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The Schwarzbein Principle: The Truth about Losing Weight, Being Healthy and Feeling Younger
The latest evolution in health and fitness, the unique, proven "Schwarzbein Principle" will revolutionalize the way millions of people look at eating, losing weight, and maintaining optimal health.
380 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
June 9, 2013
Normally, this is not something I would read, as from the cover alone, it seems sensationalistic and untrustworthy. Also, it's rather out of date and nutrition is such a rapidly-changing science. However, a nutritionist with whom I won a consultation, recommended it to me. I was curious about her ideas and where they came from, so I read it.
I don't know how to review this book, exactly. As a non-scientist/nutritionist, I can't vouch for the science one way or another, and I find that excruciatingly frustrating. Even if I looked up and read all the studies cited here, I still wouldn't be able accurately assess the viability of their findings. Though it does seem to have fairly complete references, the tone in which it's written is meant to be accessible to laypeople who, presumably, don't care about the hard backup and trust what is being told to them by someone with advanced degrees. To that end, it's extremely repetitive to the point of being obnoxiously dogmatic — and that too makes it seem somewhat unreliable. Concepts are explained within a scientific framework, and there are some simple illustrations of some internal systems and some molecules, but I finished reading this feeling like the real theory was so painted over by dogma that I wasn't sure I totally understood it, beyond the basics.
All that said, there are some ideas in here that are interesting. Chief amongst them is a violent lambast of low-fat, low-protein diets and their damaging effects to the metabolism. This argument centers on the insulin spikes and serotonin depression that results, basically, from excluding fat and protein in favor of too many carbs. Carbs quickly metabolize to sugar... that makes sense to me. I never really thought about how restricting fat and protein (protein because it generally comes packaged with some fat) could lead to a tilt towards too many carbs. People my age have been acculturated to believe that eating fats is "bad". So it is a good exercise (even if we know better, but are still kind of brainwashed) to look at what excluding facets of a balanced diet leads to, in terms of how the imbalance plays out. The general idea here, about repairing a damaged metabolism by eating a balanced diet of fats, carbs, protein and veg (i.e., slow-metabolizing carbs) is actually pretty fascinating, and I think I really like it.
One thing I think she absolutely gets right is to be as non-prescriptive as possible (if you ignore the horrible suggested 1-month meal plans) about giving guidelines for how to eat. I think this is essential. Rigid diets do not work long-term for the majority of people. Diet cycling (yo-yo dieting) is a huge cause of metabolic (never mind emotional) damage. I think that Schwarzbein gets this. Despite what other reviewers have said, her plan is not prescriptive or rigid — not like counting calories or Atkins or the zillions of other programs out there that involve counting things and weighing food and "offsetting" eating with exercise. She actually sugests not "counting" anything, only working towards a balanced mix of carbs, fat, protein and veg at every meal. She does suggest keeping your carbs slightly below your metabolic need for them at first, as you're "healing", to help repair years of carb-overloading... and yes, you would need to keep track to do that. But in general, I didn't think her suggestions seemed like a "diet" (in the way that diets are bad), only like a way to make sure you're getting the nutrients you need. (But I can only speak as a long-time vegan who pretty much doesn't eat processed food already, so maybe I'm totally out-of-whack with most peoples' reality.)
However, Schwarzbein's ideas about cholesterol seem absolutely dotty to me. The idea of stopping your body from producing its own cholesterol by preempting it with a steady diet of eggs and meat seems so wrong. I can't really make head nor tail of her scientific assertions around cholesterol production. The theory, as she described it, sounded like something she trumped up so people can eat a lot of eggs. Maybe there's some basis, but I really really think eating animal protein is just not healthy. She implies we're all suckers for believing the hype about all those men who eat lots of bacon and eggs and then have heart attacks... but I admit, I kind of still believe it.
She is obsessed with hormone replacement therapy (perhaps that is just a sign of when it was written) and repeatedly suggests taking a raft of supplements, including St John's Wort (which has known contraindications she never mentions). But she rails against any and all prescription and OTC drugs as harmful stimulants and metabolism-interference. (She's also anti-caffeine, fake-sugars, hard drugs, alcohol, etc.). Some of that makes sense, but some of it seems arbitrary.
