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In 2004, an American professor, Colin Campbell, published The Chinese Study, a new look at food and nutrition. The result of many years of work by a scientist exclusively promotes plant foods in its original form. Over seven years of sales in America, half a million copies were bought, which provided the author and his plant diet with unprecedented fame in the United States.
The publication in Russian was published only in 2013 year. Now in our latitudes they are in full interest in a new trend. Some have already taken Campbell’s teachings as a basis for life and have set about forever abandoning steaks. Others considered in a popular book a way to quickly lose weight. Just about this more specifically.
Rules and essence of the diet
The meaning of the diet is not much different from vegetarianism and a raw food diet, but at the same time it does not apply to either one or the other. Compared to vegetarianism, it is more stringent (refusing even milk and eggs), more like veganism. Unlike raw foodists, fans of this technique, however, sometimes thermally process their food.
Campbell himself called his technique the Plant Based Diete (CRD). He argues that the most useful products should be used in its original form. That is, a plant, vegetable or fruit is best eaten uncrushed and without heat treatment. So a person will get the most out of food. Those who adhere to such a diet, nevertheless, resort to processing, to slightly dilute the menu.
The scientist is categorically against mono-diet. Diet pursues variety in food so that a person can receive more vitamins and nutrients. It should be noted that they are really needed for those who take such a technique as a constant diet, since animal fats and proteins are completely absent here.
It is important to choose products that are as natural as possible, to refuse any “garbage” additives, E-components, colorants, and flavorings. Also, followers of this philosophy do not eat gelatin and products with it, since it consists of animal bone. To avoid any harmful additives, the professor puts emphasis on home cooking. Even vegetarian foods in stores often contain processed foods that are essentially no better than meats.
Calories count on this diet is not necessary. All acceptable products, so low-calorie. Campbell believes that the quality of food is much more important than its calorie content. In this regard, the opinions of the “green” differ on soy, as in most cases it is GMO. The scientist urges to get most of the daily calorie intake from carbohydrates – approximately 80%. Another 10% is in vegetable fats and proteins.
The CRD also forbids the use of sugar and salt. The professor argues that these ingredients impair health. It should be noted that for weight loss these are not the best companions. It will be useful to replace them with herbs, natural spices, maple syrup and spruce honey. Natural honey is also banned by supporters of a raw diet. This is argued by the fact that the bees perform “slave labor” to create honey and a person has no right to use it. For those who are not concerned about the problem of “slave labor” – honey is a joy.
Completely need to abandon animal products:
- eggs;
- milk and dairy products;
- fish and seafood;
- meat in any form and form;
- gelatin and dishes from it.
They should be replaced by natural herbal ingredients: fruits, nuts, berries, vegetables, greens. As already mentioned, it is better to eat them in their raw, non-ground form.
Regarding the drinking regime and the frequency of meals, this diet has no recommendations. There can be enough, the main thing – only authorized products. For those who are trying to lose weight, it is still better to abstain from food two hours before bedtime.
So, to switch to a vegetable diet you only need to eat natural vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, berries with minimal heat treatment. This view of nutrition was promoted in the middle of the last century by Professor Werner Collat. The scientist believed that our usual food is suitable only for satisfying hunger, but is practically useless for health. He, like Campbell, called for a plant-based diet.
Menus and recipes for weight loss
The debate about what is more useful – meat or greens, has not abated for a very long time. Scientists who promote a complete rejection of animal products are still in the minority. Most nutritionists tend to believe that a person needs absolutely all the components of the diet. This also includes animal fats, which are simply indispensable for the brain and respiratory system.
Such a vegetable diet can be followed without any loss (except for excess weight) for 2 weeks. If you add dairy products and eggs to your diet, you can extend the course for a month. Reviews losing weight on the “green side” show that weight loss averages 4-6 kg per 14 days. The results of such weight loss are strictly individual, you can lose more excess mass.
For those who first switch to fully vegetable nutrition, it is better to gradually remove all prohibited foods from their menu.
Step # 1: minus meat and fish. A few days before the start of the course, you need to completely abandon meat products, seafood and fish in any form.
Step №2: rejection of dairy products. This is necessary for those who intend to observe the initial version of the diet. You need to learn to drink coffee without milk (for this you need really high-quality coffee). Also, you have to make sure that the dishes do not have cream, sour cream and other dairy products.
Step #3: reject eggs. Also optional item that refers to the original type of diet. Here, also, have to follow the composition of products and dishes.
A gradual transition can and skip if the coming diet does not seem too strict. But for the body, it is important to gradually adapt to changes in the diet, so it is better to give up meat products at least in two days.
The program only on fruits and vegetables lasts 2 week. The menu for the week can be made in advance to prepare the necessary products. Although, the diet is very simple and straightforward: fresh plant food. The first three days it is recommended to eat only raw ingredients, after that, if desired, you can add stewed stews, baked and boiled vegetables.
