The McDougall diet is a vegan, high-carbohydrate, extremely low-fat diet plan created by John A. McDougall, M.D. While many people opt for the McDougall diet for weight loss, it was designed to correct a variety of health problems and conditions, including heart disease. As with any diet or weight loss plan, you should consult your health-care provider before starting.
Basics
The McDougall diet is vegan, eliminating all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs. All added fats and oils, including olive oil and other heart-healthy oils, are banned. The majority of calories come from carbohydrates, with less than 10 percent of calories from fat. This is substantially lower than the Mayo Clinic's recommendation of 20 to 35 percent of your daily calorie intake from fat. The McDougall diet does meet other nutritional guidelines, including ample amounts of fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains.
What You Eat
On the McDougall diet, you will base your meals around starchy vegetables and whole grains. Brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squashes can form the basis for your meals, along with most types of beans. To this base, you will add vegetables of all sorts, seasoned generously with spices. You can consume up to three servings of fruit daily, as well as non-dairy milk, herbal tea and moderate amounts of fruit juice. You may include a small amount of salt and sugar in your diet.
Benefits
The McDougall diet claims far more than just weight loss. This health-oriented diet is also designed to reverse heart disease and diabetes, produce significant improvements in rheumatoid arthritis, and slow the progression of multiple sclerosis. According to the Mayo Clinic, a vegetarian diet may lower weight, improve blood sugar control, and lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Risks and Considerations
While a low-fat, vegan diet can be healthy, you should include foods, like whole grain breakfast cereal, fortified with vitamin B12 or take a B12 supplement. You may also need supplemental vitamin D, particularly if you get little exposure to sunlight. This very low-fat diet is also free of heart-healthy fats, like olive oil and fatty fish. If you do have a chronic health condition, like diabetes or heart disease, you should change your diet under the supervision of your health-care provider and consider consulting a registered dietitian. As you choose different foods and lose weight, your medications may need to be adjusted.
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