The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook

Excerpted from
The Schwarzbein Principle Cookbook
By Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., Evelyn Jacob

Americans are in constant pursuit of good health. We are deluged with information on how to improve eating and lifestyle habits. We look to "healthier" cultures for the answers. The French, rural Chinese, Inuits, Africans and Tibetans have all been examined in an attempt to understand why they do not suffer the same high rate of chronic degenerative diseases as we do in this country.

The so-called "French paradox" implies that the lower rate of heart disease in the French population, despite their high fat intake, can be attributed to the fact that they drink wine. That must mean drinking a lot of wine is good for you. But the Inuits eat a high-fat diet. It must be the fish oils. We need to eat more fish. Africans eat wild game, which is high in saturated fats. But of course they exercise more than we do. We must exercise more. What about the Tibetans, who drink yak-butter tea all day long. Could it be the altitude?

All of these conclusions seem plausible-especially if you still believe that eating a low-fat diet is healthy. But consider the common denominator in these four cultures: The French, Inuits, Africans and Tibetans all eat a diet of "real" foods-foods that they could, in theory, pick, gather, milk, hunt or fish. But equally important: They eat foods that are rich in good fats. In other words, these cultures have remained the healthiest in the world because they have not gone on low-fat diets.

If you have read The Schwarzbein Principle you know why eating a low-fat diet, high in carbohydrates and stimulants, is the major factor in the rise in chronic degenerative diseases in our country.

In addition to drastically limiting fats from our diets, since the industrial revolution most people have stopped eating foods found in nature. People now eat invented, chemically altered or created substances we call "products." We tend to think that our bodies will simply process anything we put in them. But every single thing that goes into our mouths should be used as building material or energy. If it is not, it is perceived by our bodies as a dangerous substance. Products like saccharine, margarine and other invented substances, along with refined and processed foods, are harmful to human physiology. Because chemical processes proceed on a molecular level, we must think about what we put into our bodies. In fact, since we have personally stopped eating foods found in nature, we must think about what we ingest even more.

To keep up the replenishing process within the human body, proteins and fats are the most important of the essential nutrient groups. In addition to making structures (bones, nails, hair), proteins and fats are necessary for the formation of all the chemicals needed for survival, such as hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters. Nonstarchy vegetables are useful as a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Carbohydrates are used mainly to fuel the body, like gasoline for a car. Besides providing these materials and energy, the four nutrient groups need to be eaten together to balance all the hormone systems of the body.

Most people want to make healthy changes when they understand what they need to do to become healthier. However, many people either do not know how to cook, do not like to cook or do not have time to cook. With that in mind, we decided to go beyond the meal plans included in The Schwarzbein Principle and provide readers with easily accessible recipes to launch a new healthy lifestyle. We looked for an experienced chef who could compile our cookbooks. Evelyn Jacob, who had culinary expertise in preparing "Schwarzbein" meals, was a natural choice. The main objective was to provide recipes that would enable readers to prepare balanced meals using real food. We all agree that Evelyn succeeded in creating and compiling healthy, delicious recipes that will motivate those who are out of the practice of preparing meals and also be easy enough for inexperienced cooks. We owe a debt of gratitude to "The Schwarzbein Principle Chef," Evelyn Jacob, who not only has an innate sense about food and a talent for cooking but who also met the challenge of this project with a can-do attitude and a high degree of professionalism.

This cookbook is the perfect guide for all of you who want to follow The Schwarzbein Program.

Bon Appetit!