Kwaśniewski's diet

If a pork chop, pork knuckle, ribs or lard put a smile on your face, and the word 'fruit and vegetables' makes you run away from the table, you are among those who may be interested in the so-called 'optimal diet', or Dr. Kwaśniewski's diet. If you are also keen to lose a few kilos, this diet can help you with that. Is it a healthy choice? Can fatty foods be the basis of a diet (even for a month or two)? Is Kwaśniewski's diet a good idea for weight loss? We say: I'm checking it out!

The history of Kwaśniewski's diet

Jan Kwaśniewski was a Polish physician specializing in physical medicine and balneoclimatology, who for almost two decades resided in the balneology and physiotherapy department of the Military Sanatorium in Ciechocinek. In Cedzyna near Kielce, he founded the "Arkadia" Health Academy, operating in the years 1988-1990. This place became the center of the first supporters of alternative nutrition and spa guests who decided to stay at the doctor's holiday resort combined with the slimming diet he promoted.

During his research on nutrition and metabolism, Dr. Kwaśniewski became interested in the subject of a diet low in carbohydrates or completely eliminating them. Initially, the doctor recommended this method of nutrition primarily to patients with neurasthenia, whom he dealt with in a sanatorium, because among patients of this group he observed a frequent increase in weight above the recommended norm. Later, Kwaśniewski extended the recommendations also to patients complaining about living in stress. The main assumptions of the diet, which was called "optimal", specify the proportions of macronutrients maintaining carbohydrates at a level of only 15%.

The basic assumptions of the Kwaśniewski diet

Kwaśniewski's diet is based on a high-fat diet and animal products and assumes the reduction of carbohydrates to the necessary minimum. According to the doctor's original assumptions, fats and carbohydrates should not meet on our plate. The ideal proportions of ingredients in the proposed diet are: 15% carbohydrates and 20-30% proteins. The full distribution of macronutrients, depending on the publication, is presented in the ranges:

• protein : fat : carbohydrates – 1.0 : 3.0-3.5 : 0.8 (latest recommendations)
• protein : fat : carbohydrates – 1.0 : 2.0-2.5 : 0.5 (older recommendations).

As can be seen from the above, fat undoubtedly reigns supreme in Kwaśniewski's diet, and it is the high fat intake and low carbohydrate intake that are supposed to ensure that we burn excess fat tissue in the body.

According to the official materials of the Polish Association of Optimals, the recommended amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates for a person of average height are as follows: 70g, 140-250g, 50g, which translates to 1500 kcal (reduction) to 2500 kcal (normal nutrition). [1] The exact caloric value depends on individual health conditions, lifestyle and age, and is subject to consultation with an official representative of the association.

What to eat on the Kwaśniewski diet

The basis of nutrition according to this philosophy are eggs (even 4 per day; especially yolks), fatty meat, butter, cream, lard, fatty cheeses, offal, jellies, headcheese, bacon, pates, fatty meat broths. Vegetables in the case of Kwaśniewski's diet are limited to varieties with low carbohydrate content - cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers are the favorites here. People on the diet can eat mushrooms and wild mushrooms.

According to Dr. Kwaśniewski, in an optimal diet, the basic source of fats should be animal products. Fruits are on the forbidden list due to their high sugar content, with the exception of forest fruits, which are recommended in small quantities. Bread, groats, rice, all cereal products and flour dishes, as well as potatoes or beans do not fit into the proposed diet, as do lean meat, fish, egg whites or sweets.

Sample dishes:

• Breakfast: scrambled eggs in butter, made with one egg and 3 egg yolks
• Lunch: minced pork meatballs with eggs and yellow cheese
• Dinner: pancake with mushrooms, made with lard, no flour, one egg and 3 egg yolks

Kwaśniewski's diet is designed as a diet for reduction and according to the results of his own research, presented by its creator, it does indeed result in weight loss. Interestingly, the doctor reported only a small effect of nutrition on weight in people who are not overweight or obese. So a brilliant recipe for healthy weight loss?

Kwaśniewski's Diet Controversy

Studies on the health effects of Dr. Kwaśniewski's diet are not documented, as they were not conducted officially. The doctor conducted his observations in a private facility, outside of research centers and public medical facilities. According to his own data, 1,655 people were put on the diet for a period of 14-21 days, some of whom suffered from chronic and incurable diseases, but the type was not specified. [2] However, an improvement in health was noted under the influence of the recommended diet and with a reduction in the pharmacology used.

Since Dr. Kwaśniewski's research is not supported by official scientific and medical documentation, its value has been repeatedly questioned, and the dietary model has been criticized and rejected by mainstream dietetics.

The dangers of Kwaśniewski's diet

According to current medical knowledge, Dr. Kwaśniewski's recommendations may contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia. Doctors warn against increased levels of so-called "bad cholesterol" and triglycerides in the blood, the negative impact of which on the entire body is widely described in the literature. They also point to possible vitamin deficiencies (especially vitamin C) and mineral deficiencies.

The Polish Academy of Sciences defines Kwaśniewski's diet as harmful to health and points to the scientific basis behind the officially unified food pyramid and limiting the caloric content of the diet as the main method of weight reduction.

The benefits of Kwaśniewski's diet

Dr. Kwaśniewski's diet eliminates sweets and limits salt intake. In the version with increased protein, it also provides the body with the right amount of protein.

Supporters of this method of weight loss cite evidence of significant weight loss in a short period of time, however, due to the lack of scientific basis, such claims should be treated as medically undocumented, and also as not taking into account the health costs of the diet, related to, among others, increased LDL cholesterol levels.

Sources:

[1] https://optymalni.org.pl/zywienie-optymalne/zlota-proporcja/

[2] https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Kwa%C5%9Bniewski

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