Michael Greger 3 sources tracked
Physician, founder of NutritionFacts.org, and bestselling author known for advocating a whole-food, plant-based diet.
About Michael Greger →
Michael Greger, M.D., FACLM, is an American physician, author, and public health speaker best known for founding NutritionFacts.org, a nonprofit, science-based site that distills peer-reviewed nutrition research into free videos and articles. A graduate of Cornell University and the Tufts University School of Medicine, he is a general practitioner specializing in clinical nutrition and a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. His books How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, and How Not to Age became New York Times bestsellers. His work focuses on the role of a whole-food, plant-based diet in preventing, treating, and reversing chronic disease.
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Avoid eating a high-fat dinner the night before a diabetes test, since a single high-saturated-fat meal can worsen carbohydrate intolerance within 4 hours and skew results.
“having a fatty dinner the night before can adversely affect your results
NF▶ 6:20DosageAvoid high-saturated-fat meal the evening before glucose testingCertaintyexplicitrecommendation -
One tablespoon of black soybeans daily significantly lowers LDL cholesterol; Greger batch-cooks and freezes them to add to meals.
“a tablespoon of black soybeans a day significantly decreases LDL cholesterol
NF▶ 3:08Dosage1 tablespoon per dayCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Eat the colorful zest of citrus peels for phytonutrient benefits; the white pith contains little of value.
“there's not much in the pith. It's in the zesty part
NF▶ 15:25Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted) Alternative
As a sweetener, use date sugar — pulverized whole dates — available in granular and powdered forms for cooking or drinks.
“date sugar, which is just ground pulverized dates
NF▶ 13:30DosageGranular for cooking; powdered for drinksCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Dried beans and peas are extremely cheap and healthy budget staples.
“dried beans and peas, lentils... literally dirt cheap
NF▶ 2:48Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
Dulse, a purple seaweed powder, is recommended as a healthy iodine source to sprinkle on foods.
“Dulse is this purple powder that you can sprinkle on stuff
NF▶ 7:20DosageEnough to reach ~150 mcg iodine/day; doesn't need to be daily as body stores iodineCertaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger recommends a free European cardiovascular risk calculator that lets users model how lifestyle changes or statins affect their risk.
“I have one that I particularly like out of Europe. It's free
NF▶ 19:45CaveatsSpecific tool not named in transcript.Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted) Alternative
If consuming dairy, fermented dairy is preferable because fermentation eats up galactose, the sugar linked to higher mortality and hip fracture in milk drinkers.
“if you're going to do dairy, presumably fermented would be better
NF▶ 10:20Certaintyhedgedrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
Storing whole flax, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts in the fridge or freezer has no negatives and helps reduce oxidation.
“store them in your freezer, store them in your fridge
NF▶ 4:40CaveatsWhole flax seeds also keep months at room temp in a tight container.Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Endorsement
Greger's primer on natural approaches to cholesterol lowering covers diet-based LDL reduction.
NF▶ 19:15Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
Use hemoglobin A1c as the meaningful measure of long-term blood sugar control rather than worrying about individual meal spikes.
“You can do that with a hemoglobin A1c
NF▶ 17:30Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger endorses a high-carb (>300g/day) plant-based approach as a true diabetes reversal diet, weaning patients off insulin within weeks.
“Diabetics off their insulin within a matter of weeks, eating more than 300 grams of carbs a day
NF▶ 9:30DosageMore than 300 grams of carbs per dayCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Greger refers readers to his book How Not to Age for a section on adult vaccines including flu, shingles, and pneumonia.
“I have a section on flu vaccine and how not to age all the adult vaccines
NF▶ 18:35Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger mentions his book on aging as a resource.
“How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, How Not to Age
NF▶ 12:15Certaintyexplicitoffhand mention -
Endorsement
Greger's book How Not to Age, available at NutritionFacts.org/books.
