The McDougall Starch Based Diet is a vegan diet that has been made popular by the American Doctor John McDougall.
Its staple foods are starches that include grains, root vegetables and pastas.
Compared to the large majority of diets out there that often contain animal products in them including (Paleo diet, Atkins diet, South Beach), it is much better as it is all plant based and so can help people heal diseases, including cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
However, there are some downsides with basing your diet upon starch with grains being included.
There is more and more research now highlighting the negative effect grains can have on your health.
Grains are low in various nutrients including vitamins A, B, C and E and grain products can lead to blood sugar spikes.
In this video you will discover more about the pros and cons of the McDougall Starch Based Diet and I compare it with the fruit based raw vegan diet.
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I was wondering do incorporate greens into your diet and if so how often do
you eat veggies, and do you eat things like carrots, tomatoes, broccoli,
cauliflower?
Good video! I’m currently eating a Mcdougall type diet, not exactly the
same, but lots of starches. I was fruitarian for two years 2011-2013. I
really felt great during those years, but I was very skinny and had a hard
time keeping weight on. My current job is physical and I also don’t have
the option to eat as much or as often as I did eating a fruitarian diet.
I’ve noticed rice/potatoes (the staple of my diet) keeps me fuller longer
and I don’t feel tired after eating these in large amounts. I personally
feel I was healthier on a fruitarian diet, but I am really satisfied with
my diet now. I feel it’s a less expensive, more satiating diet. Love you
guys!
Of course a starch based diet isn’t an OPTIMAL diet, but it’s incredibly
healthy nonetheless. Look at Italy. Those pasta slamming motherfuckers be
having the lowest disease rate!
im doing that raw till 4 (raw fruits,veggies, greens etc till 4 pm then
cooked vegan starches after that) and love it…..eating raw all the time
is not practical for me, plus I really dont want to give up all certain
cooked foods….its probably not optimal but its ok by me for now
I find that relying on pasteurized juices as a back up plan when traveling
is a lot more convenient than steamed roots. Sure there may be an issue
with spikes in blood sugar if you drink them too quickly but that is simply
solved by taking a sip every few minutes. What are your thoughts on
pasteurized fruit juices as a back up compared to steamed root vegetables?
sweet potatoes and pumpkin taste perfect without adding condiments. Many
others too 🙂
I didn’t know there was a starch based vegan diet. If I had seen this video
earlier this week, I would have thought that’s better for me than a fruit
based one(which I was beginning to starve in). But I’ve discovered how
leafy green vegetables keep me feeling full, so I’m good for now.
SO TRUE! Fruit is naturally sweet and we don’t have to add anything or do
anything to it to eat it! Therefore, we are clearly meant to thrive on it!!
Thank you:) You are lovely
even though im not in 100% agreement the fact that you acknowledge the
Mcdougall diet is one of the healthier vegan diets and your message is eat
as much fruit as possible i think its a fair video
What i eat in a day Raw Till 4 style
Raw till 4 for the win
great video!
If you can’t do 100% then add in some potatoes, grains etc. It is as simple
as that. If experimenting with 100% raw, SLAM THE FOOD! The vast majority
of people will not gain weight gorging themselves on fruit
I’ve given up with lentils and beans, because they cause too many digestive
issues. I stay well clear of pastas, breads, and anything gluten.
Unfortunately, I don’t tolerate potatoes well, but I disagree that they
taste bland, because you can certainly buy some tasty ones. Sweet pots are
just fine, but I’m currently sick of them.
I do enjoy gluten free oatmeal and brown rice. You’re right about the
condiments required though. I make my own simple tomato sauce from scratch
that I need to put on the rice, to make it edible. But it tastes just
fine, and contains important nutrients such as basil, oregano, black pepper
and lemon juice. However, it does also contain a dash or two of olive oil,
which is considered undesirable to some, but surely won’t kill me.
Cool video! Although, I for one loooove eating plain rice or potatoes with
avocado and other veggies 🙂
If grains are bland by themselves and need condiments, don’t salads and
leaves in general are bland the same way? Don’t you guys make some kind of
dressing to go over your salads? I saw it in one of your videos. And you
really are going to criticize Dr. Mc Dougall and his dietary
recommendations? Come on ‘fruity daddy’!!! What is next? You are going to
put down T.Colin Campbell, Joel Furhman, Dean Ornish? And I am sorry to say
this but you don’t look as young as you think you do. You just look
extremely thin. Extremely thin does not equal looking young. I am sure you
are healthy…no denying that. I am not trying to put anybody down but you
actually made a video to put somebody down so I don’t feel bad saying what
I said.
