Dr. Dodge: Passion for Health

The Full Plate Diet is a new book on diet and nutrition. Published January 4, 2010, it is a new addition to the large number of books that have been written on this subject over the years. As a rule, I’m skeptical when I see the word Diet in the title of a book, simply because I’ve seen so many fad diets come and go through the years. Most of them do not have enduring value.

In reading my advance copy of this book, I realized that it is different. Based on solid science, it is developed on a framework of sound nutritional principles. The authors present sophisticated nutritional concepts in clear concise language that is easy to follow. The illustrations are plentiful and supportive of the written text, making the book very attractive as well as easy to read.

The title of the book summarizes the basic concept nicely. A plate full of colorful veggies and wholesome grains is nutritious and tasty. Yet, because these foods are low in calories, you can eat your fill and still not gain weight. In fact, if you are overweight, this diet is an easy way to get trim and feel great. According to the authors, weight loss of five or more pounds in the first month, and fifty or more pounds after one year on this program are not uncommon.

Most diets restrict calories by advising smaller portions of food than customary, but if you try to lose weight by eating small servings of high calorie foods, you feel deprived. That is why it is hard to stick with such diets over the long run. The authors put this dilemma in a nutshell when they ask the reader: Would you rather eat tiny portions or a full plate of good food?

The reason The Full Plate Diet™ works so well is that even though the plate is full of good food, it is low in calories. This is possible is because of the fiber in this diet. Vegetables, fruit, beans, and whole grains are almost all high in fiber, but low in calories. A major reason for this is that fiber has no calories. Even though high fiber foods are filling, most are low calorie foods.

Science has been discovering the many benefits of dietary fiber over the last few decades, but it’s only in recent years that chefs have begun to incorporate fiber into their culinary artistry in a larger way. As the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter put it in their February, 2009 issue, “Fiber is suddenly hip. Grandma, it turns out, was just ahead of her time.”

“But,” I often hear, “isn’t a high fiber diet boring?” This book shows that it doesn’t have to be. In both pictures and words, it features page after page of recipes that tantalize and satisfy one’s taste buds. Chapters on shopping for groceries, and on “Taking Fiber to Work, Restaurants and On the Road,” are helpful. This attractive, easy-to-read book is ideal for everyone, not simply for those wishing to lose weight. The authors, S. Seale, MD, T. Sherard, MD, and D. Fleming, PhD, present excellent health information in a great format. I recommend their book highly.