. Brussels sprouts are 31% protein for example.

My experience trying to follow the Fuhrman plan as a longtime veg*n is similar to yours. I just don't like sitting down to that huge a salad. I have no problem eating a pound of cooked vegetables, and can easily eat a pound of raw tomatoes, carrots, celery in a day, but those greens get me every time. Also, the Fuhrman restrictions on plant oils, grains and limited bean consumption (1 cup) makes it difficult to follow his plan to the letter.

I like his plan in theory, but in practicality, the best I can do is tweak it to what is practical and palatable to me.

Jeff92se

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

live2dream

With all that sugar in fruit and veggies I would fart so much that I could possibly rip my pants!

You don't need a lot of fruit and veggies to be healthy... Main stream media just has made us believe its to be that way.

Hilarious. Have you ever watched commercials on TV? It's meat, dairy and processed food mania- they are the trillionaires! Have you ever seen a fresh fruit or veggie commercial?

I think this pyramid is MILES evolved above the old-fashioned caveman one. I pretty much eat that way minus the top two categories since I eat only plant-based. But I'd much rather have people abuse animals and their own bodies rarely than all the time. At least if people have a ton of kale, it'll clean out their arteries from the occasional animal fat.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

I don't consider beef to be low ont he micronutrient scale..............

A single serving of steak contains 9 percent of the daily recommended amount of iron. Other micronutrients present in steak include vitamin B6, vitamin B12, zinc, niacin, choline and selenium.

FitLink

http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/foodpyramid.aspx

http://www.drfuhrman.com/default.aspx

Always catch his shows on KTCS 9. It's not exactly what I live by but it's interesting.

I find it much more realistic than eating like a caveman or eating bacon and steak all the time ala Atkins.

Micronutrient based diiet. Makes more sense than the above.

I disagree. There is nothing unhealthy about lean meats.

Jeff92se

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

I don't consider beef to be low ont he micronutrient scale..............

A single serving of steak contains 9 percent of the daily recommended amount of iron. Other micronutrients present in steak include vitamin B6, vitamin B12, zinc, niacin, choline and selenium.

You might not but he does. Hence HIS pyramid. I think he likes chicken less than lean beef though

therealangd

I prefer Michi's Ladder, personally.

http://focusonfit.com/michis-ladder.html

It has BACON!

Jeff92se

http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/foodpyramid.aspx

http://www.drfuhrman.com/default.aspx

Always catch his shows on KTCS 9. It's not exactly what I live by but it's interesting.

I find it much more realistic than eating like a caveman or eating bacon and steak all the time ala Atkins.

Micronutrient based diiet. Makes more sense than the above.

I disagree. There is nothing unhealthy about lean meats.

No one said there was.

flsl

Thats interesting, thanks for posting...
(comments & debate too)

I think there is a simple question to ask yourself: Do the foods you love, love you back?
If you eat it, and it makes you feel good, (now and later) then it does some good.

There are lots of foods I love that dont really like me. Breads, chocolate, alchohol, coffee. I feel better without them, but keep going back to them like a bad lover...(short term joy, long term discomfort, low energy etc)

Then theres beef. Dont like beef, just eat it once a month. I think its an iron craving :-)

myofibril

Seems reasonable enough.

It tries to get a balance between nutrient density and calorie density. Both cheese and beef tend to be fairly calorific as opposed to being nutrient deficient.

I guess the idea is to get people to spontaneously eat less calories, a greater volume of food but whilst also covering the nutritional bases.

_VoV

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

I agree with you (see, I said it!). I think his emphasis is on phytonutrients, and I agree that those are a worthwhile focus in most people's diets. There's the theory that if we eat too much calorie dense-nutrient poor food that our bodies will continue to tell us to eat more until we get the micronutrients we need. For me, eating has a strong emotional component, so I will never know whether that theory holds true in my case. It makes intuitive sense to me, though.

Jeff92se

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

I agree with you (see, I said it!). I think his emphasis is on phytonutrients, and I agree that those are a worthwhile focus in most people's diets. There's the theory that if we eat too much calorie dense-nutrient poor food that our bodies will continue to tell us to eat more until we get the micronutrients we need. For me, eating has a strong emotional component, so I will never know whether that theory holds true in my case. It makes intuitive sense to me, though.

I assume you mean those foods to be stuff like chips, cake, etc... overly processed foods that are not only nutrient deficent but toxic. I think lean meats are low nutrient from his view but I don't think they are "bad".

Protein dense foods should help curb appetite. While the other junk foods tend to create artifical hunger or toxic hunger as he describes it

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

I don't consider beef to be low ont he micronutrient scale..............

A single serving of steak contains 9 percent of the daily recommended amount of iron. Other micronutrients present in steak include vitamin B6, vitamin B12, zinc, niacin, choline and selenium.

You might not but he does. Hence HIS pyramid. I think he likes chicken less than lean beef though

I like Chicken less than beef also where the nutritional content is concerned. Also, the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio is better aligned with beef than it is with poultry.

I am all about nutrient dense foods.

_VoV

Beans / nuts can be up to 40% of the calories.

I don't adhere to it. It's just interesting to view diet from a micronutrient view. He doesn't like meats, not because they are bad for you (ie.. causes early mortality, ugh) but because of it's low micronutrient values.

I agree with you (see, I said it!). I think his emphasis is on phytonutrients, and I agree that those are a worthwhile focus in most people's diets. There's the theory that if we eat too much calorie dense-nutrient poor food that our bodies will continue to tell us to eat more until we get the micronutrients we need. For me, eating has a strong emotional component, so I will never know whether that theory holds true in my case. It makes intuitive sense to me, though.

I assume you mean those foods to be stuff like chips, cake, etc... overly processed foods that are not only nutrient deficent but toxic. I think lean meats are low nutrient from his view but I don't think they are "bad".

My thoughts ran to refined foods with lots of fat, sugar, refined grains and salt, just as you said. And, I don't use terms like 'good' and 'bad' foods, but I understand what you are saying. Still, I think a plant-poor diet, heavy in meat, cheese and white bread (thinking burgers here), could keep some people eating beyond a desirable point for their health. Plenty of people get away with that style of eating, particularly at young ages, but it often becomes less tenable in older people with lower BMR's and poorer nutrient absorption. Not everyone, however.

Jeff92se

I think as we get older, the importance of strength training gets more important. Helps with bone desnity and metabolism. Allows one to tolerate the guilty pleasures w/o too much penalty

_VoV

I think as we get older, the importance of strength training gets more important. Helps with bone desnity and metabolism. Allows one to tolerate the guilty pleasures w/o too much penalty

Totally agree. Excellent point. But, for smaller older women, the term 'guilty pleasure' will mean a much smaller 'treat' most times. I have to make each calorie count to meet my macros and other nutritional goals almost every day.

Jeff92se

I'd suggest lifting to gain more muscle mass.

Jeff92se

bump