Neal Barnard
MD. Physician, founder and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
Barnard leads or supervises most PCRM diet trials, which test a low-fat vegan diet without calorie limits. PCRM is the most trial-tested voice in this guide.
Whose words we use: His papers and his own voice. Unsigned pcrm.org pages are labelled as PCRM's.
Evidence behind the weight-loss advice: Randomized controlled trials.
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.
AgreesPCRM gives low energy density as one of two reasons its low-fat vegan diet works, the other being more calories burned after meals. Its trial volunteers had no calorie limits yet ate less.
- PCRM weight-loss pageOrganization page
- Barnard 2005, randomized trialStudy
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Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds should be cut out or strictly limited for weight loss.
Partly agreesNuts are allowed, but Barnard warns they are easy to overeat because they are so high in fat, and gives portion tips.
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Oil
Added oil should be cut out completely for weight loss.
AgreesPCRM's tested diet had no added fats, and its weight-loss page says trial volunteers kept oils to a minimum.
- PCRM weight-loss pageOrganization page
- Kahleova 2020 trial (Barnard senior author)Study