O2 Diet

Background

The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful was created by dietitian and CBS’s The Early Show nutrition contributor Keri Glassman.

Her O2 Diet is based on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, developed by the USDA to indicate how well a food protects against free radicals.

According to research, eating a high-ORAC diet increases the antioxidant levels in our blood by 10 to 25 percent, which can help to protect us against cancer and heart disease, cognitive decline and other effects of aging.

Glassman claims that by following her high-antioxidant diet, not only will you lose weight but you will also have more energy, greater mental clarity, better sleep, less stress, increased libido and enhanced beauty.

Also check out Keri’s latest book, The Slim Calm Sexy Diet.

The O2 Diet Basics

o2-dietDieters are introduced to an eating plan that is based on consuming antioxidant-rich foods — not counting calories or restricting your intake of food. Each day the goal is to consume foods that supply 30,000 ORAC points.

The O2 Diet provides clear and detailed lists of the foods with the highest ORAC count to make it easy for dieters to calculate their daily intake. As an example one cup of blueberries contains 9,700 ORAC points and an ounce of dark chocolate contains 5,900 ORAC points.

The program starts with a four-day cleanse where you will consume 50,000 ORAC points a day. This will quickly boost the antioxidant power of your blood. After this you follow the four-week antioxidant program where you take in 30,000 ORAC points a day, which are almost all supplied by an abundant intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Dieters are provided with advice on how to choose antioxidant-rich meals while eating out as well as how to satisfy a sweet tooth with healthy foods that won’t disrupt the balance of free radicals in the body.

Recommended Foods

Berries, pomegranate, mango, papaya, beets, broccoli, kale, lettuce, spinach, red peppers, whole grain bread, steel-cut oats, @Ryvita@, quinoa, legumes, organic eggs, soy milk, organic Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, seeds, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, @coconut oil@, chicken breast, turkey, fish, lean meat, tofu, red wine, green tea, dark chocolate.

Sample Diet Plan

Breakfast

Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast

Lunch

Plum and Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

Dinner

Salmon with Raspberry-Balsamic Glaze
Steamed asparagus
1 glass Sangria

Evening Snack

Dark Chocolate

Exercise Recommendations

The O2 diet promotes exercise for its numerous health benefits including reducing the risk of heart disease, boosting bone health and fighting depression.

Glassman explains that exercise actually creates free radicals, which is why it is vital to eat a diet rich in antioxidants when you have an active lifestyle. Dieters who are very physically active are advised to increase their ORAC score to 50,000 in correspondence to the two days of the week that have the most intense workouts.

Costs and Expenses

The O2 Diet: The Cutting Edge Antioxidant-Based Program That Will Make You Healthy, Thin, and Beautiful retails at $24.95.

Click here to purchase this book for a discounted price.

Pros

  • Encourages a high intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • May help to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
  • No counting of calories, carbs or fat.
  • Created by a qualified dietitian.
  • Will appeal to dieters who like to understand the science of healthy eating.

Cons

  • Must keep track of ORAC points each day.
  • May be expensive to eat all the recommended foods.
  • Not specifically targeted towards weight loss.

Conclusions

The O2 Diet encourages an abundant intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and certain other foods that have a particularly high level of antioxidants. The author promises dieters that they will lose weight and feel more beautiful, but perhaps the greatest benefit of this diet is its potential to improve health and well being over the long term.

Although it does not appear to differ greatly from other plans that encourage a high intake of fruit and vegetables, its informative content makes for interesting reading and the delicious recipes contained in the O2 Diet may make this program attractive to dieters who are ready to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

 By Mizpah Matus B.Hlth.Sc(Hons)

1 Comment or Reviews

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  1. Debra

    I first saw Keri Glassman on the CBS Early Show speaking about antioxidants and the new scientific research that is incorproated into her book. I thought this was neat and intriging considering my past diets were just “do this, do that” so I purchased the book to read on. I started reading the book and was taught so much – it all finally made sense. On numerous occasions, I made many of the recipes mentioned in the book and my all time favorite has to be the Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. And I finally got my children to eat breakfast! The Spiced Applesauce Pancakes cannot be denied! I highly recommend the book’s recipes and all the information given by Keri.