I am a 64 year old male and have eaten a high carb low fat vegan diet for
just over 2 years now and have 99% reversed a health condition “Bronchitis
Aggravated Asthma” (so far). 99% less symptoms and 99% less medications.
For about 1 year got most of my calories from fruit and the rest from
cooked starches. The main difference is the poop. Fruit poop is less
offensive in smell. I am dealing with side effects from meds now but in
the future I might do high fruit. I am eating McDougall style now and would
try fully raw fruit based in the future to compare.
looking real good you guys!
Great video! I was on a high grain diet in around 2008 – 2010. It ruined my intestines. I literally a bruise in intestines that has healed yet. 🙁
Fruit is the best!
The raw food people are starting to get me as displeased with them as the
low-carb, paleo, atkins people. Where does one begin in rejecting many of
the things you say here? So wrong on so many points. All people shouldn’t
eat gluten because 1-5% are gluten sensitive? First error. And then the
errors just multiply from there. Cooking some times increases the nutrient
value of foods. Cooked tomatoes, for example. Adding salt and pepper and
some nutritional yeast to steamed potatoes means potatoes themselves don’t
taste very good themselves? So, you reject all forms of mixing foods? Ever
tried raw cranberries with plum and melons all chopped together? Or does
chopping food ruin it too? Please. Don’t try to start a false war here.
McDougall has stated that your way of eating is doable if you’re up for it.
He doesn’t condemn your diet approach. Please reverse your statement here.
Please state that his diet is a perfectly healthy choice. If not, you are
about to start creating enemies for no good reason.
I agree with Fruity Papa. Heat harms or totally destroys some vitamins. A
good example is Vitamin C, one of the Big Anti-Oxidants for our body.
Vitamin C is one of, if not THE Top Cancer fighter, being second only to
perhaps B-17, and heat wipes it out… It seems almost everything is cooked
now-a-days which may be one of the reasons Cancer is the #2 Killer in the
USA
I eat my starches plain. I quite enjoy the flavor. The McDougal diet is
called the Starch Solution if someone is looking for it. The starch
solution advises against flours and refined grains. It also advises beans
and lentils be a very small portion of your diet/they’re optional. I don’t
like that starch solution limits fruits to 2-3 pieces a day. That doesn’t
work for me, especially in the summer. You have to keep in mind, too, the
starch solution tends to be a lower calorie diet with a suggestion the half
of your meals consist of non-starchy vegetables.
I don’t really follow any one plan. I eat high raw, high carb, low fat and
low protein plant based diet. I don’t always have raw breakfasts or lunches
and I don’t always have cooked dinners. I just kind of go with what we I’m
feeling. Since it’s summer here in the US, I’ve been loading up on fresh
fruits and veggies before they’re gone. In the colder months, I’ll be back
to bananas, dates and more cooked starches.
After Eating this way for a while, I know which raw and cooked foods work
for my digestion and general well being.
In general, though, as long as you’re not contributing to the needless
death and dismemberment of poor, defenseless animals, eat however you’d
like! Vegan for the win
Hi…always enjoy your videos. I think it’s most important to find balance individually. For instance, I did 811 for two years, and now find that I have more energy and calmness adding unprocessed starches (pumpkin, squash, quinoa, buckwheat, etc) at dinner, with a huge salad. Also, I’ve read widely on centenarians and they all eat high plant, grains, legumes, beans, very little or no meat, fruit, and almost no processed food. The farther we get from nature, the sadder the consequences.
