The goal of this diet is to remove the foods that most stress your insulin system. When you eat, your food will stimulate the release of insulin, which helps the nutrients, especially glucose (blood sugar) to enter your cells. Not all foods stimulate insulin equally. However, starches tend to require maximal insulin function to be removed from the blood. Thus, people who are insulin resistant (i.e. their insulin doesn't work adequately) or have diabetes, benefit by removing these tough to dispose foods from their diet. To begin a NO STARCH diet, you shift to eating foods which don't stress your glucose-insulin system.

This is NOT the Atkin's Diet!!! The Atkins Diet is a Protein Sparing Modified Fast (PSMF). A PSMF has been shown to be an effective tool for encouraging weight loss, and has also been shown to be safe and effective for up to 18 weeks, when medically supervised. The No Starch Diet places no limits on consumption of fruits and vegetables, whereas a PSMF generally limits vegetables to 2-3 servings a day and permits no fruit at all. In addition, a PSMF does not permit legumes and at best, one or two dairy servings a day. Finally, a PSMF is designed to limit caloric intake, while the No Starch Diet does not specifically focus on limiting calories. The No Starch Diet only tries to eliminate foods that may be problematic due to the stress they impose on the glucose-insulin system.

You may eat unlimited:

• MEATS: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, lamb
• FRESH FRUIT: any type, including bananas, melons, and grapes
• DRIED FRUITS: any type, but NO canned fruits, however.
• VEGETABLES: any type in any quantity. Corn, peas and potatoes are not considered vegetables (too starchy).
• DAIRY: you may drink low fat milk, and eat low fat dairy such as yogurt (sugar free) and cottage cheese. NO CHEESE, however.
• LEGUMES: you may eat kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans, black eyed peas, etc.
• NUTS: you may eat any type of nut, but should limit to one ounce a day
• EGGS are ok also

THE STARCHES YOU NEED TO AVOID COMPLETELY ARE: