Alan Goldhamer
DC (chiropractor, not a medical doctor). Founder of TrueNorth Health Center, co-author of The Pleasure Trap.
Goldhamer runs a residential center that uses medically supervised water-only fasting and a vegan diet free of added salt, oil and sugar. He sees overeating as the brain's reward system meeting concentrated foods.
Whose words we use: His own talks, articles and papers from his center.
Evidence behind the weight-loss advice: Case series (single-arm clinic studies).
Positions by topic
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Calorie density
Choosing foods with fewer calories per pound is the main way to lose weight without counting calories.
AgreesGoldhamer teaches a ladder from salad, about 100 calories per pound, to oil, about 4,000, and says losing weight means removing the concentrated processed foods. He adds that salt, oil and sugar push people to overeat through the brain's reward system.
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Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds should be cut out or strictly limited for weight loss.
Partly agreesAllowed in small daily amounts: up to two ounces of raw nuts a day, or half an avocado. His group's 2026 review rates whole nuts and seeds as at least as good as oils for the heart, without oil's possible drag on weight loss.
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Oil
Added oil should be cut out completely for weight loss.
AgreesGoldhamer's diet has no added salt, oil or sugar, and he tells people who want to lose weight to drop such concentrated foods. A 2026 review from his group is more careful: complete removal is not yet shown to add benefit, though added olive oil may blunt weight loss.