Diet Comparison: Mediterranean vs. Plant-Based - Which Is Healthier?

Is a plant-based diet healthier than the Mediterranean diet? Or is the Mediterranean diet superior?

Dr. Neal Barnard and “The Weight Loss Champion” Chuck Carroll examine both diets in depth on The Exam Room Live.

Dr. Barnard also talks about the research he led that compared the two diets for weight loss. The results left no doubt that one will help you lose more weight than the other.

Have a question? Post it in the comment or chat and we'll get to as many as we can during the live broadcast.
🗓️UPCOMING EVENTS🗓️
Exam Room LIVE with the Esselstyn Family
Tickets: bit.ly/ERLiveinDC23
Who: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn with Ann, Rip, and Jane. Plus, Dr. Neal Barnard and Chuck Carroll
When: Nov. 7, 2023
Where: National Press Club in Washington, DC
Hampton Roads VegFest
Who: Chuck Carroll
When: October 28, 2023
Where: Chesapeake, VA
Website: www.hamptonroadsvegfest.com
🔗 SHOW LINKS 🔗
Vegan vs. Med Diet Study
bit.ly/VegVsMedDiet
Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund
gregoryreiterfund.org
📱FOLLOW US📱
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Instagram: / drnealbarnard
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Chuck Carroll
Instagram: / chuckcarrollwlc
Facebook: / chuckcarrollwlc
Physicians Committee
Instagram: / physicianscommittee
Facebook: / pcrm.org
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About Us
The Physicians Committee is dedicated to saving lives through plant-based diets and ethical and effective scientific research. We combine the clout and expertise of more than 12,000 physicians with the dedicated actions of more than 175,000 members across the United States and around the world.

[@NancyCronk]

My mother almost died last week from a bowel obstruction, and the first thing they gave her after cleaning her out at the hospital was a tuna fish sandwich on white bread. SMH. When she couldn't keep that down, they put her on a soft diet with limited vegetables and all the meat she wanted. So frustrating. Where are all the plant-based doctors in hospitals!?!

[@krystlegarsha1296]

That’s horrible and scary! I think most hospitals need to rethink their food choices for patients.

[@VerifiedVegan]

My husband was just on the cardiac floor in the hospital. Breakfast was sausage, bacon, toast, eggs his lunch was meatloaf and the dinner was some kind of unrecognizable meat. We told them we are vegan, so he was just eating the quarter cup of carrots on the plate and the toast at breakfast And the next day when he received the vegan meal it was literally just lettuce and two tomatoes. Maybe that’s why the floor was filled I couldn’t believe it …no vegetables, no fruit no whole grains and the meat dishes the vegetable was mashed potatoes it was absolutely shocking and the only thing they said when I asked about it was….well we don’t serve our patients salt. I said the meal was very salty and she said well I mean we don’t pass around salt and pepper packets on the side. This is insane!

[@cherylboots8770]

I was also hospitalized last year for a bowel obstruction. I am dairy intolerant as well and there was absolutely nothing for me to eat when I was well enough to have some solid foods. If not for my husband bringing me cream of wheat with almond milk each morning and nutritious soups for lunch and dinner I would have gone hungry. The hospital "Dietitian" was a joke.

[@pamegan8735]

I don't always follow doctors directions I know my body better than they do and they just go by what they think what they are supposed to do that they learn in Medical school.

[@lawrenceharada430]

Scary. Dietitians should know about bowel obstructions. As someone with bowel obstructions due to adhesive disease & strictures, the hospital should've given you a clear liquid diet then progress to a soft, pureed low residue fiber diet. Best wishes on a complete recovery.

[@karenseale9372]

Fantastic news about this study being completed and published, not to mention already being recognized!! Congratulations!

[@luluandmeow]

Chuck, you are a first-class interviewer, always asking excellent questions. Thank you and the wonderfully Dr Barnard. And thank you to the Gregory Reiter Fund for their continued support, it is noted and greatly appreciated.

[@homedogtwo8820]

Chuck would love to see a what you eat in a day!!!

[@alexlew6159]

¹¹2¹

[@user-uu1ol9wb1n]

I like all your KZbin broadcasts. Thank you!

[@SuperFoodParents]

Yall know is best for you. Carrots & beans don't have a track record of causing the issues that bacon and fish cause. 🥦🍍 Just eat what grows from the ground, not what's been looking around

[@m.taylor]

In addition to eating soybeans, there are so many ways to enjoy the benefits of soy...tofu, soymilk, soygurt, natto, tempeh; and if one makes their own soymilk, the pulp can be added into making pancakes, breads, biscotti's, crackers, etc.

