The Omni Diet, created by registered nurse Tana Amen, emerged in 2013 as a proposed solution to the health problems associated with the typical Western diet, which is often blamed for the rise in chronic diseases. The Omni Diet offers a roadmap to good food and good health all at once. It may seem too good to be true, but following this approach will not only enhance and extend your life, it will reverse many chronic diseases while delighting your palate.
The diet aims to boost energy, alleviate chronic disease symptoms, and even promote weight loss of up to 12 pounds (5.4 kg) in just two weeks. While some experts have criticized it for being restrictive, many individuals have reported positive results, leading to questions about its effectiveness.
It is crucial to distinguish the Omni Diet from the Omnitrition Diet, as they are distinct programs with different protocols. This article provides a thorough analysis of the Omni Diet, examining its potential benefits, drawbacks, and the scientific evidence supporting its claims.
Understanding the Omni Diet
Tana Amen developed the Omni Diet after struggling with chronic health issues and overcoming thyroid cancer at the age of 23. By her thirties, she faced hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and chronic fatigue. Frustrated with endless medications, she decided to take control of her health and create the Omni Diet.
Initially, Amen believed a vegetarian lifestyle was the healthiest option. However, she noticed that her insulin and cholesterol levels were not improving, and many vegetarian foods she consumed were highly processed with unnatural ingredients. She then shifted to a sugar-free, grain-free, animal-protein diet. While her energy levels improved, she felt she was missing essential nutrients from plants.
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Finally, she focused on a balanced approach that allowed both plant and animal foods in moderation, similar to a flexitarian diet. The Omni Diet emphasizes eating 70% plant foods and 30% protein. While protein can come from both plant and animal sources, the diet primarily refers to lean meats.
Although the diet includes both plant and animal products, it has several restrictions. Dairy, gluten, sugar, soy, corn, potatoes, and artificial sweeteners are not permitted. Amen claims that following the Omni Diet has transformed thousands of lives by decreasing inflammation, reducing or eliminating symptoms of chronic disease, optimizing brain function, and improving fullness without feeling deprived.
Core Principles of the Omni Diet
The Omni Diet is based on a 70/30 plant-to-protein model, providing a universal map to better health distilled into three two-week phases. It combines the best aspects of plant-based diets and high-protein plans, offering the health benefits of plant nutrients and the sustained energy and stabilized blood sugar that come from lean protein.
Permitted Foods:
- Fresh vegetables (excluding white potatoes and other vegetables that Amen believes may cause problems for some people)
- Moderate amounts of fruit, especially berries
- Naturally raised lean meat and poultry, wild-caught seafood
- Eggs
- Raw nuts and seeds
- Coconut, almond, macadamia nut, grape seed, and olive oils
- Dried beans and lentils in limited amounts
- Fresh and dried herbs and spices
- Superfoods like maca root, goji powder, lucuma, and pomegranate
Foods to Avoid:
- Dairy
- Grains (except for quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth in small amounts) and gluten
- Sugar and simple carbohydrates
- Soy
- Corn
- Artificial sweeteners (except for stevia in small amounts)
- Vegetables: white potatoes
- Carbohydrates: all simple carbs (e.g., breakfast cereals, instant oatmeal, most breads, and white flour, sugar, pasta, and rice), and grains (e.g., barley, corn, rye, and wheat)
- Animal protein: pork, ham, commercially raised beef and poultry, farm-raised fish, and all processed meats (e.g., bacon, luncheon meats, pepperoni, and sausage)
- Plant protein: soy-based foods (milk, protein bars, protein powder, oils, and byproducts, etc.)
- Dairy: all dairy products should be avoided (butter, cheese, cream, ice cream, milk, and yogurt) - however, ghee is permitted
- Corn-based products: high fructose corn syrup, corn oil, popcorn, cornstarch, and corn chips
- Processed food: baked goods (e.g., croissants, donuts, and muffins), cakes and cupcakes, candy, chips (potato, veggie, and nacho), cookies, fast food, frozen dinners, nutrition bars, and sugar-free foods and candies
- Sweeteners: all processed sugar (brown and white sugar, agave, and processed maple syrup), artificial sweeteners (e.g., aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose), jams, jellies, and marmalades
- Beverages: all types of juice (even 100% juice), energy drinks, lemonade, fruit punch, and regular and diet sodas
- Condiments: any that contain restricted ingredients (e.g., barbecue sauce, ketchup, and soy sauce)
- Genetically-modified (GMO) foods: all GMO foods should be avoided
Amen also recommends taking supplements, including a daily multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium, and probiotics. Alcohol is not allowed in Phase 1 and preferably Phase 2 of The Omni Diet. If you must drink in Phase 2 and beyond, Amen recommends limiting yourself to two glasses of wine or cocktails per week. You may not drink beer or other alcoholic beverages containing gluten.
