tlauria wrote:- I love nuts and nut butters, and avocados. I am not overweight
Congratulations! You can eat the most liberal form of the McDougall food plans!
can I continue to eat these freely
Yes
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Flax and chia seeds
Yes
- Unsweetened Almond Milk
Yes
I have probably about two cups a day in a smoothie
No. Dr. McDougall wants us to eat, not drink, our calories, and not for weight loss purposes but for glucose absorption reasons. A smoothie brings a quick burst of sugar to our systems, setting off chain reactions of chemical and hormonal reactions. Chewing the food, digestion and absorption of the nutrients is much slower, natural.
- Tofu or soy ok? Edamame?
Yes, with some exceptions. Mary McDougall says to use the "lite" version of tofu. Dr. McDougall doesn't allow isolated soy proteins, so things like Gardein "Beef" Strips or Boca Burgers - almost all those frozen, premade fake meats - are out. Engine 2 brand at Whole Foods does have some acceptable frozen burgers. Soy beans/edemame, and tempeh are fine.
- and finally: Whole Wheat flour?
Yes - any whole grain flour is allowed. Just read labels on breads carefully to make sure there are no added fats - by any name - or dairy. Some companies use the terms "mono- and diglycerides", which are chemically created fats, and "casein" instead of the milk itself. There are only a handful of commercial bread brands that meet Dr. McDougall's criteria, and not all breads within that brand.
If you go to the green bar above and hit the drop-down menu labeled Education, scroll to Recipes, then scroll to Canned and Packaged Foods, you'll find the lists of many of the name brands of all the products you just asked about.
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... ged-foods/But the list hasn't been updated in a while, and companies do change recipes now and then, so always read labels.
You may want to see a simplified summary of the basic McDougall program, too. Again, in the Education tab, read The Free Program and Dr. McDougall's Color Picture Book, and when you have even more time, go to the far right of that menu bar to Quick Start to find 2 videos by Mary McDougall explaining what to eat, how to cook it, and how to order McDougall meals when away from home. Once you do all that, you'll not only have answers to all your questions but be an expert at the McDougall program.