Think Fad Diets are a New Invention? Think Again. They are Older Than You Think. Much Older

Low Fat. Low Cholesterol. Low Carbs.

Low Fat. Low Cholesterol. Low Carbs.

Atkins. South Beach. Dial-a-Meal.

Macrobiotic Diet. Low Glycemic Index. Ketogenic Diet.

Seems like every time you turn around there is a new diet or fitness plan or weight loss book on the market.

Far be it for me to even try and tell you which ones work and which ones are frauds.

Instead, I would like to entertain you a bit -- with some history.

Yes, history.

Think Fat Diets are a New Thing?

Think again.

Further Back than You Think

Although ancient history is somewhat sparse, we do know that in the second century AD the scholar, Galen, wrote about nutrition and recommended "balancing the humors." You guess is as good as mine on that one.

Around 1000 the Byzantine Dietary Calendar mentions sipping aromatic wine in January for health. I need one of these calendars.

The Golden Age of the Fad Diet

It all started with the physician John Salisbury, who advocated a chopped-meat-and-water plan -- which we still remember with "Salisbury Steak" -- and continued through an Boston clergyman named Sylvester Graham (known as "Mr. Sawdust" because of his love of whole wheat flour) who gave us, yes, the Graham Cracker.

But the fad diets really got going and found a home in the 1890's with those two kings of the breakfast table, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and C W Post.

The 1990's have nothing on the actual Golden Age of Fad Diets -- The 1890's.

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg

Kellogg pushed a diet at his Battle Creek, Michigan, sanitarium of vegetarianism and roughage.

Sanitarium visitors were also require to do breathing exercises and marches to promote proper digestion of food.

To help his patients stick to his diet, Kellogg invented "Granula" -- a dried-bean-and-bread biscuit. In 1894 during the milling of a batch of this wonderful concoction, something went wrong and Kellogg invented the Corn Flake instead.

School children don't know what a close call they had. Granula! Indeed.

C W Post

C W Post visited Kelloggs sanitarium for his failing health sometime in the early 1890's and was inspired to start his own cereal company.

In 1895 he produced Postum cereal beverage. He is said to have invented the cents-off coupon and enjoyed early success with print advertising.

Post's first breakfast cereal, 1897, was the absurdly named -- and still popular -- Grape Nuts.

Apparently in no hurry whatsoever, Post followed Grape Nuts with his own corn flakes in 1908. Post Toasties were an immediate hit.

Think Fad Diets are a New Invention? Think Again. They are Older Than You Think. Much Older

By: Mark Hester

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