What Is the Starch Solution?
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Nov 3, 2019
- 6 min read
Introduction:
The Starch Solution is a whole-food,plant-based diet with a heavy emphasis on starches. The majority of compliant foods on The Starch Solution are cmplex carbohydrates that are high in starch and fiber, such as potatoes, grains, and legumes.
However, there is criticism that The Starch Solution is too strict. It eliminates all animal products, vegetable oils, simple sugars, and processed foods. It also limits dietary fats like nuts, seeds, and avocados. Restricting these foods is believed to accelerate weight loss, but critics advise that cutting out foods with proven health benefits, such as certain dietary fats, is unnecessary.
Background
Since the plan is based on a plant-based diet, The Starch Solution rose to popularity in the vegan community. Not all vegan foods are health-promoting, so vegans aren’t immune to chronic illnesses and health problems. The Starch Solution is one answer to the question, “What do vegans eat?”
The Starch Solutions appeals to non-vegans, too. The book can help carnivores switch to a plant-based diet, especially those with existing chronic illness or increased risk of developing one. Cutting back on animal products is especially appealing to people with high cholesterol, blood pressure, and risk of heart disease.
While some people worry about not getting enough protein on The Starch Solution since it is free of animal products like meat and eggs, the plan includes plenty of plant-based protein. Legumes like beans and lentils are excellent sources of protein for vegans. Other starches:quinoa, brown rice, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc. — also contain protein.
How It Works
The plan eliminate all animal products:meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs — it’s also low in fat and sugar. This means eliminating most processed and pre-packaged food.
It also means restricting healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and nut butters.
The Starch Solution diet consists of approximately 70% starch, 20% vegetables, and 10% fruits. Healthy fats like avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive oil are kept to a strict minimum if consumed at all. Soy protein like tofu and tempeh are also kept to a minimum, though they’re not as strictly limited as dietary fat.
For maximum weight loss, consume the same amount of vegetables as starch ,45% starch, 45% vegetables, and 10% fruit. Since vegetables are naturally low in calories, dedicating nearly half of your food intake to vegetables creates an effortless calorie deficit.
Other rules on The Starch Solution include:
Eat when you’re hungry.
Try to avoid consuming non-compliant foods.
Use low-fat condiments, seasonings, and sauces to add variety to your food.
Avoid dried fruit and fruit juices as they’re high in calories.
Opt for whole grains instead of foods made with white flour. Brown rice is also preferable to white rice.
Make compliant versions of your favorite foods.
Since starches are naturally filling, satisfying foods, The Starch Solution can be sustainable long-term. To use The Starch Solution to maintain weight loss, continue to consume starch as the bulk of your diet and follow the guidelines (i.e. low-fat, free of animal products, etc.).
What to Eat:
Compliant Foods
Legumes
Grains
Vegetables
Fruits
Some soy products
Some dietary fat
Non-Compliant Foods
Animal products
Vegetable oils
Processed and packaged foods
Compliant Foods:
Legumes
Beans and lentils are an excellent source of plant-based protein. They’re also rich in resistant starch, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Consume a variety of legumes: black beans, red lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, pinto beans, etc.
Grains
Brown rice and quinoa are staples in many diet plans. Grains are also cost-effective health foods. Pair beans and rice to form a complete vegan protein.
Vegetables
The Starch Solution includes plenty of vegetables. This includes starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, and squash as well as non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach.
Fruits
Though they only make up 10% of The Starch Solution, fruits play an important role. They’re an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and they’re associated with many health benefits. Plus, they make for an easy yet healthy dessert.
Some soy products
Contrary to popular belief, The Starch Solution does allow for some soy products. Whole soy like edamame or soybeans are preferable, but tofu and tempeh are fair game.
Some healthy fats
The Starch Solution is strictly a low-fat plan. It’s almost a “no-fat” diet because followers should avoid vegetable oils as much as possible. Dietary fats like avocado, nuts, and seeds should also be strictly limited.
Non-Compliant Foods:
Animal products
The Starch Solution revolves around a low-fat diet, and animal products are naturally high in saturated fat. They’re also high in cholesterol and associated with an increased risk of serious health conditions like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Any carnivores interested in The Starch Solution will switch over to plant-based proteins instead of animal protein.
Vegetable oils
Olive oil is a highly popular vegetable oil. Its popularity may even be due to the rise of people following the Mediterranean diet. However, this vegetable oil along with other oils are not used for cooking or dressings on The Starch Solution. Vegetable oils are high in fat, so they’re not suitable for a low-fat plan like this one.
Processed and packaged foods
The Starch Solution has a strict stance on processed and packaged foods, especially those that are high in refined carbs and simple sugar. Followers should prepare their own food and go so far as to avoid dried fruit and fruit juices.
Recommended Timing
One of the advantages of The Starch Solution is that followers are free to eat when they’re hungry. This means following the standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner if it suits your schedule, or eating when hunger strikes as long as your meals are starch-based and low-fat. Even snacks and desserts are allowed as long as they fit the mold.
Modifications
The Starch Solution is free of food allergens related to animal products: fish, dairy, and eggs. However, it contains the following allergens: gluten, soy, wheat, and nuts. Foods containing these allergens are rarely consumed on The Starch Solution, so they can be avoided easily. For example, cook with brown rice pasta instead of semolina pasta or use seeds in place of nuts.
To make The Starch Solution higher in protein, use more legumes and grains than starchy vegetables. One-half cup of black beans contains 7 grams of protein alone. Quinoa is another source of plant-based protein with 8 grams of protein per cup.
Since the diet is based on starches like potatoes,rice,beans and lentils purchase these foods in bulk to save money. You can even batch cook grains and legumes as your staples throughout the week.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Suitable for weight loss
Starches aren’t magical weight loss foods, but The Starch Solution has had many success stories related to weight loss. This success is likely due to cutting back on animal fat and processed foods, which are naturally high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. By focusing on whole plant-based foods, followers naturally consume fewer calories. The calories also come from nutrient-dense sources.
Decreases the risk of chronic illness
Dr. McDougall has it out for inflammation. He attributes many serious health conditions to inflammation in the body, so it’s no surprise that The Starch Solution is full of anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Cutting back on animal products is also associated with less inflammation and reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Compliant foods are unlimited
Followers need not count calories or limit their portion sizes. In fact, followers are encouraged to go back for seconds if they’re still hungry. Dr. McDougall believes that starches are the foundation of the human diet, so he places no restrictions on them. Vegetables are also unlimited. As long as meals are comprised of mainly starches and veggies, there are no limitations on how much you can consume.
High in fiber and nutrients
Many Americans don’t get enough fiber. However, fiber is an important part of a healthy diet and it’s associated with many health benefits. Fortunately, The Starch Solution is packed with fiber among other nutrients. It’s also rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Cons
Low in dietary fat
Since Dr. McDougall’s meal plan is notoriously low in fat, some suggest that The Starch Solution is not balanced in terms of macronutrient ratio.
Healthy fats are associated with many health benefitds. Dr. McDougall claims that overt fats like nuts and seeds can hinder weight loss. He insists that the fat in starches and vegetables is enough.
Can be difficult to follow
There are a lot of dietary restrictions.
This makes it almost impossible to eat out at restaurants, so followers must prepare their own food at each meal.
It can be time-consuming to prepare every meal, and it can be challenging to come up with fresh recipes.
Though the benefits may outweigh the fact that The Starch Solution can be difficult to follow, followers must prepare to put in the time and effort to make compliant meals.
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