What Can I Eat on The Starch Solution Diet? Food List

The Starch Solution is a popular low-fat, high-carb whole food plant-based diet designed by Dr. John McDougall and Mary McDougall. Here's a comprehensive food list of what you can and can't eat when following The Starch Solution.

I have read The Starch Solution several times, as well as Dr. McDougall's other books, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss, The Healthiest Diet on the Planet, and The McDougall Program for Women.

My personal review of the book: It's incredibly insightful, educational, and motivating. When I stick to Dr. McDougall's recommendations, I feel better and lose weight easily.

Jump to:

• What is The Starch Solution?
• 🟢 What to eat freely
• 🌾 Whole Grains
• 🥔 Starchy and Root Vegetables
• 🧆 Legumes, Beans and Lentils
• 🥦 Non-Starchy Vegetables
• 🍊 Fruit
• 🌰 Nuts, seeds and nut butters
• 🥛 Plant-based milks
• 🥫 Condiments
• 🌱 Spices and Seasonings
• 🟡 Foods to limit
• 🔴 Foods to avoid completely on The Starch Solution
• The Starch Solution vs. Maximum Weight Loss Program
• The Starch Solution vs. Mary's Mini
• Starch Solution Recipes
• 💬 Reviews

What is The Starch Solution?

The popular book, The Starch Solution, was written by Dr. John A. McDougall and his wife Mary and was published in 2012. The tagline for the book reads "Eat the foods you love, regain your health, and lose the weight for good!"

The main premise of the healthy diet book is to teach the reader that "carbs are in fact good for you" and that "a starch-rich diet can actually help you lose weight, prevent a variety of ills, and even cure common diseases."

The Starch Solution diet or way of eating is based on the recommendations in this book. Many health benefits are outlined as a result of eating this way. Learn more about this style of eating and its health benefits on Dr. McDougall's free website.

There are testimonials in the book and on his website of people alleviating or reversing heart disease, diabetes, obesity, acne, joint pain, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, arthritis, hiatal hernia, atrial fibrillation, kidney disease, breast cancer, back pain and more.

This way of eating can be described as whole foods plant-based, low-fat, and high-carb.

While it is not a salt- and sugar-free diet, he recommends using salt and sugar sparingly, sprinkled on top of food rather than cooked into the food, where much of the pleasurable taste is lost.

It is the antithesis, the very opposite, of low-carb and keto styles of eating.

🟢 What to eat freely

"The cardinal rule of the Starch Solution is that you must center the food on your plate around starches, adding color and flavor with non-starchy vegetables and fruits."

- page 189, The Starch Solution

The best thing about The Starch Solution's way of eating is the incredible diversity of foods you can eat. Whole grains, starchy vegetables, root vegetables, non-starchy vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, legumes, fruits of all kinds, many condiments, spices, herbs, seasonings, and more!

🌾 Whole Grains

Whole grains of all varieties are eaten regularly on this starch-based diet.

• Wheat
• Barley - not familiar with this grain? Read this How to Cook Barley tutorial!
• Oats (rolled, steel-cut, groats, instant)
• Rice (brown, white, red, black rice)
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Rye
• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
• Couscous
• Corn
• Millet
• Wild rice
• Teff
• Amaranth and more!
• The flours of any grains, including products made with flour like whole-grain bread, pasta, whole-grain pasta, tortillas, etc.

While whole grains are most healthy and recommended most highly, you can also eat some refined grains.

If you have celiac disease, you, of course, would want to stay away from any whole grains that contain gluten.

🥔 Starchy and Root Vegetables

Starchy foods like root vegetables are to be eaten regularly on this high-starch diet.

• Potatoes (all varieties: white potatoes, red potatoes, gold potatoes, fingerling, russet, etc.)
• Sweet potatoes and yams, including all varieties such as Japanese sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, Murasaki sweet potatoes and Korean yams
• Turnips
• Jicama
• Water chestnuts
• Cassava
• Yuca
• Plantains
• Corn and more!

Enjoy oil-free french fries, potato wedges, baked potatoes, roasted sweet potato, Mexican street corn salad (esquites), corn on the cob, and more.

🧆 Legumes, Beans and Lentils

This low-fat vegan diet includes all the varieties of beans, lentils, and peas, too.

• Black beans
• Pinto beans
• Kidney beans (red and white cannellini beans)
• Soy beans
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• Navy beans
• Great Northern white beans
• Lentils (red, black, green or brown lentils)
• Black-eyed peas
• Green peas
• Split peas
• Dal/dahl (prepared without ghee, dairy or animal products)
• Pigeon peas
• Fava beans
• Butter beans and more!
• Unrefined flours of beans, lentils or peas, as well. For example, chickpea flour, lentil pasta made from lentil flour, etc.
• Whole soybean products like tofu, soy curls, tempeh, edamame, etc.

🥦 Non-Starchy Vegetables

You're encouraged to eat plenty of vegetables in addition to the main attraction: starch.

Dr. McDougall cautions against being overzealous with green, yellow, and orange non-starchy veggies because of their low-calorie content. Has lettuce alone ever filled you up?

They cannot be considered the centerpiece of your plate, since they won't keep you full and satisfied for very long. Use vegetables to add color, flavor and variety to your meals. Non-starchy vegetables are also incredibly high in many healthful nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

Any and all vegetables, such as:

• Onions
• Lettuce
• Leafy greens, like spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, yu choy, ong choy, watercress
• Peppers, sweet bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, poblano peppers, serrano peppers, hot peppers
• Tomatoes
• Squashes, yellow summer squashes, winter squash, zucchini
• Celery
• Carrots
• Mushrooms
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Eggplant
• Asparagus
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage, green or purple, napa, savoy, etc.
• Olives
• Avocados
• Cucumber
• Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Green beans and more!

🍊 Fruit

Any and all fresh and dried fruits are allowed and encouraged on The Starch Solution.

• Apples
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Blackberries
• Red currants
• Black currants
• Oranges
• Lemons
• Limes
• Grapes
• Dates
• Raisins
• Golden raisins
• Melons
• Mangos
• Pineapples
• Grapefruit
• Kiwifruit and more!

🌰 Nuts, seeds and nut butters

All varieties of nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats. However, they are recommended to be used sparingly, since they are high in calories, high in fat, and easy to overindulge in. This is a low-fat diet.

• Peanuts and peanut butter
• Almonds and almond butter
• Cashews and cashew butter
• Sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter (sunbutter)
• Sesame seeds and tahini
• Flaxseeds and flaxseed meal
• Pumpkin seeds
• Pepitas
• Hemp seeds and hemp hearts
• Pistachios
• Brazil nuts
• Macadamia nuts and more!

🥛 Plant-based milks

Plant-based milks are allowed but it's recommended that they be used sparingly in cooking. Preference should be given to alternative milks that are low in fat. However, it is discouraged to drink them or other high-calorie drinks as a beverage on the Starch Solution.

Be sure to check ingredient labels, as many plant-based milks contain oil, which is not allowed on this eating plan. I've taste-tested many plant-based milks and wrote about my top picks, especially the best alternative milk for tea or coffee.

• Rice milk
• Almond milk
• Cashew milk
• Soy milk
• Hemp milk
• Oat milk and more!

Coconut milk is very high in fat, especially canned full-fat coconut milk, so its recommended to limit or avoid it on the Starch Solution.

🥫 Condiments

Your food should be delicious! Use condiments to add flavor and interest to your meals. The ideal options would be fat-free, low-sugar, low-sodium options, but that's not always possible to find. Do your best or make your own homemade sauces!

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• BBQ sauce
• Hot sauce (our favorites are Cholula and Tabasco Chipotle)
• Salsa (fat-free)
• Hummus (fat-free)
• Sriracha
• Soy sauce (reduced sodium)
• Teriyaki sauce (fat-free)
• Mirin
• Hoisin sauce (vegetarian)
• Vegetarian mushroom-based oyster sauce
• Chili garlic paste and sambal oelek
• Vinegars such as: apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, Chinese black vinegar, and more!
• Fat-free or low-fat mayo made with approved ingredients, such as this silken tofu Miracle Whip copycat mayo or this chipotle mayo
• Low-fat sour cream made with approved ingredients, such as this tofu sour cream
• Higher fat plant-based creamy condiments can be used sparingly on the starch solution, but should be avoided if you're trying to lose weight. Some examples of oil-free but still high-fat sauces are: cashew sour cream, chipotle sauce, and this cilantro jalapeño lime crema.

