Encyclopedia of Diets - A Guide to Health and Nutrition

mango, 1/2 papaya, 1/2 canteloupe, or ‘‘a generous

slice of honeydew, casaba, or other available melon.’’

Lunch: pickled eggplant and cheese sticks; plus salad

greens, ‘‘all you want,’’ with vinegar and lemon

dressing; plus a fresh peach with raspberry sauce;

plus coffee, tea, or espresso

Dinner: baked stuffed mushrooms; plus veal Napo-

litaine; plus 1/4 cup boiled white rice; plus zucchni

stew; plus coffee, tea, or espresso

Day 5, Money-Saver Diet

Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit or canteloupe, plus coffee or

tea with artificial sweetener

Lunch: 2 eggs, any style, but prepared without fat;

zucchni; 1 slice dry protein bread, no spread;

Dinner: broiled, boiled, roasted, or barbecued chicken,

‘‘all you want,’’ with skin and visible fat removed before

cooking; plus ‘‘plenty of spinach’’ plus coffee or tea

Function

The basic purpose of the Scarsdale diet is rapid

weight loss. It is not intended as a lifetime regimen of

sensible weight control; one of its distinctive features,

in fact, is that the dieter is supposed to alternate one or

two weeks on the diet with two weeks off.

Benefits

The only benefit of the Scarsdale diet appears to

be rapid initial weight loss. Most persons who have

tried it and reported on their experiences found it

unpleasant because of its lack of flexibility and the

boring meal plans prescribed in the basic diet. One

British reporter described the Scarsdale diet as ‘‘Bad

news... A raw vegetable nightmare so extreme that

Bugs Bunny would have revolted.’’

Precautions

The Scarsdale diet has been criticized by nutri-

tionists for a number of health-related deficiencies:

Nothing is said in the 1978 edition of the diet about

the importance of physical exercise in a weight-

reduction regimen. Many nutritionists point out

that the 700-1000 calories allowed each day are inad-

equate for a healthy woman who is even moderately

active, let alone one who participates in sports or

other forms of physical exercise.

The exclusion of milk from the Scarsdale diet means

that the dieter’s calcium intake will be too low. This

low level of calcium intake poses risks for women

who are postmenopausal or over 50.

The dieter does not learn how to choose foods wisely

during the two weeks off the diet or in real-world

situations like restaurants or meals shared with fam-

ily or friends.

Most of the weight lost is in the form of water, and is

quickly regained when the dieter resumes normal

eating.

The Scarsdale diet demands more than the usual

amount of will power from the dieter because of its

rigidity and low-calorie structure.

Because of these deficiencies and drawbacks, any-

one considering the Scarsdale diet in order to lose

weight rapidly should consult their physician and a

professional dietitian

Risks

The Scarsdale diet does not allow enough calories

for women with active life styles or for adolescents

who are still growing. It is completely inappropriate

for children. It carries the same risks for the dieter

associated with other VLCDs, namely fatigue,consti-

pationor diarrhea, irritability, and an increased risk of

gallstone formation. The Scarsdale diet has also been

reported to trigger episodes of porphyria, an inherited

metabolic disorder, in patients with a genetic suscept-

ibility to the disease. Porphyria, which is characterized

by the excretion of excessive numbers of porphyrins

(molecules used in the formation of the red pigment

that gives blood its color) can be brought on by fasting

or by long-term use of a VLCD.

The low-carbohydrate profile of the Scarsdale diet

also poses the risk of potential kidney or liver damage

resulting from ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic process

that occurs when the carbohydrates that serve the

body as its basic fuel drop below a certain level. The

body must then burn protein and fats to maintain its

energy level. When fats are broken down, fatty acids

are released into the bloodstream. There they are con-

verted to ketone bodies, which are mild acids excreted

in the urine. Excretion of the ketone bodies, however,

places an additional burden on the kidneys. If ketosis

continues for long periods of time without medical

supervision, the kidneys may eventually fail. The

health risks associated with ketosis are one reason

why the Scarsdale diet should never be used for more

than 14 days at a time. In addition, pregnant women,

alcoholics, and persons already diagnosed with kidney

or liver disease should not use the Scarsdale or any

other low-carbohydrate diet for weight control.

Scarsdale diet