Friday, July 25, 2014

The Starch Solution

Dr. John McDougall busts the myths about starch





Most people have an automatic negative reaction to the term "starch." There is a common belief that starchy foods make you fat.

In this 2009 talk, Dr. McDougall goes into the science of starch-containing foods and why they're essential in a healthy diet.

This one is long. If you don't have time to watch the full video, here are some key points. You may also want to watch this excerpt from the talk, about findings that gladiators ate a diet based on starch.

- Starch provides the energy our bodies need to run efficiently.
- Humans are designed as "seekers of starch" through our tastebuds.
- Starches are "clean fuel" and low in fat.
- "All large populations of trim, healthy people, throughout verifiable human history, have obtained the 
bulk of their calories from starch."
- The development of civilizations was fueled primarily by grains.
- A starch-based diet makes sense financially and ecologically.

Dr. McDougall teaches eating a starch-based diet (grains, beans, legumes, potatoes, sweet potatoes) that includes fruits and vegetables.

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