What Percentage of Starch Do You Eat?

[geo]

Feel free to leave comments.

[JeffN]

Do you mean as a percentage of calories or percentage of the plate by visual volume.

Either way, this post may help people better understand how the numbers all breaks out.

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=47294

In Health
Jeff

[geo]

I purposely left it vague and either is fine I know visual volume is simplest and recommended in terms of making the program as simple as possible, but I personally prefer by calories (even if they are at best a rough estimate)... Too much of a numbers guy to give them up

[JeffN]

I purposely left it vague and either is fine I know visual volume is simplest and recommended in terms of making the program as simple as possible, but I personally prefer by calories (even if they are at best a rough estimate)... Too much of a numbers guy to give them up

I agree.

However, it seems most people are much better at estimating visual volume then estimating calories.

In Health
Jeff

[dteresa]

An interesting poll but i really have no idea. By calories, my morning two thirds cup (dry) oatmeal, about a cup of fat free tomato sauce and a big pile of swiss chard, sometimes with a piece of fruit after might be about 45 to 50 per cent starch. By volume maybe a little less. A giant lunch salad with about half to two thirds cup of beans and fruit for dessert looks like less than ten percent by volume but calorie wise might be forty or fifty percent. If dinner is a big sweet potato I will have a whole casserole full of cooked broccoli with a piece of fruit after. So calorie wise it might be about fifty percent starch but way less volume wise.

I have no idea about the soups and casseroles with vegies and some starch.

Which is why I really really love this woe. I remain thin effortlessly, am always satisfied with what I eat and, although I am careful about going over board and often eat soups and salads before a starch that I might overeat, I never have to weigh, measure, count points, and mostly never have to think about whether or not what I am eating will wreak havoc with my blood sugars or make me too fat. If I overdo it one day on something really delicious like tabbouli or pasta, the next day, without thinking about it, I tend to eat less starch. Just don't crave it.

So, I cannot answer the poll and be accurate. But I do think I eat more maximum weight loss than the regular plan because i really love and eat a lot of cooked and raw vegies.

didi

[vgpedlr]

I purposely left it vague and either is fine I know visual volume is simplest and recommended in terms of making the program as simple as possible, but I personally prefer by calories (even if they are at best a rough estimate)... Too much of a numbers guy to give them up

I can't answer because I really have no idea. I mix everything up. It's not that often that I prepare and serve veggies and starch separately. By calories, it's mostly starch, as it should be. By volume?

[dteresa]

And thank you Jeff for the calorie dilution solution . Since I go over board on pasta I cook about three ounces, dry and add a nice size zucchini which I have spiralized into spaghetti-like strands with a gadget called a vegetti. So I have a really big bowl of pasta and sauce with far far less calories. Very filling and does not taste a whole lot different from a bowl filled with just the pasta.

didi

[calvin]

I would never claim to be a numbers guy while accepting either calorie percentage or volume percentage. But it does provoke thought. Lately, i'm roughly 80% in both categories.

[EvanG]

My first thoughts were 'by volume, or by calorie?' I personally dislike vague poll questions, so I didn't answer it.

By volume, I shoot for 50/50, but have no problem eating all starch if I'm feeling lazy and don't have a simple veggie ready to eat.
I am cognizant that this will work out to about 75-80% of calories from carbs, with the balance of fat and protein. It would not occur to me to figure out how many calories are by a food item that is mostly starch (i.e. potato) versus lower starch veggies.

[chris.]

I voted 80%. If I calorie dilute with too many green vegetables, I will lose too much weight. I eat enough to meet vitamin A/K needs, and then I stop. Fruit simply doesn't satisfy me, and if I eat too much of it, I will actually gain weight.

[dinska]

I do use cronometer because I like lists, it's not like I have a problem choosing. I am always at 75% or better. Sometimes I might have avocado, or some plant processed milk product thing (not commonly) that will drop it down to that. If I don't have those things it's a straight line at 80%.

[baardmk]

I'll vote 80%(??), by calories.

By volume maybe 60%.

But it does provoke thought. Lately, i'm roughly 80% in both categories.

As a rule of thumb I tend to think like this: 1 starch volume has 2-3 times more calories than other plants except high-fat foods or dried fruits. Thus I think most McDougallers would have higher starch calorie percentages than volume calorie percentages. That the OP left the ambiguity in the question gets us discussing, I guess :)

[MINNIE]

I'm guessing at 80%, as I don't really weigh or measure. But when I first read the Starch Solution, I was particularly impressed by pages 6-8, where Dr. McDougall summarizes his recommendations about eating starch. As I recall, it was to aim for 80% starch, as this is a starch-based diet which includes fruits and vegetables as accompaniments.

Actually, on some days I probably am closer to 90%. I feel best when I keep my starch intake this high.

I can't pick a favorite, as I love them all!

[MarionP]

I answered 80 as a percentage of my daily calories because of the results I get on Cron-O-Meter the days I use it, but now I remember that the carb ratio includes fruits and vegetables. So my starch intake is actually unknown.

[Malasaurus]

Normally, about 75-80% calories from starch. Currently, about 50-60% calories from starch as I am trying to lose weight and hoping the switch up will make it easier to do so and be full at the same time, due to volume.