I never felt satisfied on a raw vegan diet, and I was always craving savory
food. Now, I eat Mcdougall style, but you seem to misunderstand a lot of
what this diet includes. He does not suggest eating white flour pastas or
breads. He recommends eating whole grain products, and these still have the
fiber. He also only recommends a cup or less of legumes a day, since they
are harder to digest for some people. As for the anti nutrients, Mcdougall
has mentioned how they don’t have antinutrients when cooked in one of his
newsletters. Cooking some foods also make them easier for our bodies to
digest and absorb the nutrients. I also happen to like a lot of things
plain. I often eat potatoes, yams, brown rice, puffed corn, and kamut
without condiments. They taste good once the taste buds adjust. Eat the way
you want to though. At least it isn’t harming the animals or the planet. I
am sure a raw diet is also healthier than one including animal products. 🙂
I m so thankful of finding mainly raw based fruitarian and some greens
diet. It has made me be better. i eat starches sometimes too, and grains
(except wheat). but it doesn’t happen often. lets say some nights i have
cooked food (plants or grains)… i won’t have cooked food for days and i
feel so much better. i feel freshness and so much flow within body when
eating fruits in particular. and also sometimes greens are amazing!. guys,
thanks for sharing the message.
i love those papayas behind you…:)
I tried the McDougall diet for one month and developed hypothyroidism. Some aspects of my health improved like lower cholesterol and loss of weight but a fruit diet would do that too.
The mcdougall diet sounds a lot like the diet that people from all parts of
asia eat – rice, legumes & grains. Asian people are pretty healthy.
I agree. I’ve been 100% raw for a time, then I went RT4. After a few months
I felt my health suffered. It was just too much cooked food even though I
was only having it for dinner. So I went back to raw, to then bring back
some cooked, but not as much as RT4 allows. I make my salads the focus for
dinner but with some cooked starches as condiments, and I enjoy eating this
way.
I’ve also found out that I digest gluten-type of grains really well and the
gluten-free products gave me pain and gases, so I went back to eating whole
wheat bread again – because I just freaking love bread and if it wasn’t so
poor in nutrition I could easily live off of bread. I’ve also started
avoiding all beans and legumes except for black beans, they digest the best.
I think it’s all about knowing yourself. Of course, you need to clean house
before you can really know what works and not. But if someone digest
potatoes without any problems then shouldn’t this person be allowed to eat
it?
allthough i found this very convincing at first, i have a problem with this
“natural food” argument. the most fruits and vegetables you eat are really
far away from beeing “natural” anymore (i dont even mean the way they are
produced but the fact that they didn’t even exist in that form). the next
thing is: we have been eating unnatural such a very long time that maybe we
“adapted” already. and even if that is not the case: the human population
got bigger and bigger, and life circumstances got better and better – isn’t
it unrealistic to make a statement about the “right” nutrition for the
whole human race or even continent populations, as our common ancestor is
reeeeeally old? i am just asking this, if anyone can deliver arguments for
or against this i’d like to read it.
Awesome
Starch = poison, stops your electricity from flowing properly in your body
aka your SOUL, and it makes mucus like fuck, clogs your brain.
Dr.Sebi ftw.
you mentioned phytic acids; isn’t it true that they are neutralized once
they have been steamed, boiled, or cooked? if so, then i don’t see that as
a negative for mcdougall.
Great that raw is working for you. I do very well with legumes and other
startches. Maybe is in my genes. In Mexico generations ate corn, beans, and
other plants and herbs as a based of their diet. I thrive on HCLFV diet but
i didnt thrive on raw, felt unsatisfied and craved cooked food. I can now
savor the goodnes of veggie stuffed enchiladas with a side of rice and
beans. Oh Mexican Heaven!
Dr. Mcdougall has testimonial after testimonial from people over a long
number of years whos lives he has actually saved from DYING, using his way
of eating – how many lives have you saved?
Dr. Greger is really the only one qualified to speak about nutrition. None,
NONE of the LFRV “pioneers” do nearly as much research as he does. These so
called pioneers are all past drug addicts or ex anorexics. Can’t there be
anyone normal?? Hence dr. Greger. He rocks. People, don’t believe everyone
on YouTube!!!!! How naive can one be?!?!?
I agree with you, Paul!!! Thank you for speaking up against this huge flock
back to cooked foods! I applaud you!
When I first saw this video on facebook, I said I didn’t like it and felt
there were mistakes in it. I still think that some of what you say is
wrong, but I also have to say that I am not feeling so good on cooked
starches. I find it almost impossible to eat raw foods if I incorporate
cooked foods, and cooked foods just don’t make me feel as good as raw foods
do! So, it looks like I’m back to fruit!
