Tuesday, April 8, 2014

The End of Dieting, My Ass: A Review of The End of Dieting by Dr. Joel Fuhrman

Want these? Well, unless they contain black beans and chia seeds, you're not getting them!
Even though The Toad tries to be a savvy exerciser and informed healthy citizen, she occasionally indulges in a little self help. Seeing the title The End of Dieting, by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and feeling a bit bloated, she thought it might be worth a read. Perhaps it would have new information, some helpful, reasonable eating tips, or a consumption philosophy that would allow for copious amounts of healthy chocolate on a regular basis. An amphibian can dream.

Well, a fool is soon parted with her $12.99. I discovered that The End of Dieting is not, in fact, the end of dieting, it's simply the beginning of an insanely restrictive diet that's supposed to last the rest of your miserable life.

Dr. Fuhrman's diet plan isn't just an actual diet, it's an actual diet based on some fairly extreme vegan concepts. Fuhrman is against dairy, meat, almost all fats and oils of any kind, sugar, wheat, most grains, and anything else you might be tempted to stick in your hungry, gaping maw. What does that leave you with? Well, a whole bunch of salads and some cooked veggies, some tofu, some tempeh, and a stockpot full of tears. I've rarely seen a diet as restrictive as Fuhrman's, and I'm just guessing that it's designed for people who are at death's door in terms of their nutritive health; who need someone as sure and bossy as Fuhrman to tell them just what they can eat so they won't drop dead.

Fuhrman has lots of science to back him up regarding the traditional food pyramid and American diet. There's no question that American diets are less than ideal, and lead to a host of avoidable health problems. But I do wonder: is it necessary to move so far in the opposite direction?

Fuhrman has virtually nothing good to say about any other culture's diet, either. Take the Mediterranean diet, for example. He spends time criticizing it because the current state of Mediterranean people's health isn't all that good, because they've americanized their diets. So, fine, I guess Italians have been hitting the Big Macs recently. But that has no bearing on the actual elements of the Mediterranean diet, which has, when followed, led to legions of healthy old Greeks and Italians (all that beautiful smooth taut skin involves a bunch of healthy fat in the diet). Fuhrman side steps this, and simply throws all that good olive oil out the window like the contents of an old chamberpot.

The most puzzling thing of all about The End of Dieting isn't just that it's super restrictive; that's been going on for forever. It's that Dr. Fuhrman, when it comes to cuisine, appears to be stuck in the '70s. You remember "health food" in the '70s, don't you (although I'm probably dating myself here as an old dinosaur). Healthy food had to be bland food, often in unappetizing forms, such as bean loaves and carob, nuts masquerading as meat (other cultures do this alchemy far better than ours) and tofu as a substitute for everything (soy, as it turns out, isn't necessarily very good for a body, but I guess Dr. Fuhrman never got that memo about that science. There's some scientific cherry picking going on here).

The real standout of The End of Dieting is the Recipes section, which seems like an odd thing to include in an anti-diet book (then again, the tome includes sample meal plans, which seems awfully diet like to me). The recipes mostly amount to a buttload of beans; perhaps the book's alternate title could be The End of Socializing. Beans even make an appearance in the dessert section: Fudgey Black Bean Brownies (with an avocado topping, no less. It contains no chocolate whatsoever). My husband Mr. Crab calls this recipe "the culinary equivalent of a suicide note," explaining that, "all you need to do is make a batch, set them on the counter, and do the deed. Your friends and family will understand."

Dr. Fuhrman's final point comes in his patronizing Epilogue, in which he states that "... The nay-sayers are typically food addicts fighting to maintain their addictions with the "myth of moderation." Really? While I do not deny that there are many people out there who could benefit, health wise, from less meat, less fast food, less fat, and less sugar, I hardly think that anyone who nay-says Fuhrman's book is a food addict. Perhaps they just, you know,
like food beyond beans, kale, and chia seeds. That could be it. Then again, I read this book right after a trip to In-N-Out Burger, so what do I know?

It was delicious.

45 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful! This review helped my mom. Thank you!! I am proud to say, we do not own a useless copy of his so called diet.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful, witty skewering of this gaunt quack! His personal history is one of flitting from one extreme to another. Fuhrman is a past-president of P.E.T.A.
Shame on PBS for giving Fuhrman's radical vegetarianism the stamp of approval by providing a platform for his unhealthy "nutritarian diet."

Anonymous said...

I'll bet Amoy and Jen are overweight?

Anonymous said...

