Top 10: Ornish Diet

Introduced in 1977 by Dr. Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and the founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Institute in Sausalito, California, the Ornish diet is a low-fat eating approach. This dietary plan is renowned for its potential to reverse chronic diseases and contribute to overall improved health.

Promoting the consumption of a diverse range of plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, the Ornish diet, according to Sarah Schlichter, a registered dietitian in Frederick, Maryland, does not endorse the intake of meat, fish, or poultry. However, it allows for limited consumption of nonfat dairy products and eggs, following a lacto-ovo vegetarian approach.

Organizing food into five groups, ranging from the most healthful (group one) to the least healthful (group five), the Ornish diet constitutes one of the four essential components of the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine by Sharecare program pillars. The other pillars include stress management, fitness, and the concept of "love," which underscores the importance of social connections and joy in maintaining good health, along with social support.

• Family friendly. Family members can easily eat all the meals together with little or no modification. The food options are healthy and balanced enough for all ages.

• Budget friendly. Foods for this diet are easy to find at a typical grocery and don’t require expensive or specialty food items.

• Planet friendly. This diet considers the environmental effects of food choices. It’s largely plant-based and/or the foods are mainly sustainably grown or produced.

• Vegan or vegetarian friendly. Recipes can be easily modified for a vegan or vegetarian diet.

• Gluten-free friendly. Recipes can be easily modified and still follow a gluten-free diet.

• Halal friendly. Recipes can be easily modified and still follow the diet.

• Kosher friendly. Recipes can be easily modified and still follow the diet.

• Low-carb. This diet recommends eating fruits, vegetables and whole foods, while limiting foods high in refined carbohydrates.

• Low-fat. This diet emphasizes foods that have little to no saturated fat.

• You won't need to restrict calories unless you’re trying to lose weight.

• If you’re following the diet for reasons other than weight loss, you’re encouraged to eat predominantly unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nonfat dairy and eggs in their natural forms.

• Refined carbohydrates, processed foods and added sugars are permitted in limited amounts, but strongly discouraged in favor of unprocessed foods.

• You’re also encouraged to use stress management techniques to navigate daily stressors.

• You should consume 4 grams a day of healthy fats (fish oil, flaxseed oil, nuts, seeds and plankton-based omega-3 fatty acids). Fats should make up 10% of your daily calorie consumption.

• Trade full-fat dairy for low-fat or nonfat versions.

• Add meditation or another stress-management technique to your morning routine.

• Research published in the past several years has shown that whole food, plant-based diets may help weight weight loss and chronic disease prevention (1, 2).

Short-Term Weight Loss

• In a study of over 1,000 Ornish plan participants over the course of a year, average body mass index decreased by almost 8%, taking the participant average from the "obese" category to the "overweight" category of BMI (3).

• A controlled but very small, short study found that reducing fat calories led to 67% greater weight loss among adults with obesity than reducing the same number of calories from carbohydrates, which is in line with the Ornish plan's recommendations (4).

Long-Term Weight Loss

• One study of over 800 overweight adults showed no significant difference in weight loss between participants getting 20% of their calories from fat and those getting 40% of their calories from fat (5).

Weight Maintenance and Management

• In the extension study to Ornish's heart disease-reversal trial, a small group of Ornish dieters who had lost an average of 24 pounds after one year on the diet maintained a loss of 13 pounds from their original weight after five years (6).

What Costs Are Related to the Ornish Diet?

• Buy fruits and vegetables in season.  

• Purchase non-perishable items, such as whole grains and brown rice, in bulk.  

• Stock up on canned vegetables without additional sodium and canned fruits without added sugar. 

• Shop at local farmers markets, which often have lower prices.. 

• If you have the time, prepare a few days’ worth of meals ahead of time.