A Nutritionist Weighs in...

There are a lot of healthy eating habits that can be gained from this plan, including increasing your fruit and vegetable intake. The focus on eliminating processed foods is a beneficial dietary change for many of us. However, the strict food combination rules may be difficult for many to follow long-term. I have smelled the Green Lemonade but could not bring myself to taste it (and I'm a nutritionist who likes fruits and vegetables!).

But some of the recipes do sound delicious and make use of a lot of healthy and delicious vegetables. This might make a nice reference book to add to your collection.

This is a big lifestyle change that may be difficult to stick with for the long term

This diet can be restrictive and is not practical for many. Can you stay on a diet where most of your meals are made up of raw fruits and vegetables? When you reach the highest level, 98% of the diet should be made of raw foods, mostly consisting of fruits and vegetables. Will this be enough to keep you satisfied? There is no calorie counting, but sample menus (especially the strictest levels) seem very low in calories. Also, the staple drink Green Lemonade and fresh fruit are eaten during the daytime hours and you need to wait until dinner for a substantial meal (you don't even begin eating until after 11:00am or noon in the strictest plan!).

The food combining rules are extensive and might make your head spin. Not only will they take time to learn, but they also will not be maintainable in the long run. Could you imagine going to a restaurant and double-checking which ingredients have been combined in your meal? If you cook a lot and use the recipes included, the combination rules may not be a big deal for you.

You'll have to find specialty food stores to buy products such as raw bread and raw granola bars, which could be inconvenient and time-consuming (some of the products can be purchased on the Web site). It also may be expensive to eat the quantity of fresh, organic produce and raw specialty products required on the diet. Still, the benefits of eating a lot of fresh produce may offset the price. If you buy the book, there's a chapter about following this diet on a budget, which may prove helpful.

Since there are no weight loss expectations, you may not feel sure if you are losing weight at an appropriate rate. Better guidelines would help.

On the other hand, a great aspect of this diet is that there is no calorie counting. This diet can help with weight loss without relying on constantly counting your calories. Also, if you do not enjoy exercise, this diet may fit your lifestyle, since exercise is not required for weight loss.

But, What Can I Eat?

See what's in & what's out

What do other members think about this diet?

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