And that's the thing about this book... although the balanced diet/food combining idea seems very sound, the way she suggests you go about doing it is just terrible. She offers suggestions for both omnivores and vegetarians (not vegans) and they both seem, in my opinion, eating tons of stuff that's just not very healthy. She claims, throughout the book, to be an absolute proponent of "real" food (what I would call whole food) but then she suggests eating things that I would consider processes. She says about a dozen times, to only eat things that you could (I paraphrase) "theoretically hunt, gather, or milk", But I'm not sure what kind of tree cheese and soy sausages grow on! I feel like she's quite contradictory on this topic — and there were various other contradictions throughout the book that took away from its credibility as well.
Perhaps her more recent books have updated some of the wonky bits here... this is 14 years old, I believe. It's interesting, but with an enormous grain of salt (not that added salt is a good idea).
I don't know how to review this book, exactly. As a non-scientist/nutritionist, I can't vouch for the science one way or another, and I find that excruciatingly frustrating. Even if I looked up and read all the studies cited here, I still wouldn't be able accurately assess the viability of their findings. Though it does seem to have fairly complete references, the tone in which it's written is meant to be accessible to laypeople who, presumably, don't care about the hard backup and trust what is being told to them by someone with advanced degrees. To that end, it's extremely repetitive to the point of being obnoxiously dogmatic — and that too makes it seem somewhat unreliable. Concepts are explained within a scientific framework, and there are some simple illustrations of some internal systems and some molecules, but I finished reading this feeling like the real theory was so painted over by dogma that I wasn't sure I totally understood it, beyond the basics.
All that said, there are some ideas in here that are interesting. Chief amongst them is a violent lambast of low-fat, low-protein diets and their damaging effects to the metabolism. This argument centers on the insulin spikes and serotonin depression that results, basically, from excluding fat and protein in favor of too many carbs. Carbs quickly metabolize to sugar... that makes sense to me. I never really thought about how restricting fat and protein (protein because it generally comes packaged with some fat) could lead to a tilt towards too many carbs. People my age have been acculturated to believe that eating fats is "bad". So it is a good exercise (even if we know better, but are still kind of brainwashed) to look at what excluding facets of a balanced diet leads to, in terms of how the imbalance plays out. The general idea here, about repairing a damaged metabolism by eating a balanced diet of fats, carbs, protein and veg (i.e., slow-metabolizing carbs) is actually pretty fascinating, and I think I really like it.
One thing I think she absolutely gets right is to be as non-prescriptive as possible (if you ignore the horrible suggested 1-month meal plans) about giving guidelines for how to eat. I think this is essential. Rigid diets do not work long-term for the majority of people. Diet cycling (yo-yo dieting) is a huge cause of metabolic (never mind emotional) damage. I think that Schwarzbein gets this. Despite what other reviewers have said, her plan is not prescriptive or rigid — not like counting calories or Atkins or the zillions of other programs out there that involve counting things and weighing food and "offsetting" eating with exercise. She actually sugests not "counting" anything, only working towards a balanced mix of carbs, fat, protein and veg at every meal. She does suggest keeping your carbs slightly below your metabolic need for them at first, as you're "healing", to help repair years of carb-overloading... and yes, you would need to keep track to do that. But in general, I didn't think her suggestions seemed like a "diet" (in the way that diets are bad), only like a way to make sure you're getting the nutrients you need. (But I can only speak as a long-time vegan who pretty much doesn't eat processed food already, so maybe I'm totally out-of-whack with most peoples' reality.)
However, Schwarzbein's ideas about cholesterol seem absolutely dotty to me. The idea of stopping your body from producing its own cholesterol by preempting it with a steady diet of eggs and meat seems so wrong. I can't really make head nor tail of her scientific assertions around cholesterol production. The theory, as she described it, sounded like something she trumped up so people can eat a lot of eggs. Maybe there's some basis, but I really really think eating animal protein is just not healthy. She implies we're all suckers for believing the hype about all those men who eat lots of bacon and eggs and then have heart attacks... but I admit, I kind of still believe it.
She is obsessed with hormone replacement therapy (perhaps that is just a sign of when it was written) and repeatedly suggests taking a raft of supplements, including St John's Wort (which has known contraindications she never mentions). But she rails against any and all prescription and OTC drugs as harmful stimulants and metabolism-interference. (She's also anti-caffeine, fake-sugars, hard drugs, alcohol, etc.). Some of that makes sense, but some of it seems arbitrary.