The vegan diet is not extreme if you are concerned about your health and the environment. Many forms of cancer and the leading causes of death, such as heart disease, can be prevented through avoidance of animal products. I disagree that this diet is restrictive, you can consume an abundance of veg, fruits, greens and beans and easily lose weight. To get the same result on a diet with meat and dairy you have to restrict and monitor calories. Also the benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet have been shown to be a result of the large quantities of vegetables and fruits consumed, not a result of fat intake.

Anonymous said...

diagnosed 1991 with an autoimmune disease/years later I saw Furman on a talk show/, purchased the book and 6mo.later I was in remission, healthy lean and happy. I remember reading that everything that you need to survive & be healthy was on the planet long before you arrived. You don't have to butcher an animal to survive and you won't starve to death if you don't eat garbage-another good read/flick I recommend is Food Inc. Eat to live. Living to eat will Make you die much faster. If you want to die Much faster seek mental health support or a 12 step program they can be very successful as well :-)

Anonymous said...

Loved your review. Hilarious!

He's on my PBS station now. As I watch, I realize I'm starting to sound like a duck...."quack, quack, quack"



Anonymous said...

we americans don't want to believe what he says, but the truth is, he's right, we need more nutrient foods and less junk masquerading as food. USA has a high cancer rate and obesity rate for a reason and it will never change due to "I'm going dig my heels in the ground and thumb my nose at anyone who points out my diet is lousy" attitude. If you followed Dr. Furhman's advice for a year and criticized the diet, then your review might mean something but as is, it's simply a review by someone who doesn't want to be told not to eat fastfood burgers.

Dory said...

Dr. Fuhrman's lifestyle food plan really helps people lose weight (I lost 60 pounds on this plan), eliminate diabetes II in some people, help people with cardiac disease and immune diseases and the science is behind him. He is a medical doctor from University of Pennsylvania, an Olympic pair skater, and a published author-what are you? He allows people to eat meat on this plan if they want to allow prefers they don't. We would all benefit from eating more greens, salads, beans, mushrooms and onions and staying away from sugar, processed food, white flour, white rice and oil. We have an epidemic of obesity and lifestyle related diseases. Maybe we need something extreme : ).

Anonymous said...

Am on this eating plan now with some small amounts of boneless skinless chicken and salmon included. Have brought down my B/P and blood sugar. Hope to be off med by June 2015. This works. This is not a diet, it is an eating plan for life.

Anonymous said...

I'm reading this book and following it's counsel. I've lost weight, haven't starved, enjoyed the food I've eaten, and most importantly, felt in control of myself for the first time in a very long time. You can knock it all you want, but Dr. Fuhrman's claims are backed by scientific studies, not just snarky remarks. Ignore it if you will, but knocking it for other people who are struggling to find an answer to serious issues isn't just denying yourself a better life, but encouraging them to disregard it as well. His book doesn't promote a diet, it promotes a lifestyle. One that helps people live the healthiest life they can. And this coming from a professional baker.

Violet said...

'So what do you know?" Hmm, by readying your review, its my perception that you don't want to know.
Your wit suggests to me that you have the intelligence to know you put an inaccurate spin on this review. Perhaps its like a Rush Limbaugh thing; you're outrageous because it makes you more popular. You're successfully doing your blog thing and that's cool, although I feel bad that you glorify unhealthy eating and have support in doing so.

Unknown said...

Just keep eating at In-N -out burger and the like....we'll be rid of you soon enough! That $12.99 could save your life...instead you'll let a cheap ass burger take it.. aren't you the brilliant one!

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Anonymous said...

I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Furhman's The End Of Dieting. Reading the book had me reflecting back to my childhood diet which in the 70's was full of whole foods, fruits and tons of vegetables. No Ho-Ho's, ding dongs, no Starbucks, Jamba Juices or fatburgers. Meat was in moderation, portions reasonable and exercise plentiful. I now look at my own justifications of my current eating style and realize that as each year passed there was a new decadent treat added to the long list of fat and calorie laden treats I enjoyed in my adult years resulting in a shameful BMI and a daily pill to control my blood pressure.Hats off to those in the food industry who have had the moment of reckoning themselves and are seeking to provide healthy fulfilling alternatives to the masses of killer bites out there. I'm ready to make the shift and reclaim my health. Thanks to Dr. Furhman.

Anonymous said...

Have followed Dr Fuhrman's program, which does allow for reasonable amounts of unhealthy food (with the exception of white flour products), for years and the result has been good - no more lethargy after meals, no more yo yo weight and lots of energy. Yes, we do indeed underestimate how much we are addicted to unhealthy tastes acquired since uninformed childhood, no surprise there. If you really want vibrant health just chuck the processed food, extracted oils, and the corpses and secretions of animals. Also stop all stimulants. For that apparent "sacrifice" your tastes buds soon become much more sensitive to natural flavours and the sense of sacrifice totally disappears. I wake up early full of energy now. I am 69 and race marathons smiling.

