The Healthiest Diet on the Planet: Why the Foods You Love - Pizza, Pancakes, Potatoes, Pasta, and More - Are the Solution to Preventing Disease and Looking ... to Preventing Disease and Looking and Feeling Your Best)

by John A. McDougall, Mary McDougall

The bestselling author and internationally celebrated physician and expert on nutrition offers an appealing, approachable health solution—eat the foods you love to lose weight and get healthy.

For years, we’ve been told that a healthy diet is heavy on meat, poultry, and fish, and avoids carbohydrates, particularly foods high in starch—empty calories harmful to our bodies.

But what if everything we’ve heard was backwards?

High in calories and cholesterol, animal fats and proteins too often leave you hungry and lead to overeating and weight gain. They are often the root causes of a host of avoidable health problems—from indigestion, ulcers, and constipation to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. On the other hand, complex carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, tubers, and other starches provide your body with essential proteins and nutrients that satisfy the appetite while simultaneously fighting illness. But Americans eat far too few calories from carbohydrates—only about forty percent, according to Dr. John McDougall, internationally renowned expert on nutrition and health, featured on the documentary Forks Over Knives.

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet helps us reclaim our health by enjoying nutritious starches, vegetables, and fruits. McDougall takes on the propaganda machines pushing dangerous, high-fat fad diets and cuts through the smoke and mirrors of the diet industry. He offers a clear, proven guide to what we should and shouldn’t eat to prevent disease, slow the aging process, improve our physical fitness, be kind to the environment, and be our most attractive selves.

Featuring two dozen color photos and mouth-watering, easy-to-follow recipes for buckwheat pancakes, breakfast tortillas, baked potato skins, rainbow risotto, red lentil soup, green enchiladas, dairy-free lasagna and pizza, and more, The Healthiest Diet on the Planet will help you look great, feel better, and forever change the way you think about health and nutrition.

Genres: Health, Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Vegan, Food, Diets

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2016

About the author

John A. McDougall was an American physician, author, and advocate of low-fat, plant-based nutrition. After surviving a stroke at 18, he pursued medicine, ultimately creating the McDougall Program, a starch-based vegan diet aimed at preventing and reversing chronic disease. His bestseller The McDougall Plan popularized his nutritional philosophy, emphasizing unprocessed starches, vegetables, and fruit while eliminating all animal products, oils, and processed foods. Over his career, McDougall published multiple books, sold more than 1.5 million copies, and co-founded Dr. McDougall's Right Foods.
McDougall ran a 10-day residential health program in California and appeared frequently in media to promote dietary change. He also served on the advisory board of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and was a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging federal cholesterol guidelines. In 2018, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Though praised by supporters for his unwavering commitment to diet-based healing, McDougall also faced criticism for promoting what some experts labeled as a restrictive “fad diet.” Concerns included potential nutritional deficiencies and the exclusion of entire food groups like nuts and oils. Nonetheless, studies reported health improvements among adherents, and the American Heart Association acknowledged partial alignment with its dietary guidelines.
McDougall's work significantly influenced the plant-based movement and helped reshape public understanding of nutrition’s role in health. Despite controversy, his emphasis on whole foods and dietary simplicity made lasting contributions to preventive medicine and lifestyle change.

Reviews

[Mischenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a perfect example of why people need to choose the foods that work for their bodies and not just go by what one person says.

In The Healthiest Diet on the Planet, Dr. McDougall warns against eating dairy, oils, eggs, meat (including fish), taking supplements, and any kind of fake meat or heavily processed food.

While I do agree with some of Dr. McDougall's suggestions, I certainly do not believe that his recommendations will work for everyone, and that begins with me. Do I believe starchy foods are healthy? Yes, some, but I'm not a person who believes in wheat and corn because I do have sensitivities to them. Have I been diagnosed with celiac disease? No, but many people (including myself) have what's called 'gluten sensitivity' which can be just as bad, causing a wide range of problems including autoimmune disease. Soy can also be an issue. I can understand where the author is coming from with going against the use of supplements, but some people (including myself) must take supplements like iron and vitamin D. There's just no way around it unless you want to risk deficiency.

Another thought: unless you're making your own whole grain bread at home, it's loaded with stuff that isn't good. Anyone can argue that the majority of the breads at the supermarket are unhealthy. So, if you don't take organic into account, by eating all the wheat and corn suggested, you'll be eating loads of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals too. Because I live in America where heavy chemicals are used on farmed foods like soy, produce, wheat, and other grains, I can't agree with that and will continue to make organic bread at home for my family. Maybe there's a healthy bread recipe in one of the author's other books?