The Three Phases of the Omni Diet
The Omni Diet is structured as a 6-week program consisting of three phases. Phases 1 and 2 are highly restrictive, while Phase 3 allows for the gradual reintroduction of certain foods.
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Phase 1: Transitioning Off the Standard American Diet (SAD)
The first phase focuses on transitioning away from the Standard American Diet (SAD), which is typically high in processed foods, fats, and sugars. This phase lasts for two weeks and involves strict adherence to the permitted foods list and avoidance of all forbidden foods.
Key rules for Phase 1 include:
- Eating only foods allowed on the diet.
- Avoiding all foods on the forbidden list.
- Limiting fruit intake to a 1/2-cup serving (about 90 grams) per day.
- Avoiding desserts and other restricted items.
- Drinking a meal-replacement smoothie, ideally the Omni Diet green smoothie, with a 4-to-1 ratio of vegetables to fruit or no fruit at all, including healthy fats and at least 20-30 grams of protein.
- Eating protein every 3-4 hours.
- Drinking water over other beverages, aiming for 50% of your body weight in ounces daily, but no more than 100 ounces per day.
- Visiting a sauna twice per week to detoxify your system.
Amen also recommends daily supplements such as vitamin D, magnesium, probiotics, and omega-3 fatty acids. She promotes a line of supplements developed by her husband, Dr. Daniel Amen.
Phase 2: Continuing with Restrictions and Adding Exercise
The second 2-week phase encourages continuing the rules of Phase 1 but allows for unprocessed desserts without added sugar or white flour, such as dark chocolate. Daily exercise is also expected, starting with 30 minutes of walking per day and gradually increasing to a 30-minute full-body workout.
Phase 3: Gradual Reintroduction of Foods
This final 2-week phase allows for more flexibility in food choices. As long as the diet is followed 90% of the time, 10% of foods from the non-permitted list are allowed but discouraged. If indulging, Amen recommends the "three-bite rule," taking three bites of a forbidden food, enjoying it, and discarding the rest.
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Alcohol can be reintroduced but is discouraged. Up to two 5-ounce (150-mL) glasses of wine per week are allowed, but alcoholic beverages containing sugar or gluten, such as beer or mixed cocktails, must be avoided.
Enjoying foods during celebrations like weddings, birthdays, or anniversaries is permitted, but planning ahead and selecting only one forbidden food is recommended. The diet emphasizes avoiding guilt about these choices. This phase should be followed for at least 2 weeks but ideally indefinitely.
Potential Benefits of the Omni Diet
Weight Loss
If you follow The Omni Diet, you’ll likely lose weight. It’s a nutritious approach to weight loss. And if you stick with the program for the long term, you’ll keep the weight off. Because you’ll be cutting calories from your diet and burning them through exercise, the weight should drop pretty fast. The promise of losing 12 pounds in 2 weeks is a bit of a stretch, but if you follow the program to a T, it could happen. If not, don’t get discouraged.
The Omni Diet emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods and encourages protein consumption. Eating more fiber-rich vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins can promote feeling fuller on fewer calories, which encourages weight loss.
The diet's restrictions eliminate many ultra-processed foods high in fats and sugars, reducing overall calorie intake. Adding exercise further promotes a calorie deficit.
However, limited research suggests that avoiding dairy, gluten, and grains is necessary for weight loss. Most successful weight loss programs focus on eating fewer processed foods and more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, rather than eliminating specific food groups or macronutrients.
The rapid weight loss experienced on the Omni Diet is likely due to a combination of losing water, fat, and muscle mass, rather than just belly fat. When calorie intake is reduced, the body uses stored energy (glycogen), which holds large amounts of water. As glycogen is burned, water is released, leading to a rapid decrease in weight. Additionally, a small amount of muscle loss may occur, further contributing to water loss.
After this initial rapid drop, a smaller, steadier weight loss of around 1-2 pounds (0.45-0.9 kg) per week is more typical as the body adjusts to the change in calorie intake and expenditure.
Most medical experts agree that rapid weight loss can be risky and may lead to weight regain. Focusing on slow, gradual weight loss is generally recommended.
Increasing daily exercise, eating fewer processed foods, and opting for healthier food choices are positive changes that can lead to meaningful weight loss over time.
Consumption of Whole, Unprocessed Foods
The Omni Diet focuses on consuming whole, unprocessed foods. Limiting ultra-processed foods is beneficial for health, as these foods tend to be high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and empty calories.
A diet rich in vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats is linked to better health outcomes, such as a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, and certain types of cancer.
One study found that for every 10% increase in calories from ultra-processed foods, participants had a 12% and 13% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, respectively.
Therefore, any diet that promotes consuming more whole, unprocessed foods will likely benefit your health.