And that's the thing about this book... although the balanced diet/food combining idea seems very sound, the way she suggests you go about doing it is just terrible. She offers suggestions for both omnivores and vegetarians (not vegans) and they both seem, in my opinion, eating tons of stuff that's just not very healthy. She claims, throughout the book, to be an absolute proponent of "real" food (what I would call whole food) but then she suggests eating things that I would consider processes. She says about a dozen times, to only eat things that you could (I paraphrase) "theoretically hunt, gather, or milk", But I'm not sure what kind of tree cheese and soy sausages grow on! I feel like she's quite contradictory on this topic — and there were various other contradictions throughout the book that took away from its credibility as well.
Perhaps her more recent books have updated some of the wonky bits here... this is 14 years old, I believe. It's interesting, but with an enormous grain of salt (not that added salt is a good idea).
March 10, 2012
The information in this book on why low fat, low calorie and low cholesterol diets are very bad for you was excellent and the doctor wrote about why and how she came up with her concepts in a very compelling way.
I've read several books on this topic, but this book explained some of the facts about insulin levels and insulin resistance and so on in ways I hadn't read about before. I learned some new things, which was great (after many years following a similar diet to the one the author recommends). The book was also very easy to read, even where the information was somewhat technical.
The practical advice on what to eat was good, but I'd have preferred a more structured approach.
Having said that, I think the advice I got from the book to eat fat and protein until satiation and then to have 15 carbs with each of my three meals daily, and 7-5 carbs with each of two snacks, is just about spot on. (This is the reocmmendation only for someone overweight and who is very inactive BTW.)
I'd like to have seen the author discuss food allergies and intolerances. This subject is almost completely omitted, which is a shame. The author also ignores all the information about why dairy foods, gluten, wheat and soy can cause huge problems for some people.
This is a great book to read on eating a moderate carb, fat and protein diet, but perhaps not the best stand-alone book. If you'd like more information and facts about some of the theories mentioned in the book, with extra information about the healthiest and most traditional food choices, I'd recommend as extra reading;
1. Good Calories, Bad Calories (retitled The Diet Delusion in UK/Oz)
2. Deep Nutrition
3. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
4. Eat Fat, Lose Fat
Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E.
I've read several books on this topic, but this book explained some of the facts about insulin levels and insulin resistance and so on in ways I hadn't read about before. I learned some new things, which was great (after many years following a similar diet to the one the author recommends). The book was also very easy to read, even where the information was somewhat technical.
The practical advice on what to eat was good, but I'd have preferred a more structured approach.
Having said that, I think the advice I got from the book to eat fat and protein until satiation and then to have 15 carbs with each of my three meals daily, and 7-5 carbs with each of two snacks, is just about spot on. (This is the reocmmendation only for someone overweight and who is very inactive BTW.)
I'd like to have seen the author discuss food allergies and intolerances. This subject is almost completely omitted, which is a shame. The author also ignores all the information about why dairy foods, gluten, wheat and soy can cause huge problems for some people.
This is a great book to read on eating a moderate carb, fat and protein diet, but perhaps not the best stand-alone book. If you'd like more information and facts about some of the theories mentioned in the book, with extra information about the healthiest and most traditional food choices, I'd recommend as extra reading;
1. Good Calories, Bad Calories (retitled The Diet Delusion in UK/Oz)
2. Deep Nutrition
3. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
4. Eat Fat, Lose Fat
Jodi Bassett, The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E.
March 24, 2010
Eat right and heal. Basically, if you read this book, you will understand how food works in your body and how you can become healthy - a side effect of which is often weight loss - but this is NOT a diet book. This is a lifestyle book. Dr. Schwarzbein DOES provide a healing program, giving you four weeks of a suggested diet to get you on the right path, but most of the book is about guidelines for healthy eating based on the principle that real food, and whole food, and non processed foods are what your body needs - and what humans have always needed before we started making up foods in a misguided and failed attempt to be thin.