[@Scor-ah]

Great talk gentlemen..thanks for the info

[@CompanionAnimals2011]

Love you guys!!

[@sandramorton5510]

I lost 45 pounds by restricting carbohydrates. I eat olive oil, butter, salt, fish, chicken, lots of vegetables, pounds off, A1C down, Blood pressure down. One study of 124 people is not enough.

[@FelixNL05]

Looking good ! 👍

[@davidfichtenberg4446]

Please, please, please, please in your Description give a link to the key study you are discussing re Mediterranean vs plant-based diet. It's incredible!! You give no link ti the key study you are discussing!!!! Since you want to have an impact on the medical professional community it will help ENORMOUSLY if for this episode and ALL your episodes you give the links to the important studies mentioned in the episode. So please, for this episode add to your Description the link to the above study!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you

[@tnargs57]

It is there under Show Links. cheers

[@Dabs_kitchen]

What does a day of eating look like for chuck ????? That would be a good show !!! On a side note Plant based low fat Mediterranean doesn’t sound too bad 🤷‍♂️

[@kbmblizz1940]

It depends on one's goal. For me, it is a matter of balance & discipline. Vegan is NO animal products. That is too drastic for me. I do not eat dairy at all, cut back meat to 10% vs average Americans. Consume only high quality meat & wild caught fish since I reduced quantity so much. The rest is veggies, nuts, legumes, beans. No ultra processed junk. Rigorous exercise everyday >30 mins. My goal isn't to lose weight.

[@noproblem2big337]

I love olive oil and sprinkle it on everything I can't seem to put on weight I'm 5' 10.5" and 154 pounds (70kg) been on a whole food plant based diet for the last 2 years, and have been raised on the Mediterranean diet with very little weight fluctuation all my life, currently I'm 65 and in good health.

[@sectionalsofa]

According to Dr. B, your weight is fine because your BMI is in range. But I understand your concern. The BMI spread is kinda silly.There is no distinction between gender let alone muscularity or bone structure. My suggestion would be to add nice amounts of avocados, nuts and nut butters. I gain weight when I eat hearty amounts of pasta too.

[@paulhousman7156]

Simple, you want to lose weight drop or severely reduce the oil.

[@noproblem2big337]

@@paulhousman7156 I do agree with your statement when someone is overweight, but what I was saying is that I consume a lot of good Australian extra virgin olive oil and it doesn't affect my weight

[@mr.royaldas674]

It is a great podcast. 👍 Please tell measurements in metric system which is used in whole over the world (for example, kilogram instead of pound; meter & centimeter instead of feet & inch).

[@maryrecio7672]

Thanks for all the great info. How do polyphenols compare in EVOO and avacado oil?

[@11235Aodh]

Negligable in comparison to avocados and olives. These oils also oxidize really quickly.

[@MichaelToub]

Great Video!!

[@Deva-no3dn]

Both diets are healthy. You’ll lose weight and keep it off on both diets. The big difference between the two is that only one of them is easier to stay on long term for most people. Wfpb no oil is extreme and people have a hard time just staying on any diet let alone an extreme one. What are the reliable statistics for compliance over the LONG term? A healthy med diet that you can stay on for life is preferable for me along with daily walking, a positive attitude, organic produce, vitamins and lots of water. We’ve tried the other and it doesn’t work if you won’t stay on it.

[@tnargs57]

What's *extreme* is eating a diet, and not losing any weight. Extremely *discouraging*, that is. Also, don't eat WFPB low oil like a *diet*. Eat as much as you want. Pack your intestines with all that fibre. Don't 'diet' on it. All the studies show that it triggers a sense of satiety and non-hunger. If the problem is that you still yearn for the taste of dead animals, then the advice from people like Greger is not to punish yourself and suffer, but indulge in it, in a scheduled but occasional way. Maybe once a month. Once a week if you must...but it takes about 3 weeks for the cellular injury caused by animal products to heal, hence the monthly suggestion. Best regards.

[@gwendolynsmith9532]

Question for cold season: Is plant-based chickpea noodle soup just as effective for a cold as chicken noodle soup? If not, are there natural spices, herbs, or other elements we can add? Thank you.

