Pritikin Diet Review
What You Should Know
The Pritikin Diet was designed by Nathan Pritikin in response to his own struggles with health issues. The plan, which was geared toward eliminating heart disease and improving cardiovascular health, has the added benefit of leading to weight loss in those who follow it strictly. The Pritikin Diet has as a foundation a very low fat eating plan relying primarily on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Exercise is also an important component and is a daily requirement for Pritikin Diet followers.
List of Ingredients
Not Applicable.
Product Features
The Pritikin Diet was first designed in the 1950s to treat heart disease by Nathan Pritikin. It has undergone some changes over the years and was even revised by PritikinÃs son Robert, but it remains a plan primarily used by those seeking relief from symptoms of cardiovascular disease. One of the reasons it had not found large appeal with the general public is that it is extremely restrictive and its near vegetarian angle makes it a tough sell in Western Culture where red meat and chicken are dietary staples. The foundation of the Pritikin Diet program is consumption of whole grains, five servings are suggested per day. All processes white flour products including pasta are forbidden. Vegetables and Fruit make up the next largest portion of the food plan, organic and fresh items are preferable. Red meat is never to be eaten more than only a month while poultry is regulated to a once a week treat. Most fat is out, even those seen as healthy by some dieticians; and sugar, even artificial sweeteners, has no place here. Exercise is expected a minimum of 45 minutes per day. The result of this intense plan is better cardiovascular health and most followers of the Pritikin Diet do lose weight as a consequence of the combination of the low fat diet and exercise.
Advantages
- The Pritikin Diet has been shown to lower the risks of illness, particularly as relates to cardiovascular issues.
- The Pritikin Diet does not insist on portion controls.
- The Pritikin Diet incorporates healthy eating and exercise for a complete plan.
Disadvantages
- The Pritikin Diet greatly restricts consumption of meats, both red meats and poultry.
- In order to faithfully follow the Pritikin Diet, an individual needs to avoid eating out; most meals require home preparation.
- The Pritikin Diet is formulated around eating six small meals per day, which is not convenient for most people.
- The Pritikin Diet plan calls for 45 minutes of exercise per day, which might not be possible for all individuals.
Conclusion
The Pritikin Diet was designed to improve health, most notably cardiovascular health, and it does seem to be effective for that purpose. Because of its greatly restricted consumption of processed foods, sugars, and rich dairy products it also has the benefit of leading to weight loss. But its strict guidelines are probably too much for the casual dieter to commit to. If an individual is currently using a diet aid to help with weight loss they might incorporate some of the general eating ideas in the Pritikin Diet to help with the success of their existing routine; but adopting the whole plan means a drastic lifestyle change.