The Scarsdale Diet

Born in the United States, the Scarsdale diet was designed by a cardiologist, Dr. Tarnower. This diet is also known as SMD, for “  Scarsdale Medical Diet  ”, which is in fact the English name of the diet. It is a diet categorized as “  low-carb  ”, which means that there is very little carbohydrate intake ( carb  meaning  carbohydrates  in English, which translates to  carbohydrates ).

A first phase lasting 14 days, called the “diet phase” is quite restrictive and must be followed to the letter. A second phase follows, “called the stabilization phase”, lasting 14 days, but which is less restrictive than the first (more foods are authorized). These 2 phases must then be repeated as many times as necessary, until the desired weight is reached. According to the various critics, at the end of the two phases the diet would make it possible to lose approximately 8 kilograms.

THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DIET

The diet is based on  the total prohibition of a whole list of foods , among which we find starches, fats, but also cold cuts and a large part of dairy products.

The only foods allowed are:

• Vegetables ( best eaten raw)
• fruit _
• Sources of lean protein (without skin or fat)
• Seasonings such as herbs, spices, vinegar, lemon, garlic, onions, salt and mustard.

In the English literature, the first 14-day phase (diet) is called “  two-on  ”, and the second 14-day phase (stabilization) is called “  two-off  ”. Doctor Tarnower advises alternating these phases for life, but in view of the imbalance in the diet, we suggest that you consult your doctor before considering this diet over the long term.

For each of the 2 phases (diet and stabilization), the Scarsdale diet is possible in four forms of menus according to the desires and tastes of each: we are therefore offered the  classic diet , the  gourmet diet , the  exotic diet, the economic diet   and even a  vegetarian diet . The menus are already prepared by Dr. Tarnower, menus that should therefore be followed to the letter.

For each of the 5 types of diet, all the menus are already planned in advance.

Breakfast is always the same: coffee or tea, a slice of bread and a portion of fruit (ideally half a grapefruit,  reminiscent of the Mayo diet ).

For the other meals, the foods and menus are varied (especially since the diet can be broken down into 5 distinct forms). There are around 70 menus and 90 different recipes. This is why those who are considering the Scarsdale diet will probably need to purchase a book in order to have all the recipes. However, let us mention a few foods that make up the recipes: grilled steak, mixed salads, fish, eggs, some vegetables such as spinach and a little dairy.

An example of a typical week will be provided below.

The Scarsdale diet will provide you with about 700 calories (kcal) per day according to ANSES  ⁽³⁾ , compared to about 2000 calories (kcal) recommended by health authorities for inactive people.

Example of a typical week

For drinks, tea (without sugar), coffee (without sugar), sodas (without sugar) and water are authorized.

ADVANTAGES

All the menus are already prepared, which implies that all that remains is to follow the diet to the letter, without asking questions.

The Scarsdale diet has some significant advantages: in fact, the main one is obviously the duration of the 14-day diet (before the stabilization phase). This is short enough to avoid abandoning your cure along the way.

The second big advantage is the knowledge of all the menus . Thus, there is no need to imagine these yourself, you just have to buy the food. According to Dr. Tarnower, the Sarsdale diet allows you to lose 500 grams per diet day. However, this figure seems unrealistic.

DISADVANTAGES

This regime is very restrictive and does not allow a deviation or an outing to the restaurant. Everything is calibrated for two weeks.

Its principle is the absorption of proteins to the detriment of lipids and carbohydrates . The  risk of deficiencies  is therefore very present (to convince you of this, you can consult the opinion of ANSES, in the paragraphs below).

There are too few dairy products and the body needs the lipids and fatty acids found in them. Generally speaking, and whatever diet you are considering,  the body naturally needs a relatively varied diet , which is not the case with the Scarsdale diet. This diet is therefore to be classified in the category of  private diets , which are harmful to health. These are diets where not all foods are allowed.

ORIGINS OF THE REGIME

The Scarsdale diet was developed by Herman Tarnower, a cardiologist in the city of Scarsdale (New York State, USA). It is precisely the name of the city which could have given its name to the regime. In 1978, a book called ”  The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet  ” ( ⁽⁴⁾ . It is written by Herman Tarnower but also Samm Sinclair Baker. This book was last published in 1995 and was only published in English language.

On March 10, 1980, Herman Tarnower murdered a woman who had loved him for a long time (Jean Harris). This contributed to the promotion and media coverage of his method. In 2005, a TV movie titled “  Mrs. Harris  ”  ⁽⁵⁾  named after the woman who murdered Herman Tarnower, is presented to the public.

ANSES’S OPINION

The opinion of ANSES is the opinion of the French health security agency. This notice should be read with caution and is important. Beyond 20% difference compared to ANSES recommendations, the difference is on a red background, otherwise it is on a green background.