[@marly1869]

I stay pretty healthy taking “oil of oregano” and eating lots of mushrooms, both amazing for the immune system. When I do get sick, I take same oil a couple of times per day and a couple of other herbal tinctures.

[@gilljackson9971]

What is the reply to this question please?

[@SuperFoodParents]

🥣 When you google *chickpeas vs chicken nutritional benefits* then you find the answer. Seeing as how both soups are pretty much the same aside for the protein source, chickpeas provide higher nutrition according to the NIH, WebMD, and other sources

[@laurieindelicato9209]

Added olive oil to my diet and blood pressure improved but wow did I see an amazing improvement in triglycerides and cholesterol levels Now I enjoy salads with lots of vegetables again and consume so much more. Lots of fiber. And yup protein,,,,,animal and plant based.

[@white-rabbit93]

Fantastic show. Thanks for unbiased camparision between vegan and Mediterranean diet. 😊

[@walterski8377]

They are not unbiased they are big time Pro vegan

[@snappinfingert5554]

What was the actual percentage difference in blood pressure reduction Vegan vs Mediterranean?

[@linaandrade65]

I have hypothyroid and have always read that. I cannot eat soy, well, edamame affect my thyroid I would like to try it to see if it will make the residual hot flashes go away.

[@lcorvette]

Me realizing it’s November 10 and I only live 45 minutes from DC! I can’t believe I missed this!!!!!

[@Notwoke7]

I went on a low carb diet and lost 35 lbs in 2 months. i used the Mediterranean diet menu mostly except the I don't like fish very much so I ate lean meats instead.

[@fieryfirevivin]

As soon as i went carnivore. My body completely recovered in couple weeks.

[@imans3899]

Can you pls talk about cystic fibrosis and if plant based diet helps and how can someone with cystic fibrosis follow plant based diet without loosing weight because they are already underweight

[@shirleywilliams5397]

Also avoid margarine & vegan butter. But take omega 3 & vitamin D every day without fail.

[@Arugula100]

Is the Bragg's liquid amino the same as amino acids? That means it is liquid protein?

[@krystlegarsha1296]

Great topic! Although, I will say that in regards to having olive oil in a restaurant, it may not be healthy because I have recently learned that in order for restaurants to save money they will mix the olive oil with one or more other oils, such as canola oil, sunflower oil etc. and call it olive oil. It seems quite deceiving IMHO (profit over people).

[@Thejoeordinary1]

Canola oil is actually close to evoo in terms of healthy benefits. Actually, it has less saturated fat than evoo. Both have health enhancing benefits in different categories. You probably can’t go wrong with either provided you use them in small amounts ie. coating the pan lightly as opposed to drenching your food in them.

[@melindaveganhiker]

Avoiding animal products is the healthiest, most ethical and best for our environment. End of story.

[@AzerPaul]

To touch on one of the topics they discussed, if I have a green smoothie or oatmeal in the late afternoon, I will feel a little acid indigestion a few hours later. Otherwise I never have even a hint of it. But the woman who asked that question might have had experiences similar to mine.

[@StanDupp6371]

Ancel Keys eventually moved to a very nice place in Italy because after studying 22 countries he knew he could get access to the best Italian meats, cheese, fish, legumes, pasta, vegetables, fruits, olive oil and wine and he lived to age 100 on this diet. It was called a Mediterranean diet and you need no vitamins or supplements to consume it for life.

[@paulhousman7156]

You can find exceptions to every rule. Thhink iof it as a bell shaped curve. We usually fall in the middle.

[@StanDupp6371]

@@paulhousman7156 It is not an exception to the rule because Ancel Keys spent a lifetime observing face to face what is the best thing to do for health. He is not a random person off the street that just got lucky. If you have such a random bell shaped curve person off the street please provide the name of that person and I will show you the reason for the results of the outcome.

[@dimitrisskar4174]

@@StanDupp6371 "spent a lifetime observing face to face what is the best thing to do for health" do u need for me to spell out that u got no idea of what ur talking abt?

[@StanDupp6371]

@@dimitrisskar4174 You are saying Ancel Keys was wrong? Please provide some evidence or facts or studies or people with real names so I can see what you know.