There were a few other niggles I had, like frying in a non-stick pan. Really? I'll use cast iron and organic olive oil over teflon any time. I do believe there are non-toxic pans that claim to be nonstick, but they aren't mentioned here. Eating out of cans is also questionable, especially tomatoes and other acidic foods. Also, the book seems to be directed toward people who are overweight, so nuts, avocados, and dried fruits need to be kept to a minimum. Not all sick people are overweight; some people are skinny and sick. It's a good start, but diet isn't the only fix.

I appreciated that Dr. McDougall mentioned the climate crisis and one major problem we have in America: livestock farming. There doesn't seem to be a lot of people talking about that and it's something we all need to be aware of. Many people don't even realize that mass meat farming is a top cause for greenhouse gases. I don't want to slam meat, because people obviously feel strongly about it and might get upset, but meat (grass-fed) is something I eat little of and hope to completely remove from my diet. So, don't get me wrong, there were very good parts (for me) in the book too. It just all comes down to what you believe in.

Overall, I think there are some really good recipes here and healthy recommendations. I don't mean to bash the book, but if you're going to title a book like this using the word 'healthiest', surely you have to take much more into consideration than just removing animal products and oils. This book seems like more of a 'lesser of two evils' diet. After all the years I've spent reading books on diets on what you should and shouldn't eat, my conclusion is that you have to find what works for you. What's good for one person might not be good for another. Personally, what works for me is a diet consisting mainly of plant based foods. With that said, it's important for us to make our own educated decisions. I have a friend who swears by this diet, so definitely pick up this book and decide for yourself whether or not you think it'll work for you.

2.5-3***

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. McDougall tells us why we should be eating a diet of starches, fruits, and vegetables to prevent and cure heart disease, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer.

This may sound radical, given the current obsession with everything paleo, however, Dr. McDougall backs up his claims with personal experience as a doctor as well as research—his and others'.

To tell the truth, I'm not sure that this book alone would have convinced me to adopt a whole-foods, plant-based diet if I hadn't already. I'll give the credit for that to The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health. Another book with a very strong argument for the lifestyle is How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. However, if you don't need hundreds of pages of scientific proof, Dr. McDougall is very blunt and tells it simply and plainly (and he does include some studies and citations, just not as many as the books I mentioned above).

I give Dr. McDougall credit for getting my rheumatoid arthritis under control. When I was at my wits' end, I found an article on his website that helped me develop a framework for getting my inflammation under control—and it works. No more animal products and oils for me. Thank you, Dr. McDougall.

Here is the article that changed my life:
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/ed...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I just need to incorporate these meals into my life. The recipes are great. The information given because isn't new to me but very clear for people who've never read or watched anything on veganism.

[Mary Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I wanted to really like this book, but it just didn't hang together for me... It is basically a plant-based, whole grain, vegan diet book with lots of pet-peeves. Centers a lot on "dos" and "don'ts," which isn't a bad thing, but doesn't back them all up as I hoped it would. A Type 2 diabetic is somewhat lost in this diet if one is following a low carb approach to healthy eating. This book would be great for introducing a plant based diet to a non-compromised person, but a low carb eater really has no place to start. This diet is really loaded with carbs. The recipes at the end of the book do look excellent and are beautifully photographed. I am looking forward to trying some them!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I often find McDougall a bit egotistical, brash, and arrogant... his science is sound and what he's doing is impressive. I recommend everyone read this; it's super informative and a quick read. No excuses :)

[Georgianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to rate a cookbook -- are you rating the writing and information, or the recipes??? I'm rating the information here, and this is easy reading. It's laid out well, and is an excellent resource for people who aren't interested in getting too technical and want some delicious recipes to boot. I've read tons of books on the subject of food and I like this one because of its simplicity and straightforwardness, and direct information regarding veganism. And for the simplicity and deliciousness of the recipes.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

appreciate the simplicity of this straight forward approach to whole foods plant based diet. the recipes are light and easy. worth checking out again.

[CassieV · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this side by side with It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways (a re-read) and I have to admit, compared to the Hartwigs' research, McDougall expects his reader to take a lot his assertions at face value. I appreciate some of the points he made about animal products and dairy, and I will probably be minimizing those a bit more in the future, but I just couldn't get behind the idea that all starchy carbs are better than anything else for us. I guess I was expecting a vegan author to spend more time trying to get me to eat vegetables and fruits and less reassuring me that white rice and white flour are okay. In fairness, though, when I checked this out from the library, I didn't catch the subtitle (The Healthiest Diet on the Planet: Why the Foods You Love - Pizza, Pancakes, Potatoes, Pasta, and More - Are the Solution to Preventing Disease and Looking and Feeling Your Best) as that's way too much to put on the spine. I just saw an author I'd seen while researching whole plant diets and brought it home.