Anonymous said...

Best diet I have ever been on! I chose to go fish and occasional chicken route. Never felt deprived as I have with every other diet I have been on. No point counting!!!! Thank God! If you want to feel better than you ever have in your life follow his plan. If not enjoy your fat, sick a lot, sub par life! I choose energy for living.

Anonymous said...

I love Dr. Fuhrman I think that he saved my life. Have you ever seen a 60 year old man that can hop up onto his desk hands free? I have and it was him. I think he is awesome, if you try his lifestyle for a month and still don't feel great then I think it's fine to run him into the dirt, otherwise please don't slander him. I think it all depends on how bad you want something, you can do it, the food is delicious and it will take time to change the way you think about food. You can stay the way you are if you want, it's your choice.

Anonymous said...

Just finishing this book. I will not be following his eating plan exactly, but I will definitely eat more vegetables and less meat. My biggest complaint about this book is that Dr. Fuhrman spent 5 chapters telling me how following his eating plan will eliminate my risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes. FINALLY in chapter 6 I got some eating guidelines. Way too repetitive!

Anonymous said...

Dr. Fuhrman changed my life. I never needed to lose a drastic amount of weight, but I always carried a few extra pounds. After reading several of his books and applying the principles of his nutritarian diet to my own life, I've never felt healthier. He truly makes you look at food in a whole new light. I now stay away from processed foods, and eat mostly plant-based nutrient-dense fruits, veggies, nuts and beans. Your meals are only as boring as you make them... Take a little time and get creative and you can prepare some pretty amazing dishes. Oh, and those black bean brownies you mentioned from his book? Well, they're seriously delicious and satisfy my sweet tooth. I encourage everyone to read Dr. Fuhrman's flagship book "Eat to Live" ... It is eye opening ... You'll never look at food in the same way.

Anonymous said...

Fuhrman is not wrong. You are just unwilling to give up all your junk lifestyle for a healthier one, and there is no need to whine about it, because you will have to bear your own consequences. You don't need to discredit someone else if you are not happy to change your lifesyle.

Hell Bent For Pleather said...

Actually, those black bean brownies are pretty tasty!

Anonymous said...

Have you actually tried his plan? Or this is a write up of your opinion of his plan?

Anonymous said...

I don't think you really read the book. Dr. Fuhrman is one of the few physicians out there who is 100% science based. He is against extreme veganism and fat free diets. He is also against extreme high protein diets. You are entitled to your own opinion but if you are running a blog and trying to educate people you shouldn't be writing these very unprofessional articles and confusing people even more about an already confusing topic.

JavaBob said...

Found this review tonight. Pure rubbish so don't believe a word of it. Read Fuhrman's "Eat to Live" book yourself and understand the concepts and the science behind it. You want more proof?....Read "How Not to Die" by Michael Greger and check out his excellent videos on nutritionfacts.org. Read the works of Dean Ornish and Neal Barnard and T Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn and John McDougall. Watch the video, Forks Over Knives. They basically all say the same thing with only minor variation. A whole foods, plant-based diet will minimize your chances of heart disease and cancer. It will ward off T2 diabetes and in many cases, reverse it. Your diet will be rich in vegetables (including potatoes), fruits, grains, beans/legumes, nuts and seeds. By combining the core ingredients, your options are endless in the form of soups, starters, entrees, snacks and desserts.

You will feel better, look better, smell better, and lose weight. Having struggled with my own weight, this has been the best program by far. My mistake was going off of it having dropped 44 pounds (down to a normal weight)and then regaining it back when I reverted back to the Standard American Diet (aka SAD). I am back on Fuhrman and down 30 Lbs in 3.5 months. I know that everything going into my mouth is healthy and I am not deluding myself with fad diets (they all work in the beginning)that ultimately fail nor do they promote health. Whole Foods, Plant-based way of eating has also tremendously shut down my cravings to eat unhealthy food. Fuhrman gives you necessary strategies if your goal is weight loss. Once achieved, you can get even more creative with your dishes and ingredients while still eating healthy. You can throttle the weight loss as necessary. If you are looking for a quick fix, any diet will work (cookie diet, bacon diet, Atkins, etc). You want a way of eating to sustain you for a lifetime, this is it. Best of luck to all of you!

Anonymous said...