[@tnargs57]

Some people live to 100 on the SAD. That doesn't mean it's a healthy diet. You need a population study, that will show a few live to 100, a lot live to 75, and far too many die at 65, 55,.....etc. When you study the Mediterranean diet, compared to SAD it gives much better outcomes, NOT because of the meat, fish, cheese that you put at the top of your list, but because the Mediterranean Diet is actually dominated by legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, with LIMITED meat, dairy, avoids many fats and sweets, and is sensible about olive oil and alcohol. That is a big step forward from SAD, so hooray for the Mediterranean Diet. BUT. Every time it gets compared in a study to a fully plant based whole food diet, it loses. There is even a study comparing a 95% plant based Mediterranean Diet to 100% plant based, and it lost. So, compared to SAD, the Mediterranean Diet is good, but the fully plant based, low oil diet is great.

[@miriammcpherson834]

I love your shirt and tie great match by the way l love your show your show is the GOAT no brag just facts say hello too Dr Bernard for me i am his biggest fan he is a insiklapedi of knowledge may i learned so much from him mayGod bless him and his family

[@user-lo9bx3ir3u]

I have been told that extra virgin olive oil is really the best oil you can consume. Iam a Diabetic and now you're saying not good for me. That may explain why my walking and strength training I do I'm not losing weight

[@CathrinCatherine]

My best friend suffers from Hashimoto’s… I wish i could make her understand that a WFPB SOS-free vegan lifestyle would be the answer to her condition, does anyone have a recommendation on how to convince her or if there’s testimonials/influencers about that? 🌱

[@aikobakke7895]

Yes I agree you can be an unhealthy vegan.

[@bonniepatterson878]

Brooke Goldberg, MD @CathrinCatherine

[@CathrinCatherine]

@aikobakke7895 aww I wish my friend was even vegan at all! But yess I agree, you can totally be vegan an unhealthy! There’s definitely more to health than eating oreos and being a couch potato ;)

[@shirleywilliams5397]

I have been a whole food vegan for 7 years. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos 18 years ago. Becoming vegan reduced the dose of daily Levothyroxine. But I still have to take it. Being vegan improves thyroid function due to providing more selenium. But it does not cure Hashimotos because that is impossible. Hashimotos is an autoimmune disorder & cells in the thyroid are attacked by the immune system. Once triggered that process cannot be switched off.

[@jyotimunyal5489]

Is it necessary to go for organic food for following plants based food

[@libbyreed8588]

Not necessary at all. If you are concerned check out the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen.

[@jyotimunyal5489]

Thank you

[@11235Aodh]

Not necessary in the way that it's more important to eat the food than it is to eat it organic, but if you can, it's still important. If you're interested, dr. Peter Rogers has some excellent videos on toxins and pesticides and what they do to us biochemically. I'd still very much try to avoid GMO though, not for the GMO part, but for the glyphosphate treatment. This is something to be avoided as the plague, Stephany Senneff has a lot of knowledge on this if you want to know more, basically it mimics one of the more common amino acids glycine and disables the creation of several vitamins. Monsanto's excuse was that humans lack the pathway that this affects (but lacked to mention that next to plants having this pathway, also our microbiome having it).

[@RiDankulous]

It should be made abundantly clear by dieticians that whole food-plant based is healthier than Mediterranean, even if Mediterranean is healthier than standard western diet.

[@walterski8377]

Um, on oil comparisons, you think about it, greenish because from olives ... Canola yellow from corn

[@reynolds753]

I didn’t know eating saturated fat causes LDL cholesterol to rise? (26:30). I was told 85% of the cholesterol in the blood is made by the liver. It isn’t coming directly from the food we eat. What’s the best research on this? So confusing!

[@RiDankulous]

Google "Saturated fat is bad for the heart-despite the headlines" and there's a Harvard medicine article describing details. Saturated fat has been well accepted to cause heart disease and reducing dietary saturated fat is proven in studies to reduce heart attack risk.

[@kristianglen5990]

Hubby & I went on Mediterranean diet in August. I've lost 30 pounds and he's lost over 20. Not sure what that study group was eating, but my guess would be way too much meat and overuse of olive oil.

[@SSolaiman1]

There are limiting amino acid in plant proteins that lowers the quality of plant protein Dr. Barnard did not mention. Also as part of bone building he did not mention an important nutrient protein. Combination of grain and beans 😊makes the protein in plants complete.

[@11235Aodh]

Outdated and disproven, there is nothing wrong with plant proteins. Plants have all 20 amino acids in varying amounts. Animal products give us way too much protein, so it's actually a benefit that we get less via plants. Human breast milk is

[@ivorlynarboine5466]

So which is the best diet vegan or Mediterranean

[@robjim3828]

Mediterranean

[@Deva-no3dn]

The one you can stick with for a lifetime - Mediterranean.

[@tnargs57]

I suggest you watch the video, and ignore the mischievous comments that you attracted! 😎

[@CathrinCatherine]

5:01 Vegan and Mediterranean Diet Study 9:15 Fiber and Carbohydrates on vegan vs a Mediterranean diet 10:20 why a Mediterranean diet won’t help with your cholesterol 11:04 differences between Mediterranean, Dash, salt-restriced Mediterranean diet and a Salt-restricted diet 11:51 how much does Sodium affect blood pressure? 12:45 what are polyphenols? And what are great natural sources? 14:34 could it have been tracked how much polyphenols were consumed during the study? 15:10 low fat sources of polyphenols besides olive oil: Berries, greens, cocoa powder, fruits&vegetables 15:56 is there a risk of getting too little polyphenols on a vegan diet? 17:16 extra virgin olive oil and regular olive oil? 18:37 splashing olive oil on fast food? 19:48 oil on a salad at a restaurant 20:46 endometriosis: more dietary fat tends to be harmful to the patient. 21:09 is Olive Oil really that healthy? Can 477calories in 4 Tbsp of Olive Oil really be healthy… 22:41 experiencing weight loss on a vegan diet. Not losing weight on a Mediterranean diet. 23:32 14g of fat per Tbsp of Olive Oil 23:57 a person can go with 30g of fat per day 25:05 did you find that people ate roughly the same amount of sodium? 25:38 how much of the weight loss in the vegan study group was due to muscle loss and bone density 26:27 does pastry cause elevated cholesterol levels?

[@CathrinCatherine]

29:24 is Peanut butter bad because of the saturated fat content? 31:42 do bread and alcohol obstruct weight loss? 33:20 processing food: wine or grape juice? 35:13 BMI 19 on a man, how to maintain or even gain weight on a vegan diet? 37:13 rebound effect after a time of restriced calorie intake 38:07 foods to avoid when suffering from fatty liver disease 38:46 hypothyroidism and food - how long from unhealthy to healthy on a vegan diet? 40:21 amino acids - what is it and is there a difference between them in animal products and plants? 40:54 are plants missing some amino acids? 42:36 soy beans - are edamame beans just as beneficial? 42:54 how to make soy beans taste great? 44:33 fracture risk on people who eat vegan. Reversing bone loss: is it possible? 47:05 vegan diet wins the diet wars! ❤ as always! Eat the way nature intended! 47:43 Gregory-J.-Reiter-Memorial Fund, thank you for helping to end animal abuse

[@PM-eg9qu]

Tempeh....I have discovered this is soooooooooo much better than Tofu. It doesn't have the spongy texture of Tofu and actually more protein. My suggestion if you aren't a Tofu lover. Love it!!

[@zulyg8393]

I tried tempeh with a soy spice and I felt It blotted me so much and felt constipation…. Have you had this experience! Did I cook it wrong?

[@PM-eg9qu]

Hello..no I do ok with Tempeh but everyone is different. I like putting it in some olive oil and simmering and then adding some spices which may include Soy sauce. It just may be it doesn't agree with you. I'm sure has nothing to do with how you cooked it.

[@user-lq1lh7kk4h]

I am 48 years old woman. I walk daily, practice ashtanga yoga reqularily and have been eating extra virgin olive oil on my both main meals everyday for more than two decades. I also eat either oily fish or eggs everyday. I am 167cm tall, weigh about 54 kg and my blood pressure has been around 55/98 as long as I remember. I do not believe for one second that it is olive oil that makes anyone fat, but it rather depends on the other things you eat with it. In the Mediterranean area people usually have their plates full of raw or cooked vegetables with some olive oil and then maybe some beans or fish and some bread to eat it with. But the main food are the vegetables and the rest is eaten in moderation.

[@tnargs57]

Well, you must know how much olive oil you buy to keep your stocks steady...so how much is that? How much olive oil are you consuming weekly? Then work out the calories at 9 calories per gram...just as much as animal fat. For many people, that amount of unnecessary/empty calories is a big problem. In your case it isn't so you must be burning it off. Good for you, well done (very sincerely). But you can't say "I don't believe for one second that olive oil makes anyone fat"... it clearly does exactly that. In fact, it is meant to. Humans are programmed to seek out and eat fat in order to put on fat...so we won't starve too quickly when the food runs out. But in today's world of constant food abundance and a lot of seated time, it definitely causes a problem for a lot of people. Replacing animal fats with an equal amount of equally empty olive oil calories...will do a lot of harm to a lot of people. Thank goodness you are not one of them. Best regards.

[@stan8926]

10 years of Paleo‐ish diet with evoo did not prevent my high BP 140 90, WFPB SOS free got it back to 105 70 in18 months. Gerd on WFPB SOS free is real. No salt can almost halve the stomach acid. Not enough Cl i assume.

[@davidkclayton]

Once again the focus is on losing weight. Not useful for some of us that want to gain weight.

[@tnargs57]

Yes, and a hat is not useful if you want a screwdriver...but then you wouldn't go into a hat shop looking for it, would you?

[@donwinston]

Mediterranean is plant based, just not 100% plant based. What is wrong with saying vegetarian/vegan?

[@Cat_Woods]

I've been happily vegan for almost 4 years and have had quite a few health benefits. However, my cholesterol is still really high. Don't know what else to try. I keep tweaking my diet to omit fat where I can. Not sure even if I were perfect about it that it would lower my level.

[@sectionalsofa]

There are many processed vegan foods that include coconut oil which is very high in saturated fat. Usually a whole food plant based diet without processed foods will bring LDL C down, but not always . Some of us have genetic factors that make it nearly impossible to get numbers in range without meds. If a whole food plant based diet with moderate fat intake from nuts and seeds doesn't get your numbers down, consider a few natural supplements like Amla or Citrus Bergamot. If that doesn't work (as it didn't for me) perhaps consider seeing a lipidologist for more testing. After years of trying, I finally went on meds. I'm 70 and have mild arteriosclerosis so the benefits outweighed the risk--- for me.

[@Cat_Woods]

@@sectionalsofa Thanks! I've been taking amla (and green tea) every day for years - no effect. I'll look into the citrus bergamot, hadn't heard of that. Thanks also for sharing that you decided on meds. I would like to avoid taking, because once I do, I lose cholesterol numbers as a marker for whatever might be underlying it. But if I can't get it down with diet and exercise, I will probably give in eventually and take a medication. It's good to know I'm not the only one. You hear all these stories of people's cholesterol going down a hundred points within a few months of going plant-based, and it's definitely not been like that for me.

[@sectionalsofa]

@@Cat_Woods You're welcome! There are a couple of whole food plant based cardiologists you may want to google (if you haven't already) who discuss the necessity of meds for some people. One is Dr Kim Williams and the other is Dr. Joel Kahn. I was just where you were, but again, I finally had to bite the bullet. Who knows, maybe with some tweaks you may not need to. Good luck!

[@aureliaglenn2220]

You might want to try the Portfolio Diet, created by Dr. David Jenkins, as he created it specifically to combat high cholesterol.

[@finelinerin]

Hallo, ich beschäftige mich gerade mit der Schilddrüse. Dabei habe ich gelesen, dass ein unzureichender Schilddrüsenstoffwechsel auch Einfluss auf die Cholesterinwerte hat. Vielleicht lohnt es sich, an dieser Stelle auch zu schauen?

[@sandibellack6528]

Why red???

[@allencrider]

Olive oil is junk food. So is wine. Fish is polluted. Whole wheat pasta is great but refined flour pasta is not so great.

[@donwinston]

There is hardly any difference between regular pasta and whole wheat pasta except taste. There's a little less protein and a little less fiber in regular pasta. It is not going to matter unless that is the only thing you eat. It's the cookies, donuts, and chips that cause problems because they taste so darn good people eat them and eat them and eat some more of them. Salt and fat and sugar(distant 3rd) is what makes food super palatable.

[@allencrider]

@@donwinston You need some fiber in your life. And minerals. You probably have to supplement minerals because you eat the wrong foods.

[@donwinston]

@@allencrider No. I eat four servings of vegetables almost every day and four servings of fruit almost every day. I put flaxseed and wheat germ in my oatmeal almost every day and one serving of beans or lentils almost every day. It's not hard to eat lots of fiber and have plenty of room for delicious French bread, pasta, white rice, and potatoes.

[@donwinston]

@@allencrider Refined carbs and sugar are not poison. The amount you can eat that is healthy depends entirely on how physically active you are. Morons vilify foods. It is the entire diet that matters not any one food.