For example, consider the menu for the week of the vegetable diet.
On the first, second and third day, we select any plant components that you like and are available. For weight loss, it is recommended that you consume sweet vegetables and fruits in the morning, and leave cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage for dinner. Carrots and beets are also sweet varieties. Nuts other than peanuts are suitable for snacks.
On the fourth day, breakfast will be the same as in previous days. You can stew a little cabbage with carrots and onions for lunch, and for dinner, take raw vegetables.
On the fifth day, it is desirable to eat a light soup to maintain the stomach and digestion, if desired, you can add brown rice or barley to it.
The sixth day you can start with a berry smoothie, any components for the season are suitable. For lunch, you can make a salad of carrots and celery. For dinner – whole food.
The seventh day is recommended to spend the same as at the beginning of the diet. All day we eat whole plant foods, you can drink juices, tea or coffee.
Preparing food, given the requirements of the diet, is quite difficult, but even housewives have already adapted themselves to them. Consider some recipes that will help you lose weight and not violate the rules of the MDG.
Raw food beetroot:
- beets – 1 pcs;
- cucumber – 1 pcs;
- small apple – 1 pcs;
- half avocado;
- lemon juice – 1 tbsp .;
- miso paste – 1 st.l;
- greens, pumpkin seeds, olive oil – optional.
Peel and whisk all ingredients except avocado with lemon juice until smooth. After that, add chopped avocado and a little clean water, beat. Ready soup can be sprinkled with herbs and seeds, pour olive oil (cold pressed).
Vegan Pumpkin Latte:
- almond milk – 200 ml;
- maple syrup – 1 st.l;
- pumpkin powder – 1 tsp;
- coconut oil – ½ tbsp;
- turmeric and cinnamon.
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil 2-3 minutes. A slightly cooled drink can be whipped with a blender. For more enjoyment, it is recommended to eat with raw food sweets.
“Raw” truffles:
- 150 g ground almonds;
- 150 g dates;
- Xnumx raw cocoa powder.
Separate dates from seeds, place in a blender and grind into a paste. Add to the resulting mass of powder and ground almonds, mix everything until smooth. From the finished dough to form balls. You can put a nut inside each candy or roll them in cocoa powder.
More vegetable diets
Those who have the prospect of eating only plant foods do not really like it, use other options for this diet. There is, for example, dairy and vegetable, where losing weight use the same thing as in the first embodiment, but with milk. Fat-free kefir, cottage cheese, yoghurts without additives, low-fat cream, etc. are available here. You can follow such a diet for 2-3 weeks. Weight loss, as reviews show, is the same 4-6 kg, but for a longer diet period.
Another option is a protein-vegetable diet. Meat and dairy products are available here. In the first two days you need to drink only low-fat kefir. Then two days can combine boiled lean meat and vegetable food. On the fifth and sixth day relies only plant food. Then everything repeats in a circle. Adhere to this diet is better in the same framework – 10-14 days.
Conclusions: the pros and cons of the diet
The advantage of this technique for losing weight is that it undoubtedly leads to weight loss. Extra pounds go due to the lack of saturated fats and the minimum amount of “fast” carbohydrates.
Another positive side concerns recovery. Unsaturated fats in plant foods help lower cholesterol, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and normalize blood pressure. On the “green” side, there are practically no cardiovascular diseases.
A diet filled with fiber helps to cleanse the intestines, improves its peristalsis. However, followers of this philosophy nevertheless have digestive problems. If coarse fiber arrives for a short time, it helps to cleanse, if this happens constantly – overloading of the digestive tract occurs. Raw foodists and vegans have the same gastrointestinal problems as other people.
The main advantage of this technique is the saturation with vitamins. Plant foods contain a ton of healthy ingredients like no other product. But even here the “meat-eaters” saw the snag. Vegetables and fruits do not contain vitamin A, which we need for recovery processes. Also, there are no vitamins B12 and B2. The main paradox of this method is that the “green” significantly reduced immunity.
For those who diligently play sports this option is definitely not suitable. Reviews of those who have already tried to combine an active sport and a vegetable diet are not very bright. Without animal protein, the relief is very quickly lost, and besides, there will not be enough strength for heavy physical exertion.
Another stone in the green garden of this philosophy is seasonality. It is practically not suitable for long-term use in our latitudes. In the cold season, the vegetable diet can even be dangerous due to the too narrow list of available products. Methods of raw food, veganism and MDGs were invented in countries with a humid and warm climate. There vegetable menu is available at any time of the year. In our country, this period is shortened to 2 months per year.
As a short diet for weight loss, this option is safe and beneficial (which happens very rarely with diets). The results of such weight loss are individual, some slimming people notice a slight weight loss. However, it is definitely worth a try: easy, simple, affordable, effective. In any case, the diet of fresh and most natural products will only benefit.