THE CHINA STUDY, A FALSE BOOK

by Lawrence Wilson, MD

© Dec. 2009, The Center For Development.

The China Study (2006) caused quite a stir, at least among those interested in vegetarian diets. I would like to comment on it from a clinical standpoint. The author states that he is biased in favor of a low-protein, vegetarian diet and spends most of the book “proving “ his point of view. The following is intended to balance what is in the book:

Benefits of vegetarian diets. They tend to be higher in fiber and generally higher in fresh fruits and vegetables. They also tend to be higher in some vitamins, such as vitamin C and E. Less fat, junk food and even less meat is also beneficial for some people, especially those with weak digestion, food allergies, iron toxicity and other bowel problems. These are the main benefits of vegetarian regimens, in my long experience with thousands of American and European clients. The book’s author is a researcher, not a clinician.

Problems with vegetarian diets. They are much higher in copper and in carbohydrates, in most cases. Most people already have too much copper and most eat too many carbohydrates. Even worse, they also tend to be very low in zinc, sulfur-bearing amino acids such as taurine, carnitine and methionine, vitamin D and B-complex vitamins. This is quite harmful and makes them particularly unsuitable for most people today, especially those of the white or Caucasian race.

Orientals such as the Chinese seem to need less B-complex and zinc, for which reason they have been vegetarian-oriented people for thousands of years. Comparing their needs to those of Americans is thus incorrect, and a serious flaw in the China Study, in my view.

A much better book on this subject is by Weston Price, DDS, titled Nutrition And Physical Degeneration. He investigated not one race, but all races on planet earth. He found that meat-eating reduced far better health, especially inter-generationally, something that Dr. Campbell did not investigate at all, but a most important subject and a subtle one. In other words, even if you feel better on a vegetarian regimen, how will your grandchildren fare on this diet? The answer was, not well at all.

Dr. Price found that vegetarian diets lead to more birth defects, for example. This should not be surprising because zinc, for example, is critical to prevent birth defects, and is very deficient today in the Western world, in particular, in the soils and in the food supply. All vegetarians should take zinc supplements, but they often do not work as well as eating some animal protein, which supplies many additional nutrients.

Extremely yin and low in etheric energy. Most bodies are very yin today, and require a more yang type of diet. The foods that are most yang and highest in this energy are meat and eggs, followed by the whole grains. Vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and especially fruits are extremely yin and much lower in this energy so they are not as desirable foods, in my view.

FACTUAL ERRORS

The China Study is also riddled with factual errors. I will point out just a few of the more glaring ones that must make one question the author’s competence level:

· “…simple carbohydrates are found in foods like white bread… crackers and chips made with white flour” (p. 98). These are complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugars.

· “Most Americans consume voluminous amounts of simple, refined carbohydrates and paltry amounts of complex carbohydrates. For example, in 1996, 42% of Americans ate cakes, cookies, pastries or pies on any given day, while only 10% ate dark green vegetables. (p. 98). First, cakes, cookies and pies often contain plenty of complex carbohydrates such as wheat flour. Americans do not eat a paltry amount of them. Most people eat far too many complex carbohydrates. Secondly, dark green vegetables such as kale, Swiss chard and spinach do not contain much complex carbohydrates at all, if they contain any. The author is completely wrong on both counts.

· “There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants” (p. 213). This is so obviously incorrect that I am surprised it is in the book. I have mentioned above a few of the many nutrients that are much easier to get from meats such as zinc, some B-complex vitamins, some essential amino acids and others.

· Vitamin D deficiency is caused by eating dairy products and too much animal protein. (Appendix starting on p. 361). This is not supported scientifically anywhere that I know of.

· About vitamin D - “This “vitamin” is not a nutrient that we need to consume. Our body can make all that we need simply by being in sunlight fifteen to thirty minutes every couple of days.(p. 179). This ignores all the newer research on vitamin D that shows that sunlight is not sufficient, even if one spends a few hours daily in the sunshine.

· “Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board (p. 237). This is not true. Very often, a food or other substance that is helpful for one malady can cause imbalance or harm in other ways.

· “The recommendations coming from the published literature are so simple that I can state them in one sentence: eat a whole-food, plant-based diet, while minimizing the consumption of refined foods, added salt and added fats” (p. 242). This is completely incorrect, since there are literally millions of pages of scientific literature that come to different conclusions. If he were right, all doctors would recommend his diet and they certainly do not because plenty of evidence supports the idea of a mixed diet as best.

· “Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health”. (P. 228). If panacea means living on pills, of course it is not a panacea. But if it means that using supplements can help build health, he is completely wrong.

· “Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxious chemicals”. (p. 235) This is not correct. It can help a little, but the statement is absolutely wrong. One must avoid all toxic exposures as much as possible, and one must detoxify the body with supplements and other methods such as saunas or one will not remove most toxic chemicals and toxic metals. Food alone, in my extensive experience, will not do it.

· “Good nutrition creates health in all areas of our existence. All parts are interconnected.” (p. 238) I wish it were that easy. Especially on a vegetarian diet, it does not create health in any area that I have noticed with my clients and many other doctors have found the same thing. One must also live a healthful lifestyle, detoxify the body, and perhaps do other therapies such as chiropractic, body work and others to reach more areas of life. The author backtracks and states that exercise is also important, but does not want to endorse all kinds of other holistic methods. So he is obviously confused, himself.

MISSING VITAL INFORMATION

Another problem with The China Study is very little discussion of making wise food choices, whether among vegetables or meats. There is also little or no discussion of toxic metals, detoxification, metabolic types, retracing, pesticides, insecticides, drinking water as a health factor and other factors that are major parts of today’s nutrition picture. Instead, the author just focuses on vegetarianism, and with no balance at all.

For these reasons, I found the China Study a very disappointing and deceptive book from a scientific and clinical perspective. I hope that readers will look at the book critically, and not just be taken in by its excellent and persuasive writing style.

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