McDougall Diet Food

John A. McDougall, M.D., created a diet program not only for weight loss, but to help restore health through diet. The plan is vegan, meaning it does not allow any animal products. A 12-day introductory diet teaches you the basics. McDougall acknowledges on his website that the diet may be difficult at first not only because of the vegan aspect, but because some other foods are not allowed as well.

Significance

A vegan diet that restricts plant oils and artificial additives is the only form of treatment McDougall says he has seen work consistently to restore health, even when other medical therapy has been ineffective. Making the recommended dietary changes over 12 days will help you experience an almost immediate improvement in your health, he promises.

Foods to Avoid

The McDougall diet excludes all meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs, as McDougall says they contain toxic amounts of fat, cholesterol and protein, and often contain harmful chemicals and infectious agents as well. It also recommends excluding all oils, including any vegetable oils, as he believes they cause weight gain, depress the immune system and contribute to chronic disease and cancer. The only oil allowed on the diet is a small amount contained in certain commercial products.

Foods to Include

The McDougall program focuses on food that is high in starch and low in fat, explains Diets in Review.com. It emphasizes fresh vegetables, fruit, whole grains, tofu, nuts and seeds. Frozen vegetables and fruit also are acceptable. A wide variety of vegetables is an integral part of the plan, particularly high-starch foods such as winter squash, legumes and root vegetables such as carrots, turnips and parsnips. You may use spices along with small amounts of salt and sugar for flavor enhancement. Some commercial foods are allowed in addition to frozen vegetables and fruits, as long as they do not contain animal products and have limited soy protein, added oils and food additives. Examples include hot and cold cereal, bread, egg-free pasta, milk and meat substitutes, canned soup and vegetables, frozen potatoes and popcorn.

Features

You may follow the diet described on the website as a 12-day program to begin restoring health, and also obtain information from McDougall's several books, such as his 1995 book "The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss." Individuals who want a significant improvement in their health along with medical care can participate in a 10-day live-in program at the doctor's health center in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Recommendations

The McDougall diet encourages exercise, which can be as simple as a daily walk. The official website recommends taking a daily vitamin B12 supplement if you follow the diet while pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you follow the diet for more than three years.