[@allencrider]

@@donwinston Wheat germ. White rice, too. And how about all that olive oil, wine and fish?

[@walterski8377]

Not paying attention / recommending someone first understand if they are insulin resistant is unbelievable from a Dr in 2023!!

[@shirleywilliams5397]

I have been vegan for 7 years. I have Hashimotos. My levothyroxine dose has been decreased since I became vegan as my thyroid function improved. Eating 2 Brazil nuts per day helps because they contain selenium. Also helpful is sprinkling Nori on foods for iodine. Veganism is not a cure because cells in the thyroid gland are destroyed by Hashimotos & they cannot grow back.

[@tnargs57]

Greger recommends one Brazil nut per week, because of selenium toxicity. It is a very healthy nut, but be careful how many. Search for brazil nuts on his website, nutritionfacts. cheers

[@miriammcpherson834]

I love your shirt and tie great match. Oh, by the way, i love your show. Your show is the GOAT no brag. Just facts 💯 say hello too Dr Bernardo for m. I am his biggest fa, no jok. He taughtt me a lo, may God bless him with more knowledge

[@alchemy1]

I would say instead of eating peanut butter and peanut oil and olive oil and juices and smoothies and such. eat peanuts, olives and fruits and whatever nuts directly. In other words, eat everything nature provides as much as humanly possible. Not good to process things unless you have to. That is you certainly do not want to eat raw beans, that is for sure. Whole grain stuff, Ezekiel bread is the best. No refined stuff. I also prefer small fish breeds such as sardines, herring, mackerel, salmon and such. No oils and milk stuff if I can help it. Instead of drinking almond milk or macadamia milk etc, I will eat them directly.

[@lilpetec6803]

It seems that the Mediterranean diet doesn't have as much vegetables as the vegan diet. I use vegetables for breakfast and go lower on oils.

[@kristianglen5990]

Not if you're doing it right. Most of your plate should be veg if you're on a Mediterranean diet.

[@tnargs57]

@@kristianglen5990 lilpetec6803 said "not as much". Do we agree that "most of your plate" is not as much as all of your plate? 🙂

[@ziliavillanueva3055]

Every time somebody talk about a diet loosing weight is the main thing.But what about people like me with the right weight ? Very frustrating..

[@sandibellack6528]

I need to GAIN weight. Not everyone is looking to lose weight…😡

[@Shellbee22]

As an Italian Mediterranean for the the WIN lol just kidding …I lean more vegan …that being said the Mediterranean diet is very similar to the vegan diet …minus salmon ..oils ..other then that they have again a lot of similarities

[@willdee-st6ub]

Wouod disagree with Neal eating too much salt is bad 4 high blood presdure6

[@jenaking3069]

Vegan is not WFPB.

[@jakobw135]

Don't the Japanese follow a Mediterranean diet? And they are some of the most long lived people in the world!

[@shirleywilliams5397]

The traditional Japanese diet is very low in fat; high in omega 3 & vitamin D; soy & vegetables. It is low in meat & chicken. Amounts of fish are small. Traditionally they ate no sugar. Their health system prescribes B12 at a low level of deficiency & injections are provided for life. These are the nutritional reasons why they are very healthy.

[@tnargs57]

Perhaps the Mediterraneans follow a Japanese diet? 😁

[@LYBASHA]

One of the first things that bothers me is that they spend a lot of time praising the study before showing any substance of the study. This is a distraction. Then they tout Esselstyn. He relies on correlation cherry picked data as did Ancel Keyes. There are no causal studies.

[@shinebrightandbethelight]

It's not vegan its wfpb because vegans use oil but wfpb don't atleast that's what I've read anyway

[@sectionalsofa]

Depends on who you follow. More and more in the wfpb community are realizing olive oil may be beneficial after all. Husband and wife team, Drs. Sherzai and Cardiologist, Dr. J Kahn are a few examples.

[@11235Aodh]

@@sectionalsofa Dr. John mcDougall is still very much against oil. Also dr. Peter Rogers has many videos on oil (and all dietary fats) and what they do to us on a cellular level, it messes with our mitochondria's. Also olive oil, which is also a whopping 12-14% saturated fat btw.

[@sectionalsofa]

@@11235Aodh As I said, it depends on who you follow. I do not follow Dr. McDougall, for a number of reasons.