What Can You Eat on the Dr. Sebi Diet? 8 Rules, Side Effects (2024)

• What Is It?
  • What is the Dr. Sebi diet?
• 8 Rules
  • What are the 8 rules of Dr. Sebi’s diet?
• Prohibited Foods
  • What items are prohibited in Dr. Sebi diet?
• • Are alkaline foods really healthier?
• French Diet
  • What is the typical French diet?
  • What is breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the French diet?
  • Differences between French and American eating
• Comments
  **COMMENTSTAGLIST**
• More
  **OTHERTAGLIST**

Dr. Sebi’s diet is a plant-based diet that allows alkaline vegetables and foods to “detoxify” the body.

What is the Dr. Sebi diet?

The self-proclaimed herbalist and healer from Honduras, late Dr. Sebi (aka Alfredo Darrington Bowman) practiced naturopathy and herbal medicines in the United States. He was not a medical doctor or a Ph.D., yet he “treated” numerous Hollywood celebrities and promoted a special diet that claimed to work in all diseases that debilitated the body in the long run.

This one-stop-all-issues diet is the “mucus reducing alkaline diet,” which is made up of plant-based foods. These foods are claimed to control the acid level in the body, protecting the cells against harmful mucus buildup that eventually affects the organs and leads to the development of disease.

Dr. Sebi claimed that the excess mucus in the bronchial tubes causes:

• bronchitis,
• mucus in the lungs caused pneumonia,
• mucus in the pancreatic duct caused diabetes,
• and so on.

What are the 8 rules of Dr. Sebi’s diet?

The rules of Dr. Sebi’s diet are very strict and outlined below:

• Rule 1. You must only eat foods listed in the nutritional guide.
• Rule 2. Drink 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water every day.
• Rule 3. Take Dr. Sebi’s supplements an hour before medications.
• Rule 4. No animal products are permitted.
• Rule 5. No alcohol is allowed.
• Rule 6. Avoid wheat products and only consume the “natural-growing grains” listed in the guide.
• Rule 7. Avoid using a microwave to prevent killing your food.
• Rule 8. Avoid canned or seedless fruits.

What items are prohibited in Dr. Sebi diet?

The Dr. Sebi diet forbids the following foods:

• All genetically modified food
• Foods containing monosodium glutamate
• Ready-to-eat foods
• Honey
• Most legumes
• Yeast
• Wheat
• Animal products

Additionally, certain vegetarian foods are prohibited, such as:

• garlic,
• soy,
• cilantro,
• sugar,
• maple syrup,
• parsley,
• cilantro,
• spinach,
• asparagus, and
• green banana.

All addictive substances, such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, are restricted in this diet. Herbal teas are allowed.

Dr. Sebi claimed that alkalization, along with his “herbs,” removes the excess “mucus” from the body. These herbs should be specially purchased and consumed within 30 minutes. This process detoxifies the body and cleanses it on the cellular and intracellular level.

Because the body’s pH is strictly regulated between 7.35 to 7.40, he claimed that the body is at its best, with pH mildly alkaline. When the body is exposed to stress (physical or biochemical stress) via infection, long-term medications, and poor food habits the body pH gets acidic. This results in the borrowing of the alkaline minerals and compounds (calcium, magnesium, iron) from bones and blood, thus inviting diseases.

Are alkaline foods really healthier?

Modern medicine does not recognize the concept of “detoxifying rituals” and “alkaline foods.” As long as the liver and kidney are healthy, the body will continue to detoxify itself if people have a balanced diet, are physically active, and eat foods rich in antioxidants, polyphenols, and fiber.

Many studies have found no benefit of an alkaline diet. Rather, such diets may cause severe nutritional deficiencies, including:

• vitamin B12 deficiency,
• iron deficiency anemia, and
• protein deficit (Dr. Sebi's diet is especially a low protein diet).

The advantages of Dr. Sebi's alkaline diet is high in fiber, unprocessed foods, and cuts down on nicotine and caffeine. It may result in weight loss if followed for a long time. The high fiber content helps enhance the gut biome, control the blood sugars, and avoid binge eating behaviors.

Though the diet is rich in fiber and low in sugars, no evidence suggests that an alkaline diet helps prevent cancers or autoimmune disorders. The herbs administered as a part of the cleansing ritual may result in unfavorable interactions with the drugs people take.

A few of the alkaline “herbs” may be toxic to the body in high doses. It is best to discuss any radical change in the diet with your doctor.

