John McDougall Discusses a Starch-Based Diet | Forks Over Knives

Clip from Forks Over Knives—The Extended Interviews

Following up on Forks Over Knives, comes Forks Over Knives—The Extended Interviews. The video includes never-before-seen footage from the film's expert interviews, covering many of the film's themes in greater depth and addressing important issues that weren't covered by the movie.

Featuring leading experts T. Colin Campbell, PhD, Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., MD, Neal Barnard, MD, John McDougall, MD, Pam Popper, ND, Doug Lisle, PhD, and Terry Mason, MD, Forks Over Knives—The Extended Interviews is must-see viewing for anyone who is interested in the powerful relationship between food and health!

[WillKriski]

I'm a big strong Ukrainian boy, okay Canadian with Polish-Ukrainian ancestry :) but I'm doing weights again and eating lots of potatoes, dropped 6+ lbs of fat in a month and put on some muscle and feeling strong at 6', 200 lbs right now...my wife is liking it too :)

[lookwhatsnext]

Good stuff. I like all of it, especially quinoa, beans, sweet potatoes, and mango smoothies!

[lilajones]

I've been following this diet, and it was hard at first not to have protein every meal. I was vegetarian for 19 years, so was obsessive about protein because everyone was saying I needed as much as I could. I gave up dairy because I discovered how cruel it is. I am now a vegan/ plant based dieter, I also take turmeric and aloe vera juice. I feel really good, and my autoimmune disorder is going- blood results have been quite dramatic.I wish I had followed this diet since birth. I feel brand new!

[chiyerano]

I love getting my starches from legumes, brown rice, and sweet potatoes and potatoes as well. For those carrying on about how meat is needed in the diet, see about consuming bush meat like in the form of deer or buffalo. Leave beef and the factory farmed animals alone as their products aren't good for anybody or the environment. I would rather avoid all that and focus on plant based goods.

[waterdragon]

Quite the contrary. Starch-based foods are comfort foods. Pasta, sweet potatoes, rice & beans, etc. are all very pleasurable indeed :-) Keep watching McDougall's youtube videos, you're definitely on the right track!

[sdushdiu]

Please just be aware that fruit smoothies with the pulverized contents are almost the same as juice, as the fiber's mitigating ability to slow digestion and lower the glycemic load while spreading it over time is effectively negated - thus rendering a fruit smoothie high glycemic just as is plain juice. You might want to consider using just enough fruit to flavor a green smoothie for taste (thus limiting the total sugar intake) & eat any additional fruit in both moderation and in a whole form.

[sdushdiu]

I am not sure why this notion persists. It is NOT an issue of starch versus green leafy vegetables! If you wan to eat a wheelbarrow full of green leafy vegetables sufficient to supply the caloric requirements, have at it!
The correct notion is that the starchy vegetables provide the balance of the caloric needs that cannot reasonably be provided by the green leafy vegetables. It has Nothing to do with some perceived 'competition' between the two! They are COMPLEMENTARY.

[imesub]

I prefer a combination of starch and fruit as the basis for my diet. Sometimes I don't want any starch, just fruit smoothies for a meal; other times I don't want any fruit, just some bean burritos.

[ladyrhiannon]

Good for you! Me too! I LOVE potatoes...so it wasnt hard for me

[gianthills]

ive heard what he has to say, but it's full of half truths. he points to All cultures from the past as having a starch based diet in the form of grain or rice. not exactly true. Asians eats rice, yes, they also eat meat, lots of fish. they hardly just eat rice and other starches. and most of the starches he talks about didnt exist until farming was introduced. the hunter gatherers did not eat grains. they ate meat, fish, a little fruit and veg.

[sdushdiu]

I would suggest also checking your nut milks for oil content. The fact is, most of the 'milk' you are drinking is not for nutrition (contrary to the mktg ads), but as a carrier and a flavoring, and there are less harmful 'carriers' w' less harmful factors such as oil and sugar such as unsweetened rice milk.

[TheLinkMedic]

Notice how he says "defend your community" he's referring to us almost losing wars to people who are carbed up! The obesity epidemic is without a doubt a matter of national security, when people are so invalid they can't walk up stairs then how are we supposed to help them? This is obviously just one of the many reasons American's need to rethink their diet of course but none the less a good one.

[sdushdiu]

I COMPLETELY understand yr frustration! May I suggest avoiding all the socio-reliogio-ethical social engrg & listening to Esselstyn's "Make Yourself heart Attack Proof". Campbell's The China Study explains the larger scope. McDougall's msg is consistent w/ both & I would suggest watching "The Starch Solution" for a more detail. Dont get hung up with the word starch! Such whole plt fd is used to provide the caloric needs not supplied by low calorie veggies & limited fruit (due to sugar content).

[BakdBan]

Sad to think in how many stuff that doesn't look like it, they put milk and eggs, even bread you gotta check for that lol, even chocolate bars... since when did cow milk make the chocolate taste better? why not almond milk or hazelnut milk right? lol

[veronique]

I think that, as long as the diet is whole foods plant based, it doesn't matter if it is more starchy or more based on green leafy vegetables. I tend to prefer having big salads over eating startchs myself.

[naturallifeenergy]

I totally don't agree with the focus on starches. I eat mostly veggies, fruits, nuts, and seeds, and the starch based food I eat are garbanzo beans. My weight is a consistent 160lbs and I am 5' 9". I don't eat a lot and have no problem getting the calories I need. I make veggie juices everyday for concentrated nutrients. I am very athletic and you can see this is my videos, and most meat or starch eaters will have difficulty doing what I do. Stay from starches with a high glycemic index.

[BornPunch]

did u start losing weight? how fast? when did it start kicking in? Unlimited calories?

[sdushdiu]

Stick to familiarizing yourself with Esseslstyn (Make Yourself Heart Attack Proof), Campebll (The China Study) for background data, and McDougall (The Starch Solution). They are all in agreement and will clarify your questions w/o politics & beliefs of how the world should be taking precedence over the pure objectively clinically verified health benefits w/o the politics.

Forego the belief & opinion and stick with the objective clinically verified data.

[ninepinknails]

He says starch because its calories / nutrients. Of course you can skip the middle man(cooking starch)... and just eat fruit and juices as primary calories... carb is king.

[ConcreteRiver]

2 years on a starch based diet, never looking back. only in shame to think how I once lived and all the horror and pain I contributed to by eating animals