Dr. Mcdougall on starches. Potatoes 4-6 a day. Good or bad

Carbohydrates (Carbo+Hydrate – Carbon+Water): Simple combinations of carbon and water are called sugars. The more complex ones are the starches. The most complex ones are fibers. The function is to provide instant, quick energy.

Sugars: The simplest carbohydrate. Usually sweet substances found mostly in plants. The body converts this to body fat.

Examples of sugars:
Cookies
Candies
Cakes
Ice cream
Syrups
Honey
Soda/Soft Drinks

Starches: More complex carbohydrates. They are white powders found in potatoes, corn and other grains. In the body they break down to sugar and are converted to body fat.

Examples of starches:
Starchy vegetables: acorn squash, butternut squash, winter squash, beets, corn, peas, turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes/yams, potatoes, pumpkin
Beans: kidney, black, chickpea
Rice & rice pasta
Quinoa
Fruit: apples, grapefruit, all berries & pears
Breads
Gluten free grains, flours, etc.
Oatmeal

Fibers: Most complex carbohydrates. They are indigestible plant matter, which help digestion and clean out the intestines. They simply travel through the body. Vegetables are high in fiber.

Examples of fibrous foods:

Peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Zucchini
Eggplant
Summer Squash
Cucumber
Mushrooms
Celery
Cabbage
Onions
Kale
Spinach
Lettuce
Artichokes
Green beans

Blood sugar: The body breaks down all carbohydrates (except fibers) to a simple form of sugar (called “Glucose”) and goes into the blood, therefore called “blood sugar”.

The complexity of carbohydrates determines the speed (how fast they get into the blood stream) and how much Insulin (a hormone) response they create. Complex carbohydrates need more time to break down and create a smaller insulin response. The simple carbohydrates (sugars) go into the blood fast and generate a high insulin response.

Hormones: These are produced in several glands in the body. They perform specific functions. Hormones regulate everything that is happening inside your body. They are the most powerful biological agents known to science. The entire hormonal system is interconnected. Therefore, a change in one hormone equals a change in all hormones. Hormones also have a major influence on body composition (muscle/fat ratio) and aging.

Insulin: A metabolic hormone with many vital functions. One of them is producing and storing body fat from excess carbohydrates.
Glucagon: Another metabolic hormone, with opposing functions to Insulin. Glucagon unlocks fat storages and releases fat for energy purposes.

Insulin and Glucagon are opposing paired hormones. This means that when one goes up the other goes down. They are the master controllers of metabolism and serve opposite functions.

In a simple study, researchers injected a group of rats with Insulin and another group with Glucagon. The group that received Insulin gained body fat. The group that received Glucagon lost body fat.

The Insulin/Glucagon ratio is the key for health, body composition, mental productivity and energy levels.

Lisa's post, if you want the reference, is from: http://drkile.com/education.html

I eat whatever I want and still lose. I do focus more on getting more protein and less carbs/starchy foods than what I used to eat, because I end up staying full longer, but by no means did I cut them all out. But then again, by no means would I eat 4-6 potatoes a day. I couldn't even want to. Also just an fyi, a serving of white potato is only about 1/2 cup.

McDougall advocates a low protein, low-fat diet. That's just not going to work for everyone. Endurance runner? Maybe. Strength athlete? Nope. That he seems to view his diet as the only 'correct' way to eat is a pretty big red flag. His nebulous claims that his diet can 'cure disease' is a bigger one.

The problem I have with the Forks Over Knives crowd and similar diets are that they make the claim that you can avoid cancer by regulating your diet - that serious illnesses are a CHOICE. As comforting as it may be to believe that you can control illness with diet, that's simply not the case. Furthermore, it comes dangerously close to the assumption that people who ARE suffering from cancer and other illnesses are at fault for their own condition. Worst of all, it may discourage people who truly need science-based medical treatments from getting what they need. (Edit - I know this isn't what the OP was asking about but that's what McDougall advocates with his diet. Just my little soapbox moment I guess. )

FWIW, I eat plenty of starches. And plenty of fats and plenty of protein. Eat all the sweet potatoes you want to fuel your body, but give the side-eye to anyone who says their diet is the only correct or healthy way to eat.

I ate a high carb diet losing weight and I eat a high carb diet now in maintenance. It really is about calories.

I don't eat potatoes at all, and have reduced my carbs, and my weight has been coming off great. Also I have noticed as a diabetic my blood sugar levels have come down to almost normal, therefore I don't need to be on medication. So you can keep your potatoes I won't be eating them again, only lower carb veggies and fruits for me thank you!

Lisa's post, if you want the reference, is from: http://drkile.com/education.html

wow, with crap like "Examples of sugars: Cookies" and "The body converts this to body fat." I was assuming she just made it up.

And grapefruit is a starch!

Also....this is from the site:

"Foods You Can Eat While purging your body of Parasites"

Has anybody actually experimented with starches?

Of course everything in moderation and when I say potatoes I don't mean all the fixings that come with it. I like adding honey and sometimes Louisiana hot sauce or salsa. I'll take any suggestions Bc I'm really simple when it comes to food.

I know all bodies are different, but tell me what you think about starches like making rice, corn and potatoes more of a staple in the diet, in general. I really like sweet and white potatoes. WP are maybe 110-150 calories. Not bad. And it makes sense that ppl in Asia and other countries who have lived off rice were not fat.

There is such a hug scare and I think that I shouldn't be. Anybody eating the starches they want any still losing?

Rice is a staple food for me (mixed with fajita meat, habeneros, cilantro, lemon juice, butter, salt and pepper, and mixed veggies). I make a bunch and then just change the meat to something else the next week if I'm not falling back on my other recipes. I lose weight better on them than anything else. Of course, starch should not be isolated, but had with other good foods. Rice and potatoes are great. They have niacin and they break down quickly, allowing your digestive system to focus on other things.

As with all things weight-loss, it's a question of calories-in vs. calories-out. As long as you have a system whereby you won't go over on calories, you'll be fine. I never have to worry about getting too much of whatever I want. Don't listen to those clowns who say that they are "just sugar." They don't know anything.