[Patrick Weix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another clear and quick book from Dr McDougall. Again the logic for the diet is laid out, this time contrasts to fad diets are reviewed, and Americas mania for protein debunked. I like the recipes as these are often master recipes that can be adapted to ones food tastes and the ingredients on hand, and dressed with a variety of sauces or toppings. I continue to read these to find books to recommend to patients, and I think this just edges out the Starch Solution. I find McDougall clearer and easier for the average person to follow and implement (the "So what do I eat now?" problem of someone making drastic diet changes). Some of the other whole food plant based people seem to make it too complicated.

[Nedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The science is clear and the message is simple that low carbohydrate diets increase the risk of death and disease. The recommendations in this book are clear and documented with articles from peer reviewed journals. Dr. McDougall, once again makes a case for why plant based eating is the way to not just maintain health, but prevent disease.

[Jessica Knutson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this book a high rating because I highly support what Dr. McDougall does. However, I wasn't very impressed with the information presented - it felt watered down. His personality isn't my favorite either. For anyone who wants to reverse disease, however, this can be a good launching point in your research.

[Jan Peregrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found out from the 2016 book, The Healthiest Diet on the Planet, that Mary McDougall introduced to the world a low-fat way of eating while enjoying a starch-based or whole foods, plant-based way of eating. This was long ago in one of her husband John's first big books. This is my preferred way of eating, but I'm not a fan of the term diet when referring to the McDougall way of eating. It will definitely help you lose excess body fat with patience, but that's not the most important reason for eating mostly starchy veggies, beans, grains, and pasta.

This last book by the McDougall's may not be much different than their other health books. John tells us his story of how he had a major stroke as a teen because of all the faty animal-based food he was gorging on and his journey as a medical doctor who came to understand that it was his diet causing his health crisis.

John also discusses the major fad diets that claim to help you lose that excess fat and how their claims are based on lies, misinterpretations, and bad science. Those are the only way to make their false claims. Temporarily you may lose weight, which is water, but the weight will return.

Then John has a picture guide to what you should eat lots of, not so much, and not at all.

Eating mostly starches is our natural way of eating and will not only satisfy our hunger, but keep us healthy and fit.

Mary's recipe section includes her original recipes and look pretty simple and delicious. Instead of oil for skillet dishes, vegetable broth is used. I confess I haven't tried any. I like my own recipes, but find inspiration in her recipes. Her veggie burger used mostly oats, mushrooms, and whole wheat flour, but I prefer using tempeh, mushrooms, and grated yellow potatoes. She should use more fermented food, but includes a pizza recipe.

So it's a good book I recommend like their other books.

[Kristie J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The "Healthiest Diet on the Planet," according to the author, is a low-fat vegan diet, and "the foods you love - pizza, pancakes," etc. are the vegan versions of those items, i.e. pizza with no cheese or meat, not the greasy, cheesy, yummy pepperoni pizza most of us grew up with.

I picked up this book at the library because it was prominently displayed at the reference desk and I was curious to find out what the healthiest diet was. I didn't flip through the book until I got home. That's when I saw the full-color pictures of a person sitting on a toilet (to illustrate constipation), a cat eating a bird (to illustrate what carnivores eat), and a topless woman covering her one good breast and one removed breast with her hands (to illustrate cancer). I've read several books about various diets and I can honestly say I have never seen that before.

The most interesting part of the book was when the author told his story about being a medical doctor on a sugar plantation on the Big Island of Hawaii and how he came to believe the vegan diet is the healthiest. The best take-home message I learned from the book was that we don't need as much protein as we think we do and I need to be careful not to overeat protein. As an omnivore and meat-lover, I'm still going to eat meat, but I do think I need to watch the quantity. I tend to eat lots of meat, when in reality, I'm probably overdoing it and need to focus more on veggies and fruits.

I would take the author more seriously if he didn't rant and rave about how meat is the source of all evil, and if he focused more on selling the nutrition of his diet. From page 72, "Every person whom Paleo gurus convince to follow an animal food-based diet brings us one step closer to the end of the world as we know it."

In fact, a disturbing number of the references in the back of the book are references to the author's own papers and monthly newsletters. He also looks at research and the diets of various people around the world and draws far-reaching conclusions about how meat is bad. For example, he talks about how billions of people around the world, like Asians, eat starch-based diets and a small amount of meat. Then, he concludes that the vegan diet is the "healthiest in the world." But, a small amount of meat is not the same thing as a vegan diet!

He also advises taking a B12 supplement because of the very small risk (one in a million he says) that following a vegan diet will give you B12 deficiency disease. From page 125, "When following a vegan diet (like the Healthiest Diet on the Planet), ..., you should supplement your diet with a minimum of 5 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily." How can it be the healthiest diet on the planet if it doesn't meet all of our nutritional needs?

[Benjamin Fortney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, something that tells me to eat 90% corn rice and potatoes while losing extra lbs? I call bullshit. The only reason I’m giving it 2 stars instead of one is because it was short.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll save you some time: the healthiest diet on the planet, according to McDougall, is vegan and low-fat. Of course, this means that if you ever want to get enough calories to live, you need to eat a lot of starches.

There were a lot of things I liked in this book. I really appreciated the defense of starches. The popular belief of today, even for those who don't necessarily follow a strict paleo diet, is that "carbs" are unhealthy. I haven't subscribed to that belief (bread has been eaten for centuries, with no ill effects!), so I enjoyed reading the science and the studies showing that starchy foods are actually necessary for a healthy diet. McDougall says that starchy foods should make up 70-90% of one's diet!

I also appreciated his argument against eating meat. I've been convinced by other sources that eating the amount of meat that Americans typically do isn't great for our health, and is truly terrible for our environment. McDougall backs it up with a more scientific approach from a doctor's perspective.

But then things got tricky for me. I wasn't totally convinced by the argument that we should not eat any animal products whatsoever. Mostly, McDougall attacks eggs. He has some fairly solid scientific studies (although they don't include very many people, which I think is a fatal flaw), but he conveniently ignores the fact that traditional diets have certainly included animal products. (One of his arguments against eating meat is that traditional diets--i.e., non-Western diets that don't cause Western diseases like heart disease--don't include much meat.) Of course, traditionally people wouldn't have smothered their entire meal in cheese either, but I think it's unfair to blame foods like milk and yogurt for heart disease. Then at the very end of the book, McDougall gives one very short note that anyone following his diet needs to take a vitamin B12 supplement. Interesting...didn't he say that people following the "healthiest diet on the planet" get all the nutrients they need from plants alone?

Where I really took issue, though, was the low-fat idea. McDougall doesn't have nearly as much evidence for this idea as he does for veganism. Pretty much his entire argument against any kind of fat (yes, that includes olive oil, vegetable oil, and coconut oil) is that "the fat you eat is the fat you wear." What an outdated idea! We all know that's not true. Fat is essential to many of our bodies' functions. And olive oil is an important part of the Mediterranean diet, which is widely considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. Plus, we also now know that being "fat" or overweight does not necessarily cause bad health. The goal to be thin is completely different from the goal to be healthy. I didn't appreciate McDougall's focus on weight loss throughout the book, and I certainly didn't appreciate his ridicule of "fat vegans." (Apparently they give the "healthiest diet on the planet" a "bad name." Eye roll.)

Lastly, I really didn't like his black-and-white approach. For McDougall, it's all or nothing: either you follow his diet to the letter, every minute of your life, or you're destined to be sick all your life and die young. He says that moderation is a lie and his way is the ONLY way to be healthy. He also says that he would rather eat cardboard for every meal and live a long time than eat food that tastes good. Well, the truth is that many people (including myself) can't live that way. I could never sustain such a restrictive diet for my entire life. By coming down so hard on readers who would rather make small changes, he's setting them all up for failure and shame. That's not going to help anyone be healthier.

While this book makes some good points, I far prefer the simplicity and flexibility of Michael Pollan's food rules: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

[Xanthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are already very familiar with this doctor's work and his diet plan, then you might not get anything new from this book. I've seen some people complain about this, asking what the point is in publishing another book with the same message, information, recipes, etc. Well, if you have read the Starch Solution and the various cookbooks he and his wife have published over the years, and read their newsletters and peruse their website, then you probably don't need to read this book. But if you are fairly new to the McDougall Plan or need a refresher, then this book is well worth checking out.
The doctor gives a rundown of his background, his own life experiences and health concerns, plus information on his medical career. Then there is the diet plan, the science backing it, and the debunking of other diets. He provides references that point to peer reviewed journal articles to back what he is saying.
About half of the book is dedicated to recipes, including some full colour photographs. If you are coming from a background of eating a fair amount of convenience foods, junk, highly processed items, then these recipes are a great start, be it purely for health and or weight loss. If you like me - an over weight but not obese vegan - then you might have to tweak the recipes to get a better weight loss outcome. I say this because there are recipes that still call for use of oil (albeit small), tofu, nuts, seeds, tahini and sugars such as agave and maple syrup. If you have been consuming animal fats and processed sugars, then these recipes would be a great improvement. But for the rest of us, proceed with caution, as these items are still pretty calorific while not being filling.

[Jennifer Fischetto]

If you read The Starch Solution, this isn't any different. The Starch Solution, in fact, was more in depth. Regardless, this is still a well-written, visually stimulating, much enjoyed book. Dr. McDougall is one of several doctors I follow and agree with, and he has a pleasant writing style. It's engaging and not stilted or too clinical.

This is a whole foods, plant based approach to health. So if you're expecting animal products and cheese, you won't find it here. He will explain why those foods are bad for you. I haven't compared this book to his others, but I believe the recipes are different. There are, however, some pictures.

It's a beautiful book that I recommend, but if you on a budget and read The Starch Solution, you won't find new information here. Maybe some new recipes though.

[Jean · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found his arguments full of fallacies (I.e. this is the healthiest diet on the planet because it doesn't support the livestock industry which is to blame for the greenhouse effect). He pretty much ignores the role of refined sugar in the increase in diseases and promotes a heavily starchy diet without ever saying " but you've got to keep the sugar intake down". My personal experience has been that sugars cause way more inflammation, stomach issues, and weight gain, than eating a paleo or low carb diet does. And I know enough people with celiac and gluten sensativites, that I believe his claims that people who truly shouldn't be eating wheat are rare and gluten free is just a fad, are unfounded. I read this book because I was looking for sugar free/gluten-free recipes and was sorely disappointed.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, here is a testimonial. I have been on the diet, strictly, for four weeks now and have lost only eight pounds. However, I was never hungry during that time. I no longer take daily medicine for constipation, and my inflammatory arthritis has considerably improved.
Of the two diets now popular, a ketogenic or meat and fat diet and a plant based diet, this book promotes the vegan option. It is an evidence based diet, supported by large studies such as T. Colin Campbell's "The China Study," as well as records of wartime reduction of disease and mortality that accompanied rationing. (See Dr Mikkel Hindhede WWI, Denmark) Page 124 has references to good websites such as: Forks Over Knives, Engine 2 Diet, Vegan Coach, Plant-Powered Kitchen, etc.

[Jordyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate the title of this book. It feels gimmicky and I am afraid it will prevent people from picking it up, which is unfortunate...although the ridiculously delicious looking pancakes on the cover might help correct that. Book design and title aside, the content is extremely straightforward and helpful. Simplicity is on every page--from the respectable science behind the food choices, to laying out exactly what to eat and what to avoid, to easy-to-execute recipes. Sometimes McDougall's tone is quite harsh and maybe even prideful, but the actual information is gold.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book just makes sense to me. Eat the foods your body wants to eat (potatoes, bread, pasta, etc) — just unprocess them. And because the recommendation is for foods you naturally want to eat, it makes the lifestyle seem much more doable and approachable. Lots of scientific studies and journals cited, too, which helps straighten out a lot of misinformation that has been spread throughout the years.

[Allysia K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad McDougall made a pretty and colorful book. His brevity and forthrightness might put some people off, but I've always enjoyed his passionate approach to nutrition, disease prevention and wellness.

Of all the McDougall books, this one has the best set of recipes as well. Go Mary!

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in tandem with Dr McDougall's The Starch Solution.
It's a great read! I would recommend it for both omni and vegan friends alike.
I agree with his views and the science that backs them up.

[G.L. Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're thinking of trying a vegan diet and need a reason to switch, this book provides a good place to start. Plus, the recipes (which make up at least half the book) look wonderful, and are pretty inspirational. The kinds of things you can extrapolate on easily enough.

[V Massaglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific book. I respect Dr. McDougall so much. I am SO much healthier, thinner, and more energized than I have been in years. . A must-read that promotes a common-sense lifestyle.

I highly recommend it!

V

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life saving.

[Janne Swearengen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always interesting to read more about the McDougall plant-based eating regimen.

[Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked how much science was in it and it included a notes section.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great cookbook.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at the library, really for the recipes! Most are very simple, thrown together easily, just how I like.