The Pritikin Eating Plan

The nutritional focus of the Pritikin Program is not elements like carbs or fat. Our focus is food, healthy food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and seafood. The Pritikin Eating Plan is low in total fat and sodium, and rich in natural unrefined carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, beneficial phytochemicals, antioxidants and dietary fiber with adequate amounts of protein and essential fatty acids.

The typical Western diet, on the other hand, is high in cholesterol, hydrogenated fat, saturated fat, and sodium and low in fiber and many important nutrients. The typical Western diet also includes an excess of "empty" calories in the form of sugar and other refined sweeteners, refined fats and oils, and alcohol.

Making optimal food choices is an integral part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And, when combined with Exercise and Mind-Body Health, the Pritikin Eating Plan has been scientifically documented to:

• Improve virtually all modifiable risk factors for heart disease, the #1 killer in the U.S;
• Prevent and control Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, the Metabolic Syndrome, and several cancers; and
• Promote healthy, long-term weight loss.

Learn to live a healthier life. Feel younger. Look younger. For all these benefits and more, the optimal dietary strategy, confirmed in more than 100 studies, is the Pritikin Eating Plan.

Go   →   Recommended Foods

Choose at least five servings of unrefined complex carbohydrates: Five or more servings daily of whole grains (wheat, oats, rye, brown rice, barley, millet), starchy vegetables (like potatoes, yams and winter squashes), chestnuts, beans and peas. A serving is 80 calories or approximately 1/2 cup. Limit refined grains (such as white bread, white rice, white pasta) to no more than one or two servings per day, with none being optimal.

Choose at least four vegetables: Four or more servings of raw or cooked vegetables daily. A serving is about 25 calories or about 1 cup of raw or 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables. Include dark green, yellow, or orange vegetables daily. You may choose "no salt added" vegetable juice in place of one of your vegetable servings per day.

Choose at least three fruits: Three or more servings of whole fruit daily. For most fruits, a serving fits in your hand and is about 60 calories. Fruit juice (1/2 cup) may be used in place of one of your fruit servings per day.

Choose two calcium-rich foods: Two servings daily. Choose from: nonfat milk (1 cup), nonfat yogurt (3/4 cup), or nonfat ricotta (1/2 cup); or fortified, enriched nonfat or low-fat soy milk (1 cup).

Choose no more than one serving of animal protein per day: Fish or shellfish are preferable over lean poultry, and choose lean poultry over lean red meat. A serving is about 3-1/2 oz cooked or the size of the palm of your hand and the thickness of a deck of cards.

Optimally, limit poultry to no more than one serving per week and red meat to no more than one serving per month. If you prefer red meat weekly, substitute delicious free-range, grass-fed bison in place of poultry.

Vegetarian options: Instead of animal protein, choose from: beans, peas, or lentils (2/3 cup); or tofu and other soy products (4 to 6 oz).

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