I starting eating 95 percent raw veggies fruits nuts n Greek yogurt about 7 years ago. My thought was food is fuel 4 my body n I'm only putting in stuff that is full of nutrients...that's it! I do eat quite a bit everyday. I saw the doc on kpbs n I'll tell ya...what he is preaching is exactly what I have been living. It's a commitment..n u do really develop a luv 4 the taste of these foods.

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Unknown said...

C'mon Toad -- surely you must be tired of being lazy and bloated? Put your tongue back in your mouth and look and learn what the healthy frogs are eating. The healthiest, longest living populations in the world eat a plant-strong diet. The rest of us are dying and to trivialize and minimize is insanely dangerous. Some say Karma is a bitch -- if so a toad spewing its ignorance probably won't have a fairytale ending?

Rosie said...

Toad, I LOVE you! My husband & I just had the best laughs we've had in yrs reading your HILARIOUS 3-yr-old review. I may end up attempting the nutritarian diet; jury's still out. But I'm so grateful for your brilliant wit which pinpointed every stumblingblock I've encountered in contemplating it, esp. how one can eat unlimited quantities of beans & have anything resembling a social life ... ?? Then there's that thing w/the tofu; guess u & I are the only ones to notice that. And I havnt even read the book(S) yet! (There are so darn many of them.)
Which is not to say I didn't appreciate SOME of the good Dr's defenders. It's good to hear both sides, and I'm very sure his 'diet' has saved many lives. Like u, however, I'm not sure an early death might not be a welcome release from nutritarian life! And I find it SAD that so many have no sense of humor & are actually threatened by yours. Your expression of your opinion is "insanely dangerous"; "confusing people" w/your "very unprofessional arguments" when your goal is "to educate people" (Really? That's your goal?). Furthermore, u "glorify unhealthy eating " (No, u don't!) & are even responsible for others' choices! Wow! Just by humorously expressing your opinion. But that's the SAD state of the society we find ourselves in today. If u disagree w/ME, you're an evil, villainous witch who should be burned @ the stake! C'mon, loonies; take responsibility for yourselves & realize that you're NOT the only one entitled to an opinion!!!

Rosie said...

If u should happen to read this (since u wrote it almost 3 yrs ago) I'd love to know more abt Fuhrman's history w/PETA; specifically, verification. It would explain a lot!!

Unknown said...

The writer is against this book from the beginning. What is wrong with ppl when they have to be convinced to eat more veggies and fruit and cut out oils, dairy and meat. And YES, you have to be open to the Vegan lifestyle. Why bash it. Veganism is the commitment to having compassion and love for all living beings. Smh and ppl look at us like we are crazy. Some will get it but most will not and continue to struggle with health and internal happiness. Anyone who is interested in being a better person doesn't need a book. All you have to to is, have an open mind to change and do searches on factory farming, animal cruelty and the dairy industry. If your able to empathize with other living beings,you will be able to make the changes necessary to succeed.

Anonymous said...

Rosie, Dr. Fuhrman has no history with PETA. Whoever said that needs to provide some actual evidence, although there isn't any. It's not like PETA keeps its past board members a secret, so it is very easy to search whether or not he was ever involved. I invite you to fact-check this yourself.

Jane Doe said...

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Unknown said...

Dr. Fuhman is reversing heart disease and many autoimmune diseases by his plant based diet. Why is this a problem?
Keep spreading the message Dr. Fruman!

Ovon said...

Thank you for review on the End of Dieting by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I think if your goal is just weight loss you do not need such strict eating plan.

Anonymous said...

My doctor has told me to do this very diet/life plan change. It's amazing even at the end of two weeks! I love my veggies now. He's on to something. Why would anyone judge it without even trying it, I'll never know. I lost 10 lbs in the two weeks and still losing. I'll do this forever. It's healthy. Check out Mercy for Animals. I cannot support that kind of behavior! Maybe you can. But I wouldn't judge Joel because 'it sounds wrong and messed up'. It's how we shoulda been taught to eat from the beginning. It's easier than you think!

Anonymous said...

And, I'm not afraid to be different. I'll eat my veggies at church gatherings and weddings. I'll be the one they come to when they get cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure/cholesterol diabetes etc. and they'll be asking me how I'm so healthy. Then I'll help them. Go Joel! Keep helping ppl.

Anonymous said...

I was a vegan and a vegetarian for years. This was back in the 80s and 90s. Being one or the other is extreme. I just cut out junk food. I love pasta, vegs, almond butter, butter, eggs, cheese, etc. When I go out to eat I love a medium rare steak, seafood, sausage gravy on biscuits, etc. The point is eat well, exercise and enjoy life! I have dated people who are fanatics about these types of "diets" and insist that you have to eat the same as them or you will be "criticized to death." Enjoy life and eat what you want. It is your body and nobody has to read or listen to this type of fanaticism. Use your commonsense! If you need to change your diet to lose weight and or for health reasons, be prudent. I have lost weight and I have great health without being a vegan or a vegetarian.

