Picture the breakfast: a glass of warm milk with a couple of raw eggs whisked in, drunk before the day's first call time. Now picture the woman said to be drinking it, Marilyn Monroe, the most photographed figure of 1950s Hollywood. More than six decades after her death, the menu attributed to her still turns up in wellness features, nostalgia columns and group chats. It reads like the opposite of today's smoothie bowls, and, oddly, a lot like a modern high-protein plan.
According to the accounts that have circulated since her studio years, Monroe's food was built around protein and kept deliberately simple.
Raw eggs in warm milk- Usually described as a breakfast or a quick pick-me-up, whisked together and sipped.
Broiled steak- Cooked under direct heat with little added fat, rather than fried or served in a rich sauce.
Liver- Broiled as well, and often paired with plain vegetables.
Hot cereal and other basics- Unfussy, low-sugar fare that fits the "clean eating" label we would use today.
Diet was only half the routine. Accounts of her habits also mention light weight training with dumbbells and regular exercise, which was unusual for an actress of the early 1950s, when most stars were expected to stay slim through dieting alone.
Studios of that era managed their stars’ public lives closely, and a colourful, slightly eccentric diet made good copy. Details that appeared in magazine profiles were often shaped to sell a persona as much as to report a routine.
Over the course of her career, Marilyn's weight fluctuated significantly, and biographers depict a woman whose eating habits may be erratic, particularly during stressful times, lengthy shoots, and restless nights. Therefore, it is best to view the steak-liver-eggs meal as a snapshot of a single image or period rather than a long-term routine.
The menu holds up better than you might expect, with a few caveats a dietitian would raise right away.
Today's primary emphasis on protein for muscle and fullness is matched by eggs, milk, and lean broiled meat, and the absence of added sugar is a plus.
Although liver is heavy in iron, vitamin A, and vitamin B12, eating it frequently can increase preformed vitamin A consumption, which is a concern, particularly during pregnancy.
Salmonella can be present in raw eggs. Pasteurised eggs are the safer option if you want to sample the beverage, and those who are vulnerable—children, the elderly, pregnant people, and anyone with a compromised immune system—should avoid it.
There aren't many fruits, veggies, or whole grains indicated, thus it would be a limited plan to stick to for very long.
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