The Pritikin Principle
created by Nathan Pritikin
The Pritikin Principle
- Created by Nathan Pritikin who, after being diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, began a low fat, complex carbohydrate and exercise regimen. Although he previously had angina, when he died his arteries were completely clean.
- The Pritikin program is based around a model of diet, exercise and mind/spirit health. It is not vegetarian, though high in vegetarian foods and approximately 10% fat consumption.
- In the diet there are recommend foods, foods allowed in moderation, cautionary food, and foods that are not recommended at all.
- Recommended foods include 5+ daily servings of unrefined complex carbohydrates (such as wheat, millet, oats, rye, quinoa, barley, brown rice), 5+ servings of vegetables, 4+ servings of fruit, 2 calcium rich food servings such as non-fat milk, non-fat yogurt, non-fat ricotta or low/non-fat soymilk, and one serving of animal protein per day – fish is considered the best choice, then lean poultry, then lean red meat.
- Foods allowed in moderation include caffeinated beverages ( 1 cup of coffee or 3 cups of tea), fatty foods such as nuts and seeds, and artificial sweeteners
- Multiple research studies show the program prevents or reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart disease, improves cholesterol profiles and reduces blood pressure.
- Concerns about the diet include that low fat content of this diet will make those following it often feel hungry. Consequently, the likelihood of the weight returning may be high after one stops strictly adhering to the diet.
- Critics assert that the low fat content may actually be harmful to health as it may inhibits the intake and absorption of fat soluble vitamins, and may limit the amount of essential fatty acids provided by the diet needed for normal cell function, healthy skin and tissue, growth, and development.