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18 reviews for:
The Starch Solution: Eat the Foods You Love, Regain Your Health, and Lose the Weight for Good!
John A. McDougall, Mary McDougall
4.12 AVERAGE
18 reviews for:
The Starch Solution: Eat the Foods You Love, Regain Your Health, and Lose the Weight for Good!
John A. McDougall, Mary McDougall
4.12 AVERAGE
Very interesting read. I already knew about some aspects after reading "Gut: The Inside Story of our Body's Most underrated organ", but a lot of information was still new as the focus of McDougall is more general instead of concentrating on one organ. One point both books share is that most of us (me included) eat too much protein - something I tried to change lately as I noticed several health issues (frequent headaches that last for 1-3 days, stomach pain,...). As a scientist, I like that McDougall added so many references to his text, instead of simply listing facts and leaving you wondering where that information is coming from. His own experience and humor make this a far more entertaining read than you would expect. As some parts are repetitive though, I subtracted one star.
The German edition also has the 'problem' of being advertised as a weightloss-book. While you will loose weight if you are overweight, this is not the primary focus, but rather a positive side effect.
The German edition also has the 'problem' of being advertised as a weightloss-book. While you will loose weight if you are overweight, this is not the primary focus, but rather a positive side effect.
Knew most of it anyway. Decided it wasn’t the right strategy for me to loose weight.
informative
slow-paced
I really enjoyed this book.
I believe in this "diet" and in the work that Dr McDougall does. I have long wanted to delve deeper into the science behind his beliefs and this book was great for that! :-)
I would recommend it to any one omni or vegan.
I believe in this "diet" and in the work that Dr McDougall does. I have long wanted to delve deeper into the science behind his beliefs and this book was great for that! :-)
I would recommend it to any one omni or vegan.
4-4.5* read! I've heard and read a lot online by Dr McDougall (MD) from his references in The China Study to his inclusion in the documentary Forks Over Knives, so I thought it was about time I actually read one of his books, and I devoured it in a few days! This is a brilliantly researched, comprehensive look at nutrition and our health and deals head on with the myths surrounding starch and carbohydrates and explains in great detail why a starch heavy, whole-food plant based lifestyle is the lifestyle choice for weight-loss (if that's your goal - it wasn't mine) but most importantly for long term sustainable health. The lifestyle that bucks the trends of the modern western diet which has led to diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, to name a few.
McDougall also tackles the fad diets over the year such as Atkins, Duken to Paleo, that are often low/anti starch/carbs, and uses medical science to explicitly explain why in the long term these are detrimental to your health. He documents periods in history and other non western countries lifestyles (as per The China Study) where many of the western diseases mentioned above are almost non-existent, providing comprehensive evidence why whole food plant based nutrition is what our bodies thrive on and were built for. But also why we are advised, marketed and often believe otherwise - agribusiness :(
A highly recommended read for anyone interested in nutrition, their health and or weight loss. This book gives so much insight and understanding around plant based nutrition plus an easy meal plan to kick start into this way of eating should you wish to trial it, which I think for those who aren't plant based or used to having a lot of starch in their diet, is a huge help.
For me, The Starch Solution reiterates everything I've learned on my plant-based journey and I'm happily continuing to eat an endless supply of potatoes, rice, pasta, beans, whole grains, noodles and all the fruit and veg the planet has to offer, whilst my doctor continues to be impressed with my stats! It's a win win all round and I'm never hungry or more full of energy. I'm most definitely investing in one of McDougall's recipes books, as I hear he makes a mean french toast!
McDougall also tackles the fad diets over the year such as Atkins, Duken to Paleo, that are often low/anti starch/carbs, and uses medical science to explicitly explain why in the long term these are detrimental to your health. He documents periods in history and other non western countries lifestyles (as per The China Study) where many of the western diseases mentioned above are almost non-existent, providing comprehensive evidence why whole food plant based nutrition is what our bodies thrive on and were built for. But also why we are advised, marketed and often believe otherwise - agribusiness :(
A highly recommended read for anyone interested in nutrition, their health and or weight loss. This book gives so much insight and understanding around plant based nutrition plus an easy meal plan to kick start into this way of eating should you wish to trial it, which I think for those who aren't plant based or used to having a lot of starch in their diet, is a huge help.
For me, The Starch Solution reiterates everything I've learned on my plant-based journey and I'm happily continuing to eat an endless supply of potatoes, rice, pasta, beans, whole grains, noodles and all the fruit and veg the planet has to offer, whilst my doctor continues to be impressed with my stats! It's a win win all round and I'm never hungry or more full of energy. I'm most definitely investing in one of McDougall's recipes books, as I hear he makes a mean french toast!
I really like that he not only used a scientific approach, but also historical data (and primary sources!), which of course makes a historian like me giddy. I found the book extremely education and the recipes look both satisfying and healthy and I look forward to experimenting!
I love Dr McDougall's recipes but understanding more about the science behind a plant-based lifestyle is eye-opening. I listened to this on audiobook but will definitely be purchasing a hard copy