Discussion Board

http://www.drmcdougall.com/video/mcdoug ... ments.html

I saw this video above is used over and over again by Fuhrman camp to say that Dr McDougall is promoting white rice, white bread, white potatoes etc and because of this they question whatever else he says. which if you were to just watch this clip, you would also get this impression that atleast he doesn't see anything wrong with it.

We also know that lot more other places, he talks about whole grains, non processed, non refined.

Dr M often gives an example of trim Asians, Asians are not better these days, Diabetes is on the rise, obesity is on the rise, Heart disease is on the rise in Asian countries.

My understanding is that he dosn't promote White rice, He would prefer you eat brown rice....but if you can't stand brown rice than white rice is ok...Personally I eat white rice..lost over 100lbs doing it too..it is not my favorite starch..but when I eat rice it is white...better to eat a bowl of white rice, than a cheeseburger.

Have you read any of his books? most of the questions you bring up are there in black and white.

As far as the "Trim Asians" he speaks of..He is referring to the older generation..the ones who never touched the processed junk....My Father in law fits into that category...He eats rice, veggies and very little meat and seafood...He is from the Philippines...he has lived here in the states for more than 30 years, and has never adapted to the western lifestyle...Thank Goodness

Dr McDougall promotes a starch-based diet. Rice is starch. Potatoes are starch. Bread is starch.

Disease may be on the rise in Asian countries, but I really doubt the cause is too much white rice. The cause is the introduction of the Western diet (SAD)...things like cheeseburgers and fries, Coke and other crap...displacing the traditional foods. http://diet.com/g/asians-diet-of

Whether Asians go West and adapt to SAD or we export SAD there, they're going to get sicker because of it. It's not rocket science.

I think this is one of those areas where Dr.Fuhrman wins the battle.
The nuts vs. grains battle which I won't get into is easily won by Dr.M.

With white rice, it is true that you won't gain weight. But hold on, is being thin all that matters? Really? What nutrients are there in white rice? Not that many, it's practically junk food!! Yes it doesn't lead to weight gain, but that doesn't make it healthy either.
I would rather eat berries full of antioxidants and phytochemicals than to eat something that has nearly no nutrients of any kind.

Dr.Fuhrman wins this one because when you look at those so-called healthy asians eating white rice they don't live 90 years. It's a diet that may be good enough for 50 years, maybe 60.

That's correct. Also don't forget Asians in the past and average asian even today walks much more than westerners do. So white Rice's undesired effects might be mitigated. White rice/white bread provides empty calories and it is possible to consume more calories because it doesn't satiate you well. why won't you be categorically and emphatically say this is not a health food instead of leaving room for inferences.

Dr. McDougall doesn't promote white rice. He will grudgingly accept it as an alternative to brown rice if that is all the person will eat. He makes no bones that brown rice is better food. He has to sometimes deal with those that refuse to eat brown rice. That was me for most of my life. After a week of eating brown rice I ccouldn't imagine going back to pasty, tasteless, white rice. Care for some fiber and nutrients with that rice?
f1jim

I prefer brown rice too, but white rice is not empty calories. Put one cup of white rice into cronometer and you'll see lots of vitamins and minerals that are in it.

Just for clarity it is not nuts vs grains that is their contention but rather beans vs grains. The nuts and seeds (preference towards seeds except for walnuts) would be use as part of total calories, likely replacing some part of the starch/whole grains (or beans in the case of Dr Fuhrman), the next most calorie dense component of the diet.

I'll eat both but admit I prefer the taste and texture of white sticky rice.

Dr McDougall spoke directly to the rice question during the debate with Dr. Fuhrman at the Advanced Study Weekend. I just published my notes from the debate here:

http://www.lanimuelrath.com/diet-nutrit ... rs-debate/

Lani

Wow... how great is that (((Lani)))?

Mahalo, patty

Nice Lani! Thanks so much for summarizing their debate for us - I've been really curious about what they said.

And I just checked a can of white kidney beans in my cupboard, and according to the nutritional label, they are 24% protein.

I think Dr. Fuhrman's position is that the 24% protein, while chemically there in an analysis, isn't all available to the body, only a fraction of it.

Oh, that's interesting. I wonder why he thinks that? Does he think a lot of the protein passes through our bodies undigested? I know there are complex starches in beans that our bodies can't digest, especially when first eating beans until our bodies adjust, and that's what causes some people to experience gas and bloating after eating them. But I hadn't heard that we wouldn't be able to use all the protein in beans... Maybe some protein is bound up with the starch? I'm not sure I believe it, but it's definitely possible.

My understanding of Dr McDougall's position on beans is that the actual % protein, by either calories or weight, is irrelevant. His stance is that there is no evidence at all that you can hurt yourself with too much protein eating whole plant foods or beans.

You obviously can do damage from overeating animal protein foods (and also, extracted, concentrated protein like soy protein powder) but is there any research at all showing that you can do damage from eating beans or any other whole plant foods? (Aside of course, from just plain overeating)