Starch-Based Diets No Answer for Diabetics
While they are a step in the right direction, grain- and starch-based diets pose risks for diabetics.

By Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

Iwant to make it clear that diabetics can’t just “eat better.” They have to go all the way and follow the vegetable-based diet I call Eat To Live (ETL). This is the only dietary approach that lowers cholesterol, improves the cholesterol ratio, and lowers triglycerides.

With only one or two exceptions, other vegetarian diets simply are not as effective or safe because they typically rely heavily on cooked starchy vegetables, such as bread,grains,and potatoes. The recommendations of vegetarian diet authors,such as Dean Ornish and John McDougall, can be helpful for the general public but are far from ideal for those with diabetes. Certain individuals may experience beneficial changes after adopting recommendations such as these, since they are a big improvement over the Standard American Diet (SAD), but most diabetics will not achieve the results available to them unless they adopt the ETL approach.

Diabetics need to avoid baked starchy vegetables and flour-based products. Most low-fat and vegetarian- type diets are cooked starch- and grain-based, not steamed vegetable based.
By utilizing more green vegetables, beans, nuts, and even fruit, the ETL approach sets the stage for more dramatic weight loss and more effective glucose lowering.

The ETL vegetable-based dietary program is the only dietary intervention ever shown in medical studies to lower cholesterol more effectively than cholesterol-lowering medication. Other styles of plant-based dietary interventions— because they are grain- and potato based— have been relatively ineffective at lowering cholesterol. Although the low-fat vegetarian diet lowered LDL cholesterol 16 percent, it raised triglycerides 18.7 percent, and the LDL/HDL ratio remained unchanged, reflecting minimal overall improvement.

The ETL approach differed in that the LDL cholesterol was more significantly lowered (33 percent) without unfavorable impact on HDL or triglycerides, reflecting sizable improvement in reducing the risk of heart attack. ETL simply is the most cardio-protective dietary approach one can follow, which is of crucial importance since diabetics have such an increased cardiac risk.

Exposure to advanced glycation end products

Another reason why typical vegetarian diets are not ideal for diabetics is they are not designed to avoid exposure to advanced glycation end products (AGEs). There is a huge body of literature documenting that the high sugar in the bloodstream in diabetics promotes the formation of AGEs in the body as the sugars react with body proteins. The formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on connective tissue and within cells stiffens and ages your blood vessels and accelerates aging throughout the body. AGEs are a significant causal factor of the horrible side effects of diabetes, such as blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, and strokes.The chemical modifications of cells that occur as a result of the accumulation of AGEs are one of the primary hallmarks of aged and diseased tissues.

But the accumulation of AGEs in the body does not result solely from increased sugar in the bloodstream. AGEs also are formed when starchy foods are cooked at higher temperatures, causing molecular rearrangement. Acrylamides are an example of AGEs that occur from cooking carbohydrates—such as potatoes and grains—in the absence of water. The higher the temperature, the more these toxic compounds are formed. Neither acrylamides nor other AGEs are formed when vegetables are steamed or cooked in soups.

Refined carbohydrates in bakery products and processed foods can cause heart attacks even in people who are not diabetic,1 but these products are even more dangerous for diabetics, since diabetics are more sensitive to the damaging effects of AGEs. Vegetarians (my wife calls them “vegjunktarians”) who eat large quantities of cooked starches and honey were found to have higher measurable levels of AGEs than people eating a more omnivorous diet.2 To be lifespan promoting and diabetic-eversing, vegetarian diets must be designed to minimize exposure to large amounts of cooked starches and simple sugars. In addition, they must be very high in fiber to maximize glucose lowering. My high nutrient ETL approach meets all of these criteria.

Dr. Fuhrman’s Diabetic Reversal Menu
Enjoy this one-day sample menu of delicious, easy-to-prepare, healthful meals.

Soaked Oatmeal Supreme
1/3 cup raw oat flakes
1 Tbsp. flaxseed
6 walnut halves, crushed
1 pint fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced in half
Put the oat flakes in a cup, fill the cup with water, and place it in the refrigerator.
In the morning, the oat flakes will be softened. Cut in the fruit, mix in the flaxseed, and sprinkle the crushed walnut on top.

Blood Orange Dressing
1 navel orange, peeled
2 Tbsp. blood orange vinegar
6 raw, unsalted cashew nuts
Place peeled orange,vinegar, and nuts in blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a large green salad.

Tomato-Bean Soup
6 tomatoes
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 leeks, washed and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup adzuki beans
3 cups bok choy, chopped
2 Tbsp. VegeBase
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning
3 cups water
Place ingredients in a pot;cover and simmer for two hours on a low flame.Purйe the tomatoes,onions,and leeks,and then stir back in with the other ingredients. Leave all other ingredients in small chunks. Serves two.

Scallion-Eggplant Dip
1 eggplant
3 scallions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. mixed Italian herbs
Bake the eggplant until soft.After it has cooled, scoop out the soft inner flesh and blend it with the remaining ingredients. Serve with raw vegetables.

Garlicky Spinach
1 large (16 oz.) bag of frozen
spinach (defrosted)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup oil-free tomato sauce
Mix the spinach and chopped garlic into a pot with the oil-free tomato sauce. Simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves two.

Zucchini & Mushrooms
2-4 zucchini
1 cup mushrooms
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp. lightly toasted sesame seeds
Steam the zucchini and mushrooms just until they are soft. Sprinkle with onion powder, lemon juice, and sesame seeds.

Tofu-Bean Chili
1 cup unsalted canned kidney
beans
4 oz. tomato paste
1 cup red onion, chopped fine
2 cups firm tofu
1 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Riesling raisin vinegar
1 cup plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green or red peppers, chopped
Cut the tofu into thin strips and then bake on a wire rack in the oven at 275є for 30 minutes to harden.Chop the tofu into small chunks and mix with the remaining ingredients.

MENU

Breakfast
Grapefruit
Soaked Oatmeal Supreme

Lunch
Large Green Salad with
Blood Orange Dressing
Tomato-Bean Soup

Dinner
Raw Veggies with
Scallion-Eggplant Dip
Garlicky Spinach
Zucchini & Mushrooms
Tofu-Bean Chili
Dessert/Snack
Two Kiwifruits