Is the Reversal diet healthy for most adults?

The Reversal diet is a very low-fat vegetarian diet, with no animal products except egg whites and nonfat dairy. This is what the patients in our study consumed, whose coronary heart disease began to reverse. I am convinced that this is the world's healthiest diet for most adults, whether or not they have heart disease.

One of the patients in our study is Leslie Peller, whose mother, Clara Peller, became famous for her "Where's the beef?" hamburger ads. When Leslie first entered our study, he asked me the same question!

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the main professional organization of registered dietitians. In 1988, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics issued a position paper that stated:

A considerable body of scientific data suggests positive relationships between vegetarian lifestyles and risk reduction for several chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, such as obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, colon cancer, and others ... Vegetarians also have lower rates of osteoporosis, lung cancer, breast cancer, kidney stones, gallstones, and diverticular disease.

Although vegetarian diets usually meet or exceed requirements for protein, they typically provide less protein than nonvegetarian diets. This lower protein intake may be beneficial, however, and may be associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis in vegetarians and improved kidney function in individuals with prior kidney damage. Further, a lower protein intake generally translates into a lower fat diet, with its inherent advantages, since foods high in protein are frequently also high in fat.

It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that vegetarian diets are healthful and nutritionally adequate when appropriately planned.