NF▶ 19:05Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger mentions his book as a resource on evidence-based nutrition.
“my books, How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, How Not to Age
NF▶ 12:15CaveatsProceeds go to charity.Certaintyexplicitoffhand mention -
Endorsement
Greger's book How Not to Die available at NutritionFacts.org/books; all proceeds go to charity.
NF▶ 19:00Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger mentions his book on weight loss as a resource.
“How Not to Die, How Not to Diet, How Not to Age
NF▶ 12:15Certaintyexplicitoffhand mention -
Endorsement
Greger's book How Not to Diet, available at NutritionFacts.org/books.
NF▶ 19:00Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
Get the flu shot, especially older adults — it reduces flu risk by about 30% and prevents post-flu cardiovascular events.
“Yes, you should get the flu shot
NF▶ 17:30DosageAnnual flu vaccineCaveatsNot perfect; reduces flu risk roughly 30%.Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Greger endorses the IOM's protein recommendation of 0.8 g/kg body weight, about half what high-protein advocates suggest, for longevity.
“0.8 grams per kilogram body weight
NF▶ 6:30Dosage0.8 g protein per kg body weight per dayCertaintyexplicitrecommendation -
In a protocol Alternative
A tiny amount of kelp mixed into a monthly batch of his portfolio-plus powder provides daily iodine needs.
“a tiny amount of kelp in a month's batch, get all the iodine you need
NF▶ 9:15DosageTiny amount mixed into a month's batch of powderCaveatsDon't take normally as it's too much iodine; only tiny amounts spread outCertaintypersonal onlypersonal use -
Organic (prompted)
For anxiety-related uses, prefer whole-food lavender (eating the flowers or lavender tea) rather than supplemental lavender oil extracts.
“You can actually eat lavender flowers. You can make lavender tea
NF▶ 16:45CaveatsSupplement companies may not extract the actual active ingredients.Certaintyhedgedrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
Aim to lower LDL cholesterol as low as possible — at least down to ~25-28 mg/dL — to reduce heart disease and dementia risk.
“the lower, the better for longer
NF▶ 8:00DosageLDL down to ~25-28 mg/dL (1 mmol/L)CaveatsTheoretical concerns about hormone synthesis did not materialize in PCSK9 inhibitor trials.Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Greger recommends matcha (powdered green tea) over brewed green tea so you get the whole leaf and all its compounds.
“it's actually healthier to have green tea as a powder rather than brewing it
NF▶ 2:23DosageCan be added to smoothies, capsules, or pouchesCaveatsUse Japanese-sourced matcha rather than Chinese due to higher lead in Chinese tea soil; especially important for kids, pregnant women, heavy consumers.Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted) In a protocol
Greger endorses avoiding added salt, oil, sugar, and refined flour, getting fats from whole foods like nuts/seeds/avocados and sugars from whole fruit.
“Wonderful. Yeah, we shouldn't be adding added salt.
NF▶ 4:10DosageGet fats from nuts/seeds/avocados; sugars from fruit/sweet potatoes; eat groats or whole grains instead of flourCertaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Greger directs listeners to his nonprofit science-based website for free evidence-based nutrition content.
“NutritionFacts.org is a science-based nonprofit
NF▶ 12:50Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Endorsement
Greger directs listeners to NutritionFacts.org for free science-based nutrition videos and articles.
“NutritionFacts.org is a science-based nonprofit
NF▶ 19:40Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Greger recommends the Plant Based on a Budget resource, which offers ~$4/day plant-based eating plans, for those on tight grocery budgets.
“One of my favorites is called Plant Based on a Budget
NF▶ 2:20Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger endorses a plant-based low-fat diet without sugary refined grains for fat loss while preserving muscle mass.
“two pounds of fat were lost on the low-fat diet
NF▶ 1:15Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Organic (prompted)
Choose purple or red kale when possible — its anthocyanin pigments provide berry-like benefits including improved cognition.
