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China Study cheat sheet: 10 things you need to know
With so little time, how will you ever get around to reading The China Study?
The China Study is one of those weighty, groundbreaking books that is perhaps more talked about than actually read.
We understand why: At 417 pages, with lots of nutrition facts and stats, it’s a lot to digest.
So we read it cover-to-cover for you, taking notes along the way. Understanding the book’s thesis has incredible implications for your health—like meat and dairy are way worse for you than you or your doctor could have known.
Here is your 10-step cheat sheet to everything in The China Study you need to know, plus a summary.
And if you’ve read it yourself, please add to our Cliff’s Notes in the Comments section below!
Summary: What is The China Study? It’s the largest comprehensive study of human nutrition ever conducted. It was launched via a partnership between Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine. The groundbreaking results from the study (and other influential nutrition research) recommend the best diet for long-term health.
1. American health statistics are scary. You may feel fit as a fiddle, but the country is unwell. Almost a third of adults over 20 are obese; one out of thirteen people have diabetes; and heart disease kills one out of every three Americans. We also pay more for our health care than any other country, and we don’t have better health to show for it.
2. Animal protein promotes the growth of cancer. The book author T. Colin Campbell, PhD., grew up on a dairy farm, so he regularly enjoyed a wholesome glass of milk. Not anymore. In multiple, peer-reviewed animal studies, researchers discovered that they could actually turn the growth of cancer cells on and off by raising and lowering doses of casein, the main protein found in cow’s milk.
3. Pesticides are gross, but none switch on cancer like poor nutrition. The food you eat affects the way your cells interact with carcinogens, making them more or less dangerous. “The results of these, and many other studies, showed nutrition to be far more important in controlling cancer promotion than the dose of the initiating carcinogen.”
4. The study findings are bulletproof. After years of controversial lab results on animals, the researchers had to see how they played out in humans. The study they created included 367 variables, 65 counties in China, and 6,500 adults (who completed questionnaires, blood tests, etc.). “When we were done, we had more than 8,000 statistically significant associations between lifestyle, diet, and disease variables.” In other words, there’s no arguing with the findings, Meat Council of America. Sorry.
5. The results are simple: Eat plants for health. “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest.”
6. Heart disease can be reversed through nutrition. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., a physician and researcher at the best cardiac center in the country, The Cleveland Clinic, treated 18 patients with established coronary disease with a whole foods, plant-based diet. Not only did the intervention stop the progression of the disease, but 70 percent of the patients saw an opening of their clogged arteries. Dr. Dean Ornish, a graduate of Harvard Medical School, completed a similar study with consistent results.
7. Carbs are not the enemy. Highly-processed, refined carbohydrates are bad for you. But plant foods are full of healthy carbs. Research shows that diets like the Atkins or South Beach can actually cause dangerous side effects. While they may result in short-term weight loss, you’ll be sacrificing long-term health.
8. Plants are powerful. It’s not just cancer and heart disease that respond to a whole foods, plant-based diet. It may also help protect you from diabetes, obesity, autoimmune diseases, bone, kidney, eye, and brain diseases.
9. You don’t have to tailor your diet for specific health benefits. Eating healthy can seem segmented—broccoli will prevent breast cancer, carrots are good for eyes, did you get enough vitamin C today? “Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board.”
10. Plants do it better. “There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants.” Protein (YES, PROTEIN!), fiber, vitamins, minerals—you name it, they’ve got it, and the health benefits. —Lisa Elaine Held
To buy The China Study, click here. To forward this Cheat Sheet to a friend, click here.
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Wow! Thanks for posting this–I sure hope there won’t be many arguments against a plant-based diet. Like Michael Pollen said so eloquently, “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.”
I’m really surprised – and disappointed – to see this here. “The study findings are bulletproof.” ??? While there are some useful nutritional recommendations in the study, its overarching conclusion (“Plants do it better”) is most certainly falsifiable. Put simply, its science is careless. It also ignores basic human biology. I’ve been reading this blog since it started and have always appreciated its objectivity and the ability of its writers to cut through the bull**** (which, unfortunately, there is a lot of in the health and wellness world). This post just confuses me.
I think #2. Animal protein promotes the growth of cancer is not a good heading for this. When I read this I thought, “Oh no! Meat causes cancer.” When in fact, it’s referring to the protein in cow’s milk. Isn’t that two DIFFERENT things / proteins????
Ok, the more I re-read the article, the more annoyed I am. I don’t know if the writer did a bad job summarizing or the book really contains sometimes foolish comments. I agree with Linda, how can #4 the study findings are bulletproof be correct?? They did this study ONLY in China. I am half Chinese and I’m built VERY different from a full Chinese.
And #5 “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest.” I wonder if they talked about whether these people exercise or do some daily activity. Most people who eat more plant-based foods area often more health conscious. Also, what if these are poor farmers who cannot afford meat. Their labor work plus their lack of meat could contribute to their difference in health.
I have nothing against a plant based diet. In fact, I think more people should move towards it as I agree that it’s healthier. This summary makes it sound like that book says that eating meat will kill you. In that case, most of us should be dead. Or have cancer. My family are big meat eaters, no one has cancer. I don’t know…either the book is really ridiculous and make silly little claims with little or very loose support or the person who summarized it did a terrible job and makes it sound (at least to me) very flimsy.
