The 80/10/10 diet is a low fat and raw foods diet that has picked up speed in popularity within the last decade. It promises to lead you to a life of health, weight-loss, and sustainable living. This diet also touts its abilities to make and/or keep you disease-free. For some, the 80/10/10 diet appears to be a godsend. They lose weight and begin to achieve the bodies they have always wanted, while others find it too unnecessarily restrictive in nature.
Does the 80/10/10 work and is it worth a try or too dangerous?
What exactly is the 80/10/10 diet?
Developed by Dr. Douglas Graham, the 80/10/10 diet is a low fat, raw, vegan diet. Graham is a retired chiropractor and athlete who is also a well-known raw foodist. The diet is also called 811, 811rv for raw vegan, or LFRV for low-fat raw vegan. The numbers simply mean that you should be eating 80% carbs, 10% protein, 10% fat. The big difference between this diet and what we call a “fad” diet is that the 80/10/10 has no time limit. It is not a 6-week or 90 day program. Dr. Graham sees it as a way of life, a way to remain disease-free and experience longevity.
Dr. Graham also believes that as humans our natural way of eating is fruits and vegetables only. He does not believe that we were meant to be omnivores or carnivores. The diet proposes that our digestive system was designed naturally to only digest fruits and leafy greens that have been tenderized, through massage or mashing with the hands or mortar and pestle. A diet that consists of fruits and tender leafy greens, would end up being 80% carbs, and 10% protein and 10% fats. This is Dr. Graham’s theory.
So what can you eat on the 80/10/10 diet?
Here is a list of foods that are ok to eat on this lifetime diet:
Fruits with a low-sugar content
cucumbers
tomatoes
peppers
okra
Squashes
and zucchini
You can intake some sweet fruits if you desire, as the diet does not totally restrict sweet fruits, just softly discourages too much of them. Here are some examples of sweet fruit you can eat on the 80/10/10 diet:
mangoes
bananas
berries
and apples
Though the 811LV has dieters that speak of a multitude of benefits, such as better sleep, more energy, clearer skin, more clarity of mind, science does not have any information to support these benefits as of yet. Other doctors and researchers feel that the diet’s biggest advantage is that it does encourage its followers to eat plenty of fruits and vegetable and avoid processed foods.