I agree with this, but everyone should try it for themselves. I feel
better on fruit than on starches.
who cares about all those diets…?;) i would be more interested in your business/life plan – the way you can sponsor your life style- live in nice place- full of cheap fruits…. congrats! well done
I don’t really think the starch solution is unhealthy I mean honestly it’s
still plant based and you can still eat unlimited fruits and veg. Idk it
works for me during school. 🙂
But still, good video 🙂
SECOND ! RESERVED
The arguments offered are simply conjectured concepts and dogma but not
related to proven scientific correlations to good health. The fruitarian
diets have not been proven by science for what the full consequences are.
The starch predominant based diets have been studied and the results are
well established. Fruit translates to high levels of fructose which can
have potential negative effects. A fruitarian is basically undertaking a
personal experiment which is fine. Short term benefit perceptions do not
necessarily translate to long term health for general population. Certainly
the low protein and low fat aspects are a positive. But, making very broad
health claims that are not based on science is not legitimate. It may turn
out that the fruitarian approach is comparable to the starch predominant
approach or better or worse. But as a minimum tell the people that your
claims are not science or what aspect of the claims relate to actual
science. For now, the McDougall approach is the best science has
established.
How do you Growing and Store Fruit long term?
A few months into a raw til 4 i started to give up and sway towards a
McDougall. I QUICKLY started to crave fruits-within a couple days! And I
got my husband to start making smoothies in the morning-someone who only
had coffee in the a.m and a salad for lunch, and not only is he a fruit
addict now (haha) but his work stress had decreased dramatically! I could
go on.
Fruit leaves the least amount of residue for the body to deal with because
they are mostly water. Vegetables are harder to digest for the human
because of the fiber and the fact that we are not herbivores, by nature, or
by observing the digestive system. Lots of fresh, ripe fruits, a few
select, mostly green vegetables, a handful of soaked nuts or seeds and I am
good to go. For “cheating”, I do like this sourdough bread I get from a
vendor at the Hollywood and Pasadena farmers market.
I think McDoughall’s Starch solution is the most sustainable vegan diet,
especially if you want to get more people on a plant based diet. Fresh
organic fruit where I live is just too costly for the amount I would need
to sustain on. I eat starches in the form of rice, sweet potatoes/reg
potatoes and some whole grains. I’ve never had to put any condiments on my
starches other than herbs and spices. A typical meal is cilantro/pepper
rice with a pile of steamed broccoli, that is a perfect dinner to me. I
use fruits to supplement during the day so I keep an even blood sugar
between meals. So far this approach has worked for me. If people are
getting fat off starches then they are cooking them wrong (frying), eating
too many portions or eating refined starches like pasta. I roast or steam
my starches and do not use any oils to cook them.
For me personally, Starch Solution is better. I was not ever satisfied
eating fruit (even though I was physically full). My digestion has been
much better as well and I don’t have any cravings. I think both lifestyles
are great and the most important thing to do is listen to your own body.
People, myself included, get too wrapped up in following others instead of
doing what is best for them!
Most 41 year old Americans don’t look as good as this dude, plant based is
the way to go.
1) vitamins missing in grains can be easily met by adding veggies/fruits to
them (i.e. add broccoli to the rice).
2) phytic acid is removed by soaking/cooking and most grain are
soaked/cooked before they’re eaten. Furthermore, the jury is still out on
whether phytic acid is unhealthy or not.
3) if you have a sensitivity to gluten, avoid gluten containing grains.
Eat other starches.
4) grains/starches are not bland. Studies where people ate nothing but
potatoes for months did not tire of them. Might as well say you need to
dip your banana in chocolate for it to taste good.
5) you don’t have to cook your starches before you eat them. Many are
sprouted and many are eaten as is.
6) people can experience dietary distress with lots of beans or with lots
of fruit.
7) refined flours lack fiber – i agree with you on this one.
8) your testimony about a fruitarian diet making you feel the best is
meaningless. The McDougall diet has the same testimonials.
9) you’re not youthful looking. You look like a redheaded stick insect.
10) the McDougall diet is also a low fat vegan diet.
I think I want to do the starch based solution. The only complaint I hear
is that you get tired. Idgaf lol I loveeee rice, pasta and bread and I need
to sleep more lol.