🌱 Spices and Seasonings

Spices, herbs, and seasonings can boost flavor and turn an ordinary dish into an extraordinary one, like the spices pictured above that I use when making my plant-based Texas chili. Use what you like, being careful with added salt.

I can't possibly list all the amazing spices, herbs and seasonings in the world here, but I'll list some of the most popular where I live and the ones I use most frequently in my cooking.

• Basil
• Cilantro/coriander
• Parsley
• Tarragon
• Dill
• Mint
• Salt (all kinds, sea salt, kosher salt, smoked salt, etc.)
• Black pepper
• White pepper
• Aleppo pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika, sweet paprika, hot paprika
• Cayenne
• Ground coriander
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks
• Red chili flakes
• Ground turmeric
• Ground cumin
• Chili powder and chile powders
• Saffron
• Star anise
• Cloves
• Allspice and much, much more!

🟡 Foods to limit

Here is a list of the foods Dr. McDougall recommends to limit, or eat in small amounts, if you are trying to lose weight or have chronic diseases. These tend to be foods that are high in fat, high in sugar, or high in calorie density.

Limit these foods, if you are trying to lose weight or alleviate a chronic health condition on the Starch Solution:

• Avocados
• Soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy curls, edamame)
• Dried fruits
• Flours (whole grain, white, all-purpose, all varieties)
• Fruit and vegetable juices
• Nuts and nut butters
• Peanuts and peanut butters
• Seeds and seed butters
• Coconut, coconut milk
• Simple sugars (table sugar, maple syrup, molasses, agave)

🔴 Foods to avoid completely on The Starch Solution

To get the best results following this diet, avoid the following foods.

• Animal products and animal foods
• Meat, such as beef, pork, lamb
• Poultry, such as chicken, turkey, duck
• Fish, shellfish, and seafood
• Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, ice cream
• Eggs
• Animal fats, such as lard and butter
• Vegetable oils, including olive oil, corn, flaxseed, canola and safflower
• Highly processed and packaged foods, except for ones containing only permitted ingredients
• Junk food

In the words of another food writer, Michael Pollan, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

The Starch Solution vs. Maximum Weight Loss Program

The Maximum Weight Loss Program is a subset of the Starch Solution. It was created by Dr. McDougall for people who want to accelerate their weight loss.

In addition to the above rules and principles, its guidelines include increasing the amount of non-starchy green, yellow, and orange vegetables you eat to about one-third to one-half of the food on your plate.

This has been coined the 50/50 plate since 50% of your plate would be filled with starch and 50% of your plate would be filled with non-starchy vegetables.

Avoid the following foods if you're looking to increase the rate of weight loss: all simple sugars, including dried fruits and juices, flours and flour products, including bread, bagels, pasta and tortillas, high-fat plant foods like avocado, nuts, seeds, olives and soy-based foods.

For healthy weight gain, you should do the reverse and increase the above foods.

In addition, Dr. McDougall recommends these adjustments:

• Keep fresh fruits to one or two a day.
• Eat many small meals a day rather than one or two large ones.
• Eat a simple meal plan, such as potatoes and broccoli, since greater variety leads to higher consumption.
• Don't eat out at restaurants.
• Exercise more frequently to burn more calories and tame an overactive appetite.

The Starch Solution vs. Mary's Mini

A Mary's Mini is a simple, more restrictive version of The Starch Solution's Maximum Weight Loss Program designed by Mary McDougall to assist in weight loss, curb sugar and fat cravings, and reset your taste buds. The restrictive nature of the diet is intentional to limit choices.

A research study showed that when fewer food choices are available, less food is usually consumed.

The rules of a Mary's Mini are to pick one starch and eat that at every meal, along with non-starchy vegetables. For example, if pick potatoes as your starch, you would eat potatoes at every meal, along with a veggie.

None of the other starches, like rice, quinoa, corn, or wheat would be eaten during the short time you're doing the Mary's Mini.

Starch Solution Recipes

Looking for inspiration to craft healthy meals from this Starch Solution food list? Check out some of these recipes for meal ideas.

Those following this diet should take a vitamin B12 supplement.

While this way of eating is very different than the standard American diet, for those willing to give it a try, they may find themselves feeling lighter and healthier very soon.