Eat to Live summary

Given that the majority of Americans are obese, it’s surprising that most of the population still prefers a diet rich in calories and poor in nutrients.

What's behind this behavior? Simply put: widespread societal myths that lead many people to believe they’re actually making healthy food choices.

While prevalent myths about food have a huge influence on today’s American diet, they’re not the only determining factor. There are also certain deep-seated interests whose aim it is to preserve America’s current food culture.

Take the United States Department of Agriculture: its original role was to promote the meat and dairy industries. Today it still clings to its institutional roots, promoting animal products to the extent that it allocates over $20 billion in price supports to the beef, veal and dairy industries. However, it offers no such financial support for the production of fruits and vegetables – at least, not the ones cultivated for human consumption.

According to the latest research, the state of the population’s health reveals that there is something wrong with the well-being of American people.

Even though today’s Americans are lucky to have an unprecedented level of material wealth, they suffer from obesity and a number of other chronic diseases.

Given the dangers associated with a diet rich in animal products, it makes sense that people should seek an alternative diet based on the best nutritional wisdom available.

Ideally, it’s a plant-based diet because most of the nutrients essential to good health – all the important vitamins, mineral and phytochemicals – can only be found in high concentration in plant-based foods.

Although science has only begun to investigate the benefits of a plant-based diet, recent examples and personal experiences emphasize just how beneficial whole, natural foods are to human health.

One clear benefit is that such a diet can lead to weight loss as it prevents overeating. That’s because there’s a complex system of receptors in the digestive tract that tells the brain when the stomach is full. This occurs when the stomach is filled with sufficient nutrients – which happens quickly when fruits and vegetables are eaten – and when it’s filled with a lot of fiber, which is readily found in natural foods.

Since the Eat to Live plan is not a typical short-term diet, there’s no portion control. Rather, the plan is based on consuming as many greens, beans and fruits as the dieters like. In fact, they’re encouraged to eat as much of these foods as they can.

In particular, raw and steamed greens can be consumed in abundance. They are considered superfoods as they have the highest nutrient density. The greens with the highest nutrient density scores are vegetables such as kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, broccoli and cabbage.

If greens and fruits are considered the most beneficial foods, nuts and seeds are a close second. Lowest in priority are all other foods.

That’s because seeds, nuts, starchy vegetables and whole grains provide healthy fats but also have many calories.

If you base your nutritional choices on the Eat to Live plan, you’ll maximize your health. Also, you won’t have to worry about counting calories or preparing sophisticated meals.

The only thing you’ll have to ensure is that you follow one basic rule of thumb: your diet should comprise mostly greens, beans and fruits.

The key message in this book:

Optimal health can be achieved by following a plant-based diet based mainly on raw and steamed greens, beans and legumes, and fruits. The diet doesn't rely on portion control or excessive exercise, both of which often only yield temporary positive effects. Instead, by following this diet as a lifelong plan, dieters can expect to sustain weight loss and superior health.