Grits

[MiamiGuy]

Are grits allowed on the MWL plan?

[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

I think grits might be OK, but I don't know for sure. I know that couscous is allowed, and it is a pasta type thing. Also other grains that are somewhat processed are allowed, like bulgur and rolled oats.

Grits are maybe more highly processed since they are soaked in lime or lye to remove the outer coating of the corn kernel, but the process is similar to making masa for tortillas and those are allowed mostly because you usually eat them filled and only eat two at the most.

I would think that if you ate grits once a week it wouldn't be a problem, unless it causes you to not lose weight, or you have other health problems. My husband eats grits often because he likes them, in the beginning he didn't use them when he was losing weight, but this was only because he thought he couldn't eat them on the McDougall plan. After I told him he could eat grits, he began eating them. He's stopped losing weight because he now cheats often, I don't think it has anything to do with his eating grits!

Since you are MiamiGuy and not MiamiGal, you can probably get away with eating something that is more processed than some of us girls do.

[LoriM]

Are grits allowed on the MWL plan?

We eat grits all the time here, but they are very processed. They are more McDougall 12-Day plan than MWL. If you eliminate corn meal from your diet, then grits should probably go too. We don't try to follow MWL, but instead follow the regular plan.

Lori

[Malva]

There's information in it about refined carbohydrates.

MWL does not allow bread, or other REFINED carbohydrates.

Stick with whole foods for better health, and best weight loss.

[S B]

I was told that grits are 12-Day and NOT MWL.

However, I noticed that the "stuff" in those bins in many health food stores that "they" call grits is just cornmeal (NOT MWL). What I call grits is in larger pieces than that -- it is whole yellow corn (not soaked in lye -- not hominy, that is) cut up into pieces almost as large as bulgur wheat.

I kept saying that if bulgur wheat is allowed, then why can't my yellow corn grits be allowed? The reason everybody kept telling me "NO" was because they were thinking I was talking about the cornmeal the health food stores try to pass off as grits -- and did not realize how much larger the ones I sometimes use are.

However, I consider "my" grits somewhere between a whole grain eaten whole and a flour. Flour is definitely NOT MWL and whole grains eaten whole are definitely MWL.

I feel that MY grits are "almost" MWL for occasional use and are far better to use than cornmeal (which is definitely NOT MWL). However, whole grains eaten whole are best for MWL.

Does any of this make any sense? I have had a LONG day!

[Malva]

Sounds like you've found something good.