Why 90%? This is a tipping point for your body’s own detoxification system to kick into gear. At
this level, you'll lose your desire for nutrient-poor foods. Once that desire changes, the body’s
functional momentum will pick up speed you’ll be compelled to eat even more plant-based,
nutrient-rich foods.
Of course this process begins as soon as you start choosing foods based on their nutrient density,
but it isn't until you reach about 80% to 90% that you really experience the full potential of healthy
eating, as your desires and food preferences change.
This means 90% of your diet is optimized for nutrient density, with a volume of great-tasting food
that suits you, free of addictive substances or excess calories. (Your body will gravitate to the exact
amount of calories it needs when your diet is optimized for nutrient density, satisfying in quantity
and quality, and free of addictive substances.)
This means getting the largest percentage of what you eat from first-class, nutrient-rich foods.
Leafy, green and colored non-starchy vegetables should make up about 30 - 60% of your diet; beans
and legumes about 10 - 40%; fruits about 10 - 40%; raw nuts, seeds and avocados 10 - 40%
(depending on activity levels); whole grains and starchy vegetables less than 20%.
The remaining 10% or less of your diet can then come from second-class, nutrient-poor animal
products, if you eat them at all; or even third-class, nutrient-barren refined foods, if you still have
any desire to eat them.
Or More means going all the way to vegan if you want to and feel ready to. This is a good choice, but
because of the “failure to thrive” at 100% plant-based for some people (discussed more in Part IV
The Science Is In), some people do better both physically and psychologically in the early stages
when they include small amounts of animal products from time to time. (This is not a promotion of
animal foods for any nutritional reasons; this is about making the transition work for you rather
than rigid ideals. At the end of the day, I want you to be successful.
Old food favorites are often desired or craved in the early stages of making a nutrition transition.
You will likely consume some old food favorites until you feel like you’ve completely lost your
desire for them. This could take weeks, months or even years; it just depends on how fast you get to
90% and optimize your food intake for nutrient density, volume, calories and great taste, free of
addictive substances (all of which you will learn more about in Part V).
If you optimize those factors really well, you will likely become someone who thrives eating 100%
plant-based or vegan, and if so, that is great. But at 90% or more, you are already living in line with
the most long-lived healthy populations and in accordance with what sound science says is a very
healthy way to eat.