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The Swank Diet is a diet that is low in saturated fat, which was proposed in 1949 by Roy Laver Swank, MD, PhD (1909–2008), academic neurologist at the University of Oregon, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Contents
The widespread claims made for the diet have not been substantiated by independent medical research.
The diet
According to the Swank diet web site, the diet consists of:
- Saturated fat should not exceed 15 grams per day
- Unsaturated fat (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams per day
- No red meat for the first year; after that, a maximum of 3 oz. (85 grams) of red meat per week
- Dairy products must contain 1% or less butterfat
- No processed foods containing saturated fat
- A good source of omega-3 (oily fish, Flaxseed, cod liver oil, cod liver oil tablets, etc.) along with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily
- Wheat, gluten or dairy product quantities are not restricted
Swank claimed that the diet could "slow progression of the disease as well as benefit overall health".
Effectiveness
There is no good medical evidence supporting the use of the Swank diet. The British Dietetic Association does not recommend the Swank diet, or any other alternative diet, for people with multiple sclerosis.
References
Swank diet Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA