‘The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet’, published in 1978 by dr. Herman Tarnower & Samm Sinclaire Baker, promised to help people lose up to 20 pounds (~9kg) in 14 days.

6 basic qualities for any successful diet

To begin with, dr. Tarnower identified 6 basic qualities any successful diet should have. According to him, they are:

Although the original diet is meat-based, dr. Tarnower also created a vegetarian version, published in the ‘Complete Scarsdale Diet’ book.

Scarsdale Vegetarian Diet

Breakfast Every Day

• 1/2 grapefruit or other fruit in season
• 1 slice protein or wholemeal bread, toasted, spread with no-sugar jam if desired
• Coffee/tea/herb tea (no sugar, cream or milk)

MONDAY

Lunch:

• Watercress (or broccoli) soup
• Baked potato with low-fat cottage cheese and chives

OR

• 1 ounce (~28 gr) uncooked or 4 ounces (~114 gr) cooked soya beans (weighted after cooking)
• 6 halves of walnuts or Brazils
• Baked Apple Oscar
• Coffee/tea/soda water or diet tonic

Dinner:

• 2 slices cheese of your choice on lettuce
• Ratatouille
• Artichoke hearts (no oil!), cucumber, radishes
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted
• Cantaloupe or watermelon or sliced orange
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

TUESDAY

Lunch:

• Fruit salad, as much as you want, any kind of fruit with lettuce, celery
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted, spread with no-sugar jam, if desired
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Dinner:

• Apple-Nut Marrow
• Hot or cold vegetables, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, all you want
• 4 olives
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

WEDNESDAY

Lunch:

• Stuffed Tomato
• Grilled mushrooms, courgettes, and carrots
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Dinner:

• Asparagus (or cauliflower or broccoli) Au Gratin
• Hawaiian Fruit-Nut Marrow
• Green salad and tomatoes
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

THURSDAY

Lunch:

• Low-fat cottage cheese with sliced spring onions, radishes, cucumber
• Olives
• 1 slice wholemeal bread, toasted

OR

• 1 ounce (~28 gr) uncooked or 4 ounces (~114 gr) cooked soya beans
• Apple
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Dinner:

• Aubergine Parmesan
• Green salad with choice of low calories dressing
• Fresh fruit cup with squeeze of lemon or lime, minced mint leaves
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

FRIDAY

Lunch:

• Assorted cheese slices
• Spinach
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted
• Peach or pear
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Dinner:

• Onion Broth with Protein Croutons;
• Stewed vegetables
• No-sugar apple sauce with 6 walnuts or Brazils
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

SATURDAY

Lunch:

• Fruit salad, any kind, as much as you want, with low-fat cheese or cottage cheese, on lettuce or other greens
• 1 slice of wholemeal bread, toasted
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Dinner:

• Vegetable cheese casserole served with 1/2 mug no-sugar apple sauce sprinkled with 1 tablespoon raisins
• Sliced tomato and lettuce with vinegar and lemon dressing
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

SUNDAY

Lunch:

• Stuffed tomato (no rice, no potato)
• Boiled or mashed potato (no butter) with 1 table-spoon low-fat sour cream and chives

OR

• 4 ounces (~114 gr) soya beans (weighted after cooking)
• stewed fruit (use sugar substitute if wanted)
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Dinner

• Chow Mein on Rice
• Salad of lettuce, sliced tomatoes
• Sliced pineapple or pineapple chunks (if tinned, packed in its own juice or in water, not sugar-sweetened syrup)
• Coffee/tea/herb tea

Second Week of Scarsdale Medical Diet

Repeat all menus of the first week. It is simple as that. If after fourteen days, you will still need to lose weight, switch to keep-Trim Eating for two weeks and only after those two weeks, you go back to the Scarsdale Vegetarian Diet. Or try out also this pescatarian version.