The Plant Paradox Diet is an eating plan designed to fight inflammation in the body, which could potentially help prevent weight gain, autoimmune disorders, and chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The diet involves restricting lectins, which are found mostly in grains, legumes, and certain vegetables, and instead, it puts the focus on protein foods, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables that are low in lectins. The following are some of the foods that should be restricted on the Plant Paradox Diet: dairy products, sweeteners, oils, grains, legumes, and certain vegetables. On the other hand, the following are some of the foods that you can enjoy as part of the diet: grass-fed or -finished meats, pasture-raised poultry, free-range eggs, wild-caught fish, and hemp products like “hempeh,” hemp tofu, or hemp protein powder, sweet potatoes, plantains, rutabaga, parsnips, and paleo wraps or breads.
The Plant Paradox Diet is fairly straightforward, as it simply involves avoiding lectin-containing foods. Although the diet is restrictive, cutting out numerous plant foods, it emphasizes whole and nutritious sources of protein and fat. The diets advocates assert that all lectin-containing plants are harmful, but research overwhelmingly suggests that many are safe and healthy. The focus on whole, unprocessed foods may make it a healthy eating pattern, but it may not be sustainable for everyone. The diet review scorecard rates the Plant Paradox Diet as follows: overall score: 3, weight loss: 3.5, healthy eating: 2.75, sustainability: 2.5, whole body health: 3.25, nutrition quality: 4.75, evidence-based: 1.5.
The Plant Paradox Program (PPP) calls for eliminating so-called “disruptors”—including certain foods, chemicals, and medicines. Instead, followers eat certain plants while avoiding others to reach and maintain a healthy weight and live free of chronic and autoimmune diseases. The PPP is based on four rules: eat lots of the right plants, avoid certain plants, eat healthy fats, and take supplements. The PPP involves eliminating all seeded vegetables except okra and having a tablespoon of MCT oil or coconut oil every few hours when doing intermittent fasting or stretching the time between meals.
While the Plant Paradox Diet may have some benefits, it is also criticized for being unnecessarily restrictive and designed to sell people overpriced and ineffective supplements. Additionally, the diet requires cutting out many ingredients that are highly nutritious and can be beneficial when consumed in moderation.