Health News

• More Americans Worry About Climate Change's Effect on Mental Health, Poll Finds
• Too Often, Overdose Survivors Miss Out on Vital Treatments: Study
• Dollar Tree Left Recalled Apple Sauce Pouches on Store Shelves Too Long, FDA Says
• Deadly Strep Bacteria Is Spreading in Japan
• Using Diabetes Drug Metformin Around Pregnancy Won't Raise Birth Defect Risk
• More Health News »

What is the typical French diet?

The French don't take eating lightly. To them, meals are considered a celebration and a time to socialize with friends or family. The diet mainly consists of three meals in a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A typical French diet includes staples like bread, butter, meat, cheese, shallots, truffle, turnip, celeriac, and red wine.

The French diet consists of breakfast (le petit déjeuner), lunch (le déjeuner), and dinner (le dîner). People in France spend the most time in the world eating meals. They take an average of about 2.5 hours to eat. Mealtime is a social activity in France; most people eat at gatherings with friends and family.

Snacking is not huge in the French diet. The only form of snacking might involve an aperitif (alcoholic drink) or an afternoon tea. Studies show that only about 15% of the French population snack throughout the day. France has the longest life expectancy and a low rate of obesity compared to other western countries, despite the fact that their culture revolves around food.

The foods that make up the French diet may vary among different regions of the country. The only foods common in every region are meats, cheese, vegetables, fish, and fresh fruits. French people consider socializing during a meal as important as the meal.

French people value fresh food a lot. That makes it a must to prepare meals with a lot of care and fresh ingredients. Different regions may use different ingredients for special meals. A basic traditional French meal must have wine, bread, and cheese. Breakfast is the least important of the three meals.

What is breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the French diet?

Breakfast

Breakfast is the first meal of the day at around 8:00 am. It is the least important meal of the day for the French people. Many people in France normally skip breakfast.

Typical food for breakfast in France is croissants taken with butter and jam.

Lunch

Unlike other countries in the west like the US, lunch is the most important meal of the day for the French. Businesses close down for hours during the day to accommodate lunchtime.

Lunch in France happens at around 1:00 pm. The traditional French gastronomic meal follows a specific order of courses. It starts with aperitif, followed by a starter, then the main course, then cheese, dessert, and digestive. During special celebrations like Christmas, the French may include celebratory foods like oysters, foie gras (goose liver), and caviar.

Dinner

The French take more time eating the last meal of the day since it's the largest and most formal of the three meals. Dinner is eaten around 8:00 pm and might go on for up to 2 hours. That's because it also involves socializing with family and friends while slowly eating.

The French dinner is made up of three courses:

1. Aperitif. This involves an alcoholic drink taken before the main meal.
2. Hors d'oeuvres. This course includes vegetables, soup, or eggs.
3. The Principal plate. This is the main course of the meal containing foods like meat, crepe, and pasta.

The French will usually serve some dessert or cheese after eating the main course. Their dessert may consist of chocolate mousse, tarts, and profiteroles. The typical French diet is made of many sweet foods.

The traditional French dinner has quite tasty foods like:

• Soup a' l'oignon
• Beef bourguignon
• Nicoise salad
• Ratatouille
• Basque-style chicken

Subscribe to MedicineNet's Weight Loss/Healthy Living Newsletter

Differences between French and American eating

Some of the most obvious differences between how people eat in the US and France include:

• People in the US have a snacking culture, while the French do not promote snacking.
• Americans tend toeat as fast as possible. The French eat slow and get into conversations with friends or family.
• Food portion sizes in the US are larger, whereas the French prefer to eat smaller portions.
• French people tend to pay more attention to the taste of food than people in the US.

From

Aniys A. Dr. Sebi Nutritional Guide – Dr. Sebi Nutritional Guide – Mucus Reducing Alkaline Diet Mucus Reducing Alkaline Diet. Alkaline Plant Based Diet. https://dta0yqvfnusiq.cloudfront.net/allnaturalhealingsrq/2019/04/Mucous-Reducing-Alkaline-Diet-5cb659b6e9c28.pdf

The International Center: "TOUR DE FOOD: CULINARY CUSTOMS IN FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN."

The State University of New York: "Cultural Comparison - food, meal taking US vs. France."

The World Book: "The Best Traditional Dinner Foods in France."

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND: "FOOD AND CULTURE: FRENCH CUISINE."