Is this guy a Doctor, medical training etc?
I prefer to combine the best of raw with cooked. I’m 53 and been doing this
for over a year now and it has rejuvenated me, I feel very energetic and
top-fit ! In the morning I always live on fruits alone, when I feel like
it or when it’s convenient for me I will have more fruit for lunch. But,
when I have more lunchtime I will prepare a green salad. In winter though
when it’s cold I will make some oatmeal or a veggie soup. And in the
evening I eat some starch based meal with loads of veggies. This way it’s
very enjoyable to me and also love to cook . Hey, but I enjoy your videos,
it’s nice to see how people do on a fully raw lifestyle !
I prefer to combine the best of raw with cooked. I’m 53 and been doing this
for over a year now and it has rejuvenated me, I feel very energetic and
top-fit ! In the morning I always live on fruits alone, when I feel like
it or when it’s convenient for me I will have more fruit for lunch. But,
when I have more lunchtime I will prepare a green salad. In winter though
when it’s cold I will make some oatmeal or a veggie soup. And in the
evening I eat some starch based meal with loads of veggies. This way it’s
very enjoyable to me and also love to cook . Hey, but I enjoy your videos,
it’s nice to see how people do on a fully raw lifestyle !
Your just splattering claims out some people perform and feel better on a
more starchy based diet and some people feel and perform better on a
heavily fruit based diet. The fact is you have no science to support your
claims, and you only quote word of mouth. Also i am not bias as i tend to
feel and perform slightly better on a higher fruit based diet however i
still eat starches as i see fit. And if you want to get into evolution
humans have learnt how to manipulate fire to make synthetic substances and
cook foods which is why we dont walk around with gorilla bellies. Truth is
both diets are great and there shouldnt be any bikering about it the key is
jist start to move the masses to a plant based lifestyle rather than having
seperation in the vegan community.
We have a special enzyme to digest starches, it starts in our saliva the
minute we chew. I agree we need raw food, but not exclusively, the
scientific literature is very clear. There are too many nutrients available
in cooked starches and food in general to be totally raw. In fact, we
always hear how eating meat made for our great big brains, but the truth is
probably that learning to cook our food was the magic that advanced us…
otherwise why aren’t wolves and tigers and all the other meat eaters
smarter? I eat nothing but whole plant foods, but starches make up at least
70% of my diet, and I cured diabetes and other serious health issues, and
feel better than ever, including raw, so it can’t be all that bad, eh?
I’m currently on both plans, I guess. I concentrate mostly on starches,
and if it’s a grain, it’s a whole grain, as opposed to white rice or
refined pasta, etc. Then I like the other 50% to be raw salads (fruits,
vegetables, nuts and seeds),being all plant-based with no animal products
whatsoever. If I were just on raw fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, I’d
feel hungry. We all must, however, learn to listen to our bodies which
tells us what it needs and how much of it.
I love what’s being said in this vid. Fruits and nuts are the only foods
that never need cooking for us to properly digest and taste great with no
tampering what so ever.
From my experience, abundant starch consumption, even of whole grains
and/or potatoes, is problematic for my health. However, if the grains are
fermented modestly(or more, as quality unfiltered hefeweizen beer, – go
German Bavarian purity law type of beers, from Germany), I find that’s much
better for my body. I’ve associated starch consumption whether as
fractionated starches such as white flour products, or as whole grain
un-fermented products, with me getting sick, in the form of a common cold
or flu,…which apparently is due to the accumulation/inadequate-elimination
of the starch in my body system,… the lymph system especially, and sundry.
However, eating a substantial amount of raw greens can counter those
negative effects, as to how much,… it’s a matter of the balance. But, as
long as there’s plenty of fruit available, I get most of my calories from
that, and milk and cheese, unhomogenized and well taken care of. No
problems. Though know lots of you are on the anti-milk bandwagon. I was
on that for years, and that was not best for my health, had a lot of dental
decay when I was vegan, and using homogenized milk later….
Greens are vital for my best health, as is fruit, at least living here in
SoCaL,.. and so are animal products. All variable as to how much I
consume of each depending on the time of year, the weather, and the
dynamics of being, – the variabilities of living.
I think you should study the plant based nutrution