The 80 10 10 Diet by Dr. Douglas Graham is a raw food version of a low-fat plant based diet, similar to that popularized by Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. John McDougall.
Graham, who is a lifetime athlete, has been eating a raw food diet for almost thirty years and raves about the health benefits from eating according to his method.
He has acted as dietary advisor to world-class athletes and celebrities including Martina Navratilova and Demi Moore.
Those new to raw foods may struggle with this diet as raw food takes a bit of getting used to.
Graham proposes that the ideal ratio of macronutrients to support health is:
Other low-fat vegan diets rely on cooked starches such as rice, bread, and potatoes as the main source of calories.
Dr. Douglas Graham
Starches and grains are low in nutrients and because they taste bland we usually add sugar, salt, and fats which compromise their potential health value.
Graham overcomes this problem by basing his program entirely on raw foods with fruit forming the foundation of the diet. He states that fruit is the ideal food for humans and supports his claims with convincing arguments and scientific research.
Dieters are encouraged to eat mono meals of fruit where a single fruit is eaten in large quantities.
For example, breakfast might consist of 4 pounds of watermelon. Graham explains that it is necessary to eat fruit in such amounts in order to obtain adequate calories, which is necessary to thrive on this diet.
Graham also advises dieters to consume approximately a pound of leafy greens each day such as lettuce, spinach, and celery. Foods high in fat such as avocado and nuts are generally limited to a small serving every second day or so.
Although the diet is the foundation of the program Graham emphasizes the importance of addressing other lifestyle factors, which include exercise, sunlight, adequate sleep, and emotional balance.
Fruit, vegetables, avocado, raw nuts and seeds, young coconut.
Breakfast
3 lbs cantaloupe |
Lunch
1 lb bananas 1 lb mangoes |
Dinner |
Course 1
1 lb apricots |
Course 2
Orange Pepper Tomato Soup (8 oz romaine lettuce 8 oz tomatoes 8 oz orange or yellow pepper Parsley sprig) |
Course 3
Heirloom Avocado Salad (8 oz romaine lettuce 8 oz cucumber 12 oz tomatoes 6 oz avocado ¼ cup cilantro) |
An important aspect of the program is regular daily exercise. Graham advises dieters to aim to do some aerobic exercise every day and to engage in strength training three times a week.
Graham states that if you are not exercising on a regular basis then you are not following the program.
The 80 10 10 Diet retails at $29.95.
The book is available in several formats on Amazon here.
There will be an increase in the cost of groceries due to the need for a large amount of fresh produce.
The 80 10 10 diet is an extreme approach to dieting that will not appeal to everyone. It is probably most suitable for individuals who are highly committed, such as professional athletes, or dieters who have a specific goal that they hope to achieve by following this plan.
Graham improves on many of the nutritional inadequacies of other low-fat vegan diets and the intake of vitamins and minerals is much higher due to the inclusion of an abundant amount of fruit and leafy green vegetables.
However, many people have reported problems following a raw vegan diet and it may be difficult to support optimal health without guidance or supervision from a qualified health professional who has experience with this approach to dieting.
I have done this for years. It is the only way to effectively maintain a 125 lb weight loss for 17 years. This works.