February 11, 2019
Apparently, I had the same youth phase at Dr. Schwarzbein. I was a high energy, athletic kid running on lots of sugar with acne and messed up hormones. Large blood sugar swings kept me constantly hungry for more food. I was 5’7 and 117 at high school graduation then entered the military. The years that followed were more of the same till I had 2 kids in my early-to-mid 20s and could never lose the pregnancy weight. After that, it was very low cal diets with too much alcohol until 30 when I ate very low carb Paleo and did it for 5 years (2009-2014). That took all the weight off but eventually I crashed and burned hard as it was very stressful on my body. It will screw a womans hormones up 100%. I don’t recommend it to anyone ever.
I stopped at age 35 and proceeded into a Matt Stone rest and refeeding style for the next few years eating anything I wanted to heal myself. I know I need a better diet to fully heal myself. For proper hormone regulation, women especially cannot go below moderate carb intake. This is a good book.
The prescribed “diet” however is too rigid. She mentions eating carbs by glycemic index when GI has been proven to be very inaccurate so this out of date. Just eat real food and don’t be paranoid over how refined your carbs are.
I stopped at age 35 and proceeded into a Matt Stone rest and refeeding style for the next few years eating anything I wanted to heal myself. I know I need a better diet to fully heal myself. For proper hormone regulation, women especially cannot go below moderate carb intake. This is a good book.
The prescribed “diet” however is too rigid. She mentions eating carbs by glycemic index when GI has been proven to be very inaccurate so this out of date. Just eat real food and don’t be paranoid over how refined your carbs are.
December 27, 2008
The author of this series is an endocrinologist, and I love that she explains how hormones (insulin, adrenaline, cortisol) interact to determine out metabolism, influenced by our lifestyle choices (nutrition, stress management, exercise, etc.). The physiology behind her nutrition and lifestyle recommendations is written to be understood by everyone, and as a human biology nerd, I find it fascinating. Her recommendations are all about balance -- eating whole foods from all food groups, basic stress management principles, and exercising in a way that does not cause stress to your body.
This book series changed the way I looked at dieting, exercise, etc. -- I appreciate the emphasis on being healthy over extreme dieting to reach a goal weight (and then inevitably gaining it back). The best part is that I feel so much better when I follow these guidelines! One of my goals in 2009 is to get on and stay on this program!
This book series changed the way I looked at dieting, exercise, etc. -- I appreciate the emphasis on being healthy over extreme dieting to reach a goal weight (and then inevitably gaining it back). The best part is that I feel so much better when I follow these guidelines! One of my goals in 2009 is to get on and stay on this program!
January 21, 2012
I believe it's important to understand how your body processes what's put into it, so this is a good book in the respect that it's highly informative. Trying to follow Dr. S's diet, however, has all the earmarkings of setting yourself up to fail. In my world anyway. I don't have the time to grow my own food, bake my own bread, or to investigate how everything I eat has been grown/treated before it gets to me. I now understand why Suzanne Somers raves about Dr. S, but has developed her own diet. Suzanne obviously lives in a world that more closely resembles mine. (Who'd have guessed that?)
November 20, 2008
Explains how to take care of yourself. Schwarzbein goes into a lot of detail on how food affects our insulin levels and causes us to gain weight (among other health problems).
She is obviously well educated and has experience working with diabetic clients. The information seems accurate and she explains things well. I consider it a great reference and read it again every couple of years to get myself back on track.
She is obviously well educated and has experience working with diabetic clients. The information seems accurate and she explains things well. I consider it a great reference and read it again every couple of years to get myself back on track.
March 27, 2012
I love Dr. Diana Schwarzbein's books. She has done much research and is sharing it with the world to help as many people as possible find balance and health. When I eat and live the way she recommends, not only am I healthier, but I'm more optimistic and happier overall. I have recently suffered a huge set back with an auto-immune attack on my body, and her program is getting me back on my feet. I swear by her research and program. Everybody should adopt these principles into their lifestyles!
July 26, 2014
The plan is sound, and there is a growing body of evidence supporting low-carb diets, but the sensationalism and simplistic explanations were not my thing. I preferred "The Diabetes Solution" over this book.
June 30, 2017
Great book about nutrition by an epidemiologist. Her diabetic patients following the ADA diet at the time were getting sicker while the "cheater" were doing well with fat in their diets. She explains why.