I agree that when you read a review of a book it is usually easy to poke holes in the statements. If you actually read the book, you would find that it answers all of the questions you have raised. The study is very comprehensive and is also backed up by a lot of other research. The conclusions stated in this article are accurate.
If you want more information but don’t want to read a book, I would recommend the video “Forks Over Knives”.
Dear Barbara and others,
I am currently in the process of reading The China Study. It is one of the most interesting books I’ve read, and is in fact written as somewhat of a memoir. I recommend anyone who feels disturbed by this article read the book. The results from multiple studies of Dr. Colin Campbell and his partners, including this one, the largest ever nutritional study done on humans spanning 65 countries and 6500 people (that’s a pretty amazing cross section of people!), all point to the same conclusions. Those conclusions, consistent to about 95%, are that animal protein simply put, activates cancer cells. It’s remarkable, and well worth a deeper look, by understanding the study in greater depth, and understanding the results.
In Dr. Campbell’s initial study on protein, still believing animal protein to be a health food as the son of a dairy farmer, he found 100% of rats fed a diet consisting of 20% animal protein all developed cancer from a carcinogen known as aflatoxin. The rats fed the same carcinogen but on a diet consisting of 5% animal protein developed cancer at a rate of 0%. In further studies after this initial result, the cancer activation was found to be able to be switched on and off. On with increased animal protein, off with decreased animal protein, and stopped or reversed with plant based protein. Simply amazing. 100% to 0%. Have you ever heard of such results?
The study talks about more than just cancer. It talks about animal protein in our western diets contributing to obesity (1/3 adults), diabetes (1 in 13), heart disease (1 in 3).
The idea that animal protein is harmful to our health is a very threatening idea. We have economies based on this idea. Dr. Campbell’s own family was raised on this business. If this fact agitates you, it’s your duty to research it further. It’s not unthinkable that for a collective idea to be wrong. But if enough people seek and find the truth, the world changes. This change is happening. And it’s absolutely amazing and shocking at the same time. The collective idea we have now about animal protein has been proven to be false.
Read The China Study and form your own opinions. Read any medical journal these days on nutrition, not sponsored by industry, and see it for yourself. Animal protein as a health food has come to an end. Inform yourself, and if I am wrong, then please inform me of the findings to the contrary.
In defense of people whose diet consists of meat, which most of the studies subjects did. Low levels of animal protein is not what’s killing us. But with meat, eggs, milk, cheese and butter, the average american east a high percentage of animal protein each day. This article recommends changing the main source of our protein to plant based protein. If you love meat, love it, just don’t love it to death.
Dear Andrea,
Thanks for the clarification on animal protein! One thing, since you’re reading the book, the above article said that the study is performed in 65 counties (not countries as you noted in your comment) in China. Can you clarify which it is? Countries or counties? Thanks!
Oops! You’re right. Counties, within China. Not countries. I kept on reading that wrong and had to correct myself. Now I’m writing it wrong too. Counties.
I love this site, but please present a whole sided picture next time, and take the time to check if there is counter research to studies you are presenting. This study is NOT bullet proof and there has been TONS of very good research poking many holes in the way the research was conducted in The China Study. I’m not saying I disagree with with many points in the China Study, but the research was not done as “bullet proof or thorough” as the review is saying.
it’s wonderful to get the benefit of others doing the deeper digging into this subject. I’ve read “Diet for a New America” which is very well documented and should be of interest to anyone reading “the China Study”…the end result though is that being vegan is best for all.
as well, the movie “Forks over Knives” is a documentary which discusses the China study too, and is very convincing. Easier to “digest” than the book too!
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I am a hard core low carb guy and 62 1/2 years old. The China study has challenged my thinking. Over the last 12 years my best blood tests were when I literally drank bacon fat gallons of olive oil and consumed red meat. I took vitamins and minerals didn’t exercise. And guess what? My weight dropped significantly. I struggle with high blood pressure when I add too many carbs. I admit alcohol affected triglycerides. I’m taking the challenge to radically switch to a plant food diet and will check back with results in 3-4 months. I am not going crazy on exercise or vitamins and have reduced alcohol to 4 oz of red wine a day and one cup of coffee. I will miss eating things that have a face.(I am a hunter and fisherman) I look in the mirror and smile and ponder why I have canines? See ya! My vegan buddies are going to get a kick out of this.
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I do not see any remarks regarding alcohol? Did the China study in these counties incorporate alcohol. Also what is the take on extra virgin olive oil intake?
Animal protein promotes the growth of cancer. Really!?, based on a rat study were all the rats were poisened to induce cancer, were the non-protein rats only atained half their body mass, were half the non-prtein rats died before reaching 6 months, and were the protein rats all lived longer. And, here is the killer, the expirement repeated, were rats were given a complete amonio acid (protein) plant based diet. They had exactly the same results.
The study findings are bulletproof. Really!?, Perhaps you should go read some critique over at http://rawfoodsos.com/the-china-study/
It seems some tend to think the study findinga are all but bulletproof
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To those who think our pathetic little canines are proof that we should be consuming meat….think again. Many true herbivores have canines….look at the gorilla!!
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I partly agree with you on this statement: “People who ate the most animal-based foods got the most chronic disease. People who ate the most plant-based foods were the healthiest.”
Partly since “animal-based foods” like chicken, beef, pork are good source of nutrients. Yes, over-eating them is unhealthy but not eating them as well is unhealthy. Eat in moderation that’s all there is.
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