The Plant Advantage: How I Lost Half My Weight on The Fuel Plus Fortification Diet

Benji Kurtz is on the side of science. For twenty years he struggled with obesity; he experimented with all kinds of catchy, fad diets that had everything going for them but scientific truth. In The Plant Advantage, he explains how a movie changed his life, inspiring him to eat the way human beings were designed to eat. And he subsequently lost half his weight, from 260 pounds to 130, in eighteen months. Without struggling.

In his thoughtful and sometimes comic analysis of nutrition and weight-loss, co-written with author Glen Merzer (Off the Reservation), Kurtz uses ample scientific evidence to explain the many advantages of a low-fat, plant-based, whole foods diet. But it's his own remarkable experience that seals the deal.

"A delightful read for anyone who may be confused by the gibberish infusing the public discussion on food and health-In this very special book, Benji Kurtz speaks with a voice and personal conviction that is original and refreshingly honest. Kurtz honestly relates his uncertainties and confusion as he searched for an answer why he could not shed a large amount of excess body weight. Although not a scientist, he presents the scientific evidence with a reliability that is rare for a layperson. Even though I have been a researcher in this field for more than a half century, I found myself being his student as he sought answers to his unusually intuitive questions about the scientific evidence. The Plant Advantage is a really good read for anyone caught in the squeeze between what is real and what is not on matters of food and health."—Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Author, The China Study, and Whole and Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University

"Together with Glen Merzer, Benji Kurtz has shared awareness of whole-food plant-based nutrition and epic personal transformation. This book concisely defines the science and skills enabling the lifestyle and nutritional literacy required for a long and healthy life." -Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., author, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

"Benji Kurtz’s personal journey is an inspiration, and his wisdom and practical information will help you maximize your own health. In our clinical research studies at the Physicians Committee, we see many people make wonderful transformations, and I hope you will read about his experiences and jump into your own journey toward better health. You, too, can become a success story!"—Dr. Neal Barnard, Author, A Physician's Slimming Guide, and President, Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine

"Benji Kurtz is the best kind of expert on weight-loss: someone who has LIVED the struggle and come out victorious!! Combined with wit, intelligence, and fantastic recipes, The Plant Advantage shows the reader how they can have his success too!" —Lindsay S. Nixon, Author, The Happy Herbivore Cookbook Series

"The odds of losing a large amount of weight and keeping it off are small. Most people fail because they do not take an effective approach. For all those that say it can’t be done, Benji Kurtz presents a proven plan that is both successful and health promoting." —Alan Goldhamer, Director, TrueNorth Health Center

"This book is a treasure. It is engaging, entertaining and enlightening. It is one of the rare "nutrition" books that is hard to put down. The story Benji Kurtz tells is one that millions of people can relate to. It is gives others hope for health. I wholeheartedly recommend reading it then sharing it with friends and family!" —Brenda Davis, RD, Co-author, Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy, Plant-Based Diet, comprehensive and express editions