The Prehistoric Diet Plan

You’ve heard it before. The standard American diet is laden with too much saturated fat, sugar and processed foods filled with artificial ingredients. This kind of diet can wreak havoc on your body, contributing vastly to chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

To undo the damage, one need only look at our ancient forebears who had it right by eating a plant-based diet. Today, studies show that people who eat only plant-based foods generally consume fewer calories, weigh less, and have a lower risk of heart disease than non-vegetarians do.  

Dr. Oz’s Prehistoric Diet

1. Protein Category: For those meat-lovers out there, it may surprise you to learn you only need about 10% of your total calories to come from protein. Here are great sources:

• Beans: Lentils, cannellini beans and garbanzos are all packed with protein. Click here to learn why beans are a surprising superfood.
• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale and seaweed (nori) are nutrition-packed superfoods rich in protein. Plus, they’re packed with plenty of other vitamins and minerals, including calcium and iron.

2. Calcium Category: Especially for women over 40, calcium is a critical nutrient, important for bone health. Great sources include:

• Tofu: Some folks are afraid of tofu because they don’t know how to integrate it into their diet. But this Asian staple is easy to use and packed with calcium. Try silken tofu in dips, dressings or puddings. Firm tofu is great tossed in a stir fry or a salad. Click here for Oz-approved recipes containing tofu.
• Soy, Almond or Rice Milk: These plant-based milks make great substitutes for dairy milk. Many are fortified to contain as much calcium as cow’s milk.