Anonymous said...

BTW, my above post is from years of being an athlete and reading many books on being a veg or vegetarian, while applying some of the rhetoric to my own life. Over the years I know my body; what works and what does not work. Being mostly vegetarian, I also enjoy what life has to offer. I do not restrict or banish every food. I rarely eat sweets(because I do not enjoy foods that are very sweet), but I enjoy coffee in the morning and alcohol in the evening. The point is eat what you enjoy in moderation, but mainly eat food that is good for you. If you do not understand or know what good food is, read and learn about ingredients on labels. If it has large list, it is probably not good for you.

Anonymous said...

In 1999, my mom died from breast cancer. I have ex-fiends who have stated that she would have lived or not have had breast cancer if she embraced homeopathic medicine. Jesus H Christ! Their comments enraged me. They felt and acted superior to all others. Yes, my mom smoked and ate what she pleased. If you ever get cancer and still lived a lifestyle that follows Joel's irresponsible diet, I will not weep for you. The oncologist gave her 3 months to a year to live. She lived one year. I was not happy with the medicine she decided to take to prolong her life since she suffered greatly. Some people smoke and eat what they enjoy and live to be a 100. Lifestyle can alter your health. If your family has a history of diseases, by all means, make changes to your lifestyle and hope you do not find yourself a victim of a life threatening disease.

Anonymous said...

I hate this so-called plan. Physicians who have seen my Father, after practicing this garbage, first think of cancer, wasting disease. He has been a follower of this moron since the book first came out.
What does the AMA have to say about this? I have spoken to about six physicians who all refer to him as a quack.
Any diet plan that cuts out a food group, other than the obviously bad foods, I do not want anything to do with.

Anonymous said...

People should know that Dr. Fuhrman blatantly violates the AMA code of ethics with his sale of supplements, sells an iodine "test" on his website that has no value but costs $131, and uses deceptive and misleading language on his supplementsite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5R8fvQC4AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI4795qtB98

Edward M. said...

Oh god (lowercase "god"). I just heard Dr. Fuhrman on PBS. (I was in the kitchen; my TV a room and a half away.) I should have left my "steakburger" with a mushroom Madeira sauce and a glass of red wine in the kitchen and gone to change the channel. I could have listened to "Washington Week" on another channel.

I hope the good doctor has had cosmetic surgery 'cause it sure looks as if he's had it—and a terrible job at that. Obviously, his "nutritarian" diet didn't do much to save his thinning hair. (Not that it matters but I'm 81 and my hair puts his to shame!)

Of course, there are those who will believe in the doctor's snake oil and for a few it will be efficacious. (The mind can be a powerful force.)

Kenneth said...

"Restrictive" is a comment one would expect from one who chooses In & Out Burgers. If it's not to much of a push of the shopping cart, check out the produce section of your grocery market, or a local farmers market,there's plenty of food.
Becoming a vegan is based on a simple concept. Plant based foods provide what the body needs to thrive. Animal based and processed food provide the opposite, it's that simple.
The toad writes that eating a vegan diet is "extreme." What seems "extreme to me is lying on ones back in the operating room while an army of physicians implant an assortment of stints and metal valve contraptions into the body. Or swallowing pill boxes full of medications to ward off the effects of diabetes.
Eating plant based food is to "restrictive?" I'll take the restrictions of a plant based diet to the negative health consequences of chomping down In & Out burgers seven days a week, twice on Sunday.

Anonymous said...

I was struck by one comment that ended with these two sentences:

To get the same result on a diet with meat and dairy you have to restrict and monitor calories. Also the benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet have been shown to be a result of the large quantities of vegetables and fruits consumed, not a result of fat intake.

After reading the penultimate sentence I wondered how anyone could conclude that allowing meat and dairy in a diet required more restriction, since you could obviously restrict the meat and dairy to a low amount, and eat as many salads and veggies as you want - just as Dr. Furhman's diet allows you to restrict meat and dairy (to zero), then eat as many salads and veggies as you want. Then I realized the commentor had unwittingly made exactly that point with the final sentence, apparently without realizing it.

Jeff Lebowski said...

"What does that leave you with? Well, a whole bunch of salads and some cooked veggies, some tofu, some tempeh, and a stockpot full of tears."

Sooo funny!