Dr. Dąbrowska’s Diet – Recipes, Guidelines, and Effects
The Dąbrowska diet is a vegetable and fruit fast that, although it raises many controversies, continues to enjoy considerable interest among consumers. It is a restrictive eating plan made up of four stages, involving a significant reduction in calorie intake. Dąbrowska diet - what to eat? What are the rules of the vegetable and fruit fast? Dąbrowska diet effects - is it worth trying a cleansing fast?
What is the Dąbrowska fast?
The Dąbrowska diet, also known as the Dąbrowska fast or cleansing diet, is a plant-based eating method developed by physician and internal medicine specialist Ewa Dąbrowska. It is a four-stage nutritional scheme, known mainly for the second, restrictive phase of the diet.
According to the concept’s author, periods of vegetable and fruit fasting promote the body’s natural process of eliminating dead and damaged cells. In her view, and according to supporters of her plan, the Dąbrowska diet may help cleanse the body while stimulating so-called sirtuins, commonly referred to as “longevity proteins.”
This cleansing fast is recommended to improve health and support treatment of conditions such as type II diabetes, lipid disorders, or cardiovascular diseases. The author also suggests using it as a preventive measure against lifestyle diseases. Weight loss is not the primary goal of the Dąbrowska diet but may occur as a side effect of following such a restrictive eating plan.
The rules of the Dąbrowska diet
The Dąbrowska diet consists of four stages:
- stage I - preparing the body for fasting,
- stage II - the Dąbrowska fast,
- stage III - exiting the fast,
- stage IV - full-value nutrition.
In stage I, the goal is to eliminate foods such as coffee, meat, or items causing food intolerances.
Stage II - the Dąbrowska fast, also called the vegetable and fruit diet, is based on eating only low-sugar fruits and low-starch vegetables, preferably raw. This stage involves significant caloric restriction - daily energy intake should not exceed 800 kcal.
Stage III is the gradual reintroduction of other foods, such as dried legumes, meat, dairy, and grains. Stage IV focuses on a permanent change in eating habits - continuing to base meals on vegetables and fruits, engaging in regular physical activity, and including cleansing fast periods to restore the body’s natural homeostasis.
What you can eat on the Dąbrowska diet
The second stage allows low-starch vegetables and low-sugar fruits. Permitted products include:
- carrots, beets, celery root, parsley root, radish;
- cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale;
- onion, leek, garlic;
- pumpkin, cucumbers, zucchini;
- tomatoes, peppers;
- lettuce, parsley leaves, herbs;
- grapefruits, apples, lemons, berries.
Also recommended are juices from green plant shoots, vegetable broths, water, herbal and fruit teas without sugar, and vegetable or fruit juices. Foods should be eaten raw when possible, but cooking, steaming, and baking without oil are allowed.
Prohibited foods in the Ewa Dąbrowska diet
During the fast, all other foods are prohibited, including:
- meat, meat products, fish, and seafood;
- eggs;
- dried legumes;
- vegetables and fruits not listed above - e.g., bananas, grapes, corn, potatoes;
- grains - groats, pasta, rice, bread, cereals;
- nuts, seeds;
- fats such as vegetable and animal oils;
- milk and dairy - yogurt, kefir, butter;
- sweets and fast food;
- coffee, strong tea, alcohol, and other stimulants.
In later stages, such as exiting the fast, restrictions are reduced, but processed foods and fatty meats remain excluded.
Sample menu for the Dąbrowska diet
This cleansing diet is highly restrictive, allowing only a narrow range of foods. Creating meals can be a challenge, but followers share many ideas online, including 14-day menu plans. Examples of meals during the fast include:
Breakfast
- grated carrot with apple and lemon;
- sauerkraut with chives;
- broccoli with dill;
- beet kvass;
- tomato juice.
Lunch
- fresh cabbage with carrot and dill;
- tomato with onion, apple cider vinegar, and basil;
- cauliflower cream soup;
- apple compote with cinnamon and cloves;
- kale and apple juice.
Dinner
- celery stalk and white radish salad with broccoli sprouts;
- grated apple with strawberry;
- ratatouille with zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and onion;
- half a grapefruit;
- mint tea.
How to start the Dąbrowska diet
The author advises learning the rules, goals, and possible effects of the diet before starting. She recommends reading available publications, attending lectures, and following the diet in a group under professional supervision in specialized centers.
Those repeating the diet or preferring to fast on their own can use a special app with ready menus, shopping lists, and guidance.
The restrictive phase should not exceed six weeks. Afterward, depending on individual needs, the fast can be done once a week, a few days each month, or one week per month, alternating with balanced eating periods.
The effects of the Dąbrowska diet
According to Dr. Dąbrowska, the diet aims to improve overall health, cleanse the body, and stimulate sirtuins. A common side effect is weight loss due to the sharp drop in calorie intake.
However, the diet is controversial and criticized by nutritionists. The human body needs adequate amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats - nutrients that are limited in this plan. Lack of these macronutrients may cause nutrient deficiencies, weakness, headaches, dizziness, lowered immunity, irritability, concentration problems, hormonal imbalances, sleep disturbances, and digestive issues.
Scientific studies also show that severe calorie restriction can slow metabolism and cause unwanted muscle loss, which increases the risk of weight regain after returning to normal eating habits.
The diet does not teach balanced nutrition or healthy eating habits. Many people either revert to old eating patterns afterward or continue extreme restrictions that can harm the body.
The Dąbrowska diet and scientific research
There is little scientific literature specifically examining the Dąbrowska diet. Research into related topics, such as detox diets, autophagy, and sirtuins, is more common.
Current evidence shows that the body can cleanse itself naturally, and popular detox diets may negatively affect gut microbiota and metabolism. Supporting the body’s natural detox involves balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and proper hydration, not extreme fasting.
Dr. Dąbrowska emphasizes autophagy - a process that removes faulty, damaged, or dead cells and “recycles” them for energy. She bases her claims partly on Nobel Prize winner Yoshinori Ohsumi’s research, which was conducted on yeast, not human cells. Data from 2021 show that autophagy may slow disease in some cases but may stimulate it in others. Similarly, while animal studies on sirtuins are promising, current evidence does not confirm that these “longevity proteins” benefit human health.
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