The perception of what constitutes a healthy diet has changed over the years. According to "The Drinking Man's Diet," a book originally released in 1965, then re-released in 2004, in the 1950s and 1960s, nutrition professionals considered all forms of fat bad and recommended consuming large amounts of carbohydrates as part of a healthy diet. During this time period, the Drinking Man´s Diet became a popular fad diet. As the name implies, this diet allows alcohol consumption. Scientific research, however, does not support the effectiveness of the Drinking Man's Diet. Additionally, you should speak with a medical professional before attempting this diet plan.
Interpretation
The Drinking Man´s Diet requires you to consume 2 to 3 tbsp. of safflower oil every day. Additionally, the diet allows you to eat all of the meats, cheese and vegetables you want. At the same time, the Drinking Man's Diet requires you to eliminate breads and pastas from your diet. Regarding the consumption of alcoholic beverages, while the diet does not recommend you drink, the diet does allow you to drink as much beer, wine and liquor as you want.
One or Two Drinks
According to "The Drinking Man's Cookbook," drinking excess amounts of alcohol can eventually damage your liver and overall health. Furthermore, most medical professionals recommend limiting your consumption of alcohol to one or two drinks a day. However, when consuming alcohol on any diet, including the drinking man's diet, you should consider the caloric content of alcohol. A 5 oz. glass of wine contains approximately 130 calories. A 12 oz. beer contains approximately 150 calories, and 1.5 oz. of an 80-proof distilled spirit such as vodka contains approximately 120 calories.
Binge Drinking
If you want to include alcoholic beverages as part of your diet, you should take precautions to avoid binge drinking. According to "The Drinking Man's Diet," binge drinking occurs when you consume more than five alcoholic beverages within two hours. Binge drinking, even on rare occasions, can cause long-term health problems, including memory loss and liver damage.
Considerations
When a diet allows you to consume unlimited amounts of alcohol, you must exercise self-control, especially if you actually want to lose weight. In some regards, the Drinking Man's Diet has a lot in common with other low-carb diets such as the Atkins Diet. However, most low-carb diets require you to consume a limited amount or no alcohol. Although medical research does not support this diet, the Drinking Man's diet is an alternative to other low-carb diets.
References
- "The Drinking Man's Diet: How to Lose Weight with a Minimum of Willpower"; Gardner Jameson and Elliott Williams; 2004
- "The Drinking Man's Diet Cookbook"; Robert Cameron; 2007
- "A Diet For the Beer Drinking Man"; Roger Cotta; 2006
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