No Calorie Counting
The Omni Diet does not require calorie counting, focusing instead on the nutrient quality of each meal. Since most foods on the diet are high in fiber and protein, they may help control hunger and food intake by taking longer to digest.
The diet also promotes an intuitive approach to eating by allowing yourself permission to eat when your body signals it’s hungry.
However, intuitive eating is most successful when there are no food restrictions. The Omni Diet's large list of off-limit foods may increase anxiety surrounding food choices and ignore the premise of listening to what the body wants.
Focus on Lifestyle Changes
The Omni Diet encourages a holistic approach to health. In addition to changing your diet, Amen provides healthy cooking tips and teaches readers how to make healthy food choices, read labels, and exercise portion control. She also encourages regular exercise, practicing gratitude, and stress-management techniques, such as meditation.
Good for Certain Conditions?
The Omni Diet is appropriate for anyone living with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. If you have high cholesterol, be sure to check with your doctor about the recommendations for coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat. Because the primary source of calories is plant-based foods, the diet is low in cholesterol. Limiting starchy carbs and sugar may be especially helpful for people with diabetes; just be sure to check with your doctor if you plan to follow this diet.
Potential Drawbacks of the Omni Diet
Highly Restrictive
Although Amen promises to decrease feelings of hunger and deprivation, the diet has a long list of restrictions. To follow the diet correctly, you must eliminate or greatly reduce your intake of dairy, gluten, grains, sugar, starchy vegetables, beans, lentils, and all premade foods and desserts.
For most people, this leaves little room for flexibility and ignores other important aspects of eating, such as culture, tradition, and celebration. For example, beans and lentils make up a large portion of the diet for certain cultural groups, yet they’re highly discouraged.
The most successful diets are those that are affordable, culturally acceptable, and enjoyable - and can be followed long term.
Diet-Centered Messaging
Although the book claims to take a balanced approach, it encourages a number of concerning behaviors and messages. For example, the “three-bite rule” limits a person to only three bites of a dessert or off-limit food. While the idea is to enjoy the flavor without the calories and sugar, this type of behavior does not embrace balance.
Moreover, the book regularly uses terms such as “toxin” and “poison” to portray foods as being harmful and bad, which further perpetuates the “good versus bad” mentality of dieting. Ultimately, this can promote feelings of guilt and a bad relationship with food.
Those who describe food using moralistic terms, such as “good” and “bad” have been shown to have less healthy eating and coping behaviors, such as stress eating, than those who do not use those terms.
Due to the overly restrictive nature of the diet and its focus on vilifying food, it may lead to a negative relationship with food, especially in those with a history of disordered eating.
Expensive and Inaccessible
Amen recommends a long list of organic foods and supplements that are usually more expensive and inaccessible to many. In addition, she discourages inexpensive food items, such as beans, lentils, potatoes, corn, and dairy products, which are cost-effective and nutritious.
This diet also requires regular use of a sauna as a detox - despite a lack of evidence that it will detox your body. Many people do not have regular access to a sauna or cannot afford it financially, making this lifestyle even harder to achieve.
Limitations of the Omni Diet
This plan will be a big change, if you currently eat a typical American diet. You may find you like a lot of the foods you switch to on this plan, but it's probably going to be a big adjustment.
- Cooking and shopping: You will need to plan menus and prepare foods, including 9 cups of vegetables a day.
- Packaged foods or meals: No.
- In-person meetings: No.
- Exercise: Required. Exercise is a key part of The Omni Diet. The book includes a detailed plan that starts with walking and works up to a full-body workout that takes 30 minutes a day.
- Vegetarian or vegan diet: Although you can adjust The Omni Diet if you're a vegetarian, it does emphasize lean animal protein sources like eggs, fish, and poultry, and limits beans. If you are a vegan, following this diet will be even more challenging, as you will have a much more restricted list of foods and will have to rely heavily on nuts, seeds, and the limited amounts of beans and other legumes allowed.
- Gluten-free diet: This plan would work for you.
- Cost: You may spend more on groceries, since you’ll need to buy naturally raised meats, wild-caught seafood, lots of vegetables, berries, nuts, and no convenience foods.
- Support: You do this diet on your own, but you will find lots of tips and Omni Diet-friendly recipes online.
Scientific Evidence and Expert Opinions
While there are no studies specifically on this diet, there is a great deal of research to support its components. One of its best features is that the calories come mostly from non-starchy vegetables. There’s no guarantee you’ll lose weight if you go gluten-free, but if that helps you avoid overeating foods like bread and pasta, go for it. Just don’t replace them with gluten-free versions of those foods. There’s also little research to support the supplements (except vitamin D which most people don't get enough of) Amen recommends, and they’re unlikely to help you lose weight. Because Amen suggests avoiding dairy, look for other sources of calcium and vitamin D, such as fortified soy and almond milk.