“if I can get purple kale, if I can get red kale, I absolutely would
NF▶ 9:30Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Alternative
Use sweet potato as a whole-food source of sweetness instead of candy.
“eat some sweet potato as opposed to a candy bar
NF▶ 11:52Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Sweet potatoes are among the healthiest and cheapest foods available.
“one of the healthiest foods on the planet, one of the cheapest foods
NF▶ 2:40Certaintyexplicitstrong endorsement -
Greger highlights whole grains as essential to heart health, foods that low-carb diets restrict.
“essential to heart health, like legumes and whole grains
NF▶ 5:00Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Greger warns against animal-based low-carb diets, citing increased coronary artery calcium progression and worsened LDL.
“the low-carb group had the highest incidence of coronary artery calcium worsening
NF▶ 3:50CaveatsEffect not seen with plant-based low-carb diets.Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Avoid eating apple seeds.
“some seeds you want to avoid like apple seeds, peach pits
NF▶ 16:05Certaintyexplicitmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
Greger warns against the carnivore diet because it lacks vitamin C and raises saturated fat/cholesterol intake, worsening heart disease risk.
“the last thing we need is more meat in our diet
NF▶ 1:30Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Do not massage infants with coconut oil because saturated fats actually pass through infant skin into the bloodstream.
“you don't want to massage infants with coconut oil
NF▶ 6:20CaveatsAdults can safely use coconut oil on skinCertaintyexplicitmild caution -
Greger argues keto does not truly reverse type 2 diabetes — it masks high blood sugar while worsening underlying carbohydrate intolerance.
“low-carb diets can actually make diabetes worse, worsening insulin resistance
NF▶ 2:30Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Greger argues against ketogenic diets for weight loss, citing loss of fat-free mass (including muscle) rather than body fat compared to plant-based low-fat diets.
“there was no significant fat loss on the low-carb diet
NF▶ 1:00CaveatsScale weight dropped more on keto, but it was water and muscle, not fat.Certaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Organic (prompted) Alternative
Maple syrup is added sugar; prefer whole-food sweeteners like date sugar.
“they're sugar
NF▶ 12:32CaveatsHolidays and special occasions are not the main concern.Certaintyexplicitmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
Non-fermented milk consumption is associated with increased mortality and hip fracture, attributed to galactose content.
“milk consumption is associated with increased risk of premature death, hip fracture
NF▶ 10:00Certaintyexplicitmild caution -
Avoid eating peach pits.
“some seeds you want to avoid like apple seeds, peach pits
NF▶ 16:06Certaintyexplicitmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
Avoid donuts, refined flour, and refined sugar products, especially for those with blood sugar issues.
“skipping the donuts and the refined flour products
NF▶ 11:30Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
In a protocol
Avoid floured grains (even whole grain flours) because small particle size causes rapid digestion and blood sugar spikes; eat groats or whole grains instead.
“refined carbs. The floured grains, even if they're whole grains
NF▶ 18:30Certaintyexplicitmild caution -
Organic (prompted)
Reduce saturated fat (long-chain like palmitic acid found in meat, dairy, junk food) to improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar.
“most critical thing is decreasing saturated fat intake
NF▶ 18:00CaveatsShort-chain saturated fats like butyrate are beneficial; breast milk saturated fat is not harmfulCertaintyexplicitstrong warning -
Greger advises distinguishing harmful carbs (sugars, refined grains) from beneficial carbs (legumes, whole grains) and avoiding the former.
“Carbs that are detrimental to our health, like sugars and refined grains
NF▶ 4:40Certaintyexplicitrecommendation -
Organic (prompted)
Statins can be appropriate based on individual 10-year cardiovascular risk; use risk calculators to inform the decision.
“it's your body, your choice, you need to make up your mind based on your 10-year risk
NF▶ 19:30CaveatsDecision should be individualized using risk calculators.Certaintyhedgedrecommendation