August 3, 2025
It is a little like other books where you eat all natural food. But I was reading this book for the information on cholesterol. It is very interesting, it explains why you have to have some cholesterol and fat. It doesn't believe that low fat and calorie diet is good for you. After reading this I agree. In the back of the book she has meal plans.
November 14, 2018
Informative but repetitive.
May 17, 2022
Excellent, readable resource on nutrition and health
May 27, 2022
As a diabetic, I found this book quite helpful!
April 27, 2025
Recommended by my doctor. Easily lost weight when adhering to its principles. The hard part was keeping it up.
Currently reading
August 3, 2008I have really enjoyed this book so far. It is packed with great information that makes perfect sense. I'm getting to an age where I'm starting to think more about aging. You know, when you're young you WANT to age. Well, after a stroke (and 10 years) you really start to appreciate that young healthy body you used to have. There have been so many theories over the years about how diet relates to health. It's just nice to find something that goes back to balancing diet and exercise, and being able to apply these principals that are basic and easily maintained for a lifetime.
March 28, 2009
I loved this book. The only reason for four stars is that I can't truly live by the principles: they're prescriptive and fairly rigid. However, the overall ideas are fantastic, and it's the best book on nutrition (prescriptive, anyway) that I've read. Her approach is all about keeping blood sugar levels as even as possible: have a protein with your carbs, keep carbs in moderation (not Atkins "moderation"), and don't take any stimulants. All about not raising insulin levels, avoiding avoidable diseases, and being healthy.
November 6, 2008
This book started me on a path of discovery about what I should and should not be eating. In conjunction with "The China Study" and "Fasting and Eating for Health," I have a much clearer picture of how I personally think the Lord intends for me to experience greater health. All of these books discuss ways to end or manage Type II diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart conditions, and the prevention of many lifestyle diseases.
January 11, 2009
This was a very interesting book. My brother actually lost weight by following it's guide lines. I'm not very educated on this subject. But a lot of it seem to fly in the face of society's general eating guide lines. Which is probably a good thing :) One thing that I wondered about is that she tells you to eat quite a bit of meat. The rest of it seemed pretty sensible.
August 12, 2010
So far I'm learning what I already knew! You need to eat fat, protein, and carbs. Fat does not turn to fat in your body. Sugar and starchy carbs do turn to fat. Generally, it's best to eat a balanced diet, but not following any silly pyramids! I don't think you can save yourself by what you eat (only Jesus saves), but often you can feel and perform better!
June 10, 2011
Finally, after all of the books I have read about Nutrition, this one makes the most sense about eating. I love that she is an endocrinologist and can explain exactly how eating a balanced diet balances our many hormone systems. It is very simple to understand and apply and teaches the truth about low-fat dieting. Eat your healthy fats!!!
February 23, 2017
There was much good information in the book. However, there were a few assertions that went against my knowledge. While I could be the one in the wrong there wasn't enough argument provided to cause one to rethink. I forget the examples that caused me to lose faith, but by the time the author said bad things about the ketogenic diet I wasn't sure if it was worth believing her.
February 18, 2008
We read this in the car to get some tips on nutrition while on the road (and at home). It was very informative with a lot of research evidence for her nutritional program.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2010
This is a great book and I really like the principles behind what she is saying.. I"ve tried eating as she suggests with great results.. My greatest nemisis is traveling... and then a kitchen renovation.. but I will say there is more energy and even weight loss eating this way.
June 26, 2012
This book makes a lot of sense. It talks about diets and normal eating habits and why they don't work, and then gives you what, in her experience, does work. I suppose it will remain to be seen whether I think it works or not...
January 23, 2013
An eating plan that emphasizes stabilizing insulin levels by eating plenty of protein and non-starchy vegetables and balanced with small amounts of carbohydrates and dietary fats. A very technical book containing way too much chemistry for a non-science person, but well worth the effort.
November 12, 2007
If you want to stay healthy for a long, long time, this book is fundamental. Suzanne Somers bases her book on Schwartzbein's research. This has lots of helpful lists too.
February 21, 2008
Now, if I would only follow this advice...
Currently reading
February 7, 2008In the process of learning a great deal about my body. Interesting, incredibly informational. Really great book, feeling better already!!
February 9, 2008
Excellent book to guide you into great health.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews