The Craziest Diet Trends in History

These are the craziest diet trends in history! Really, you won’t believe in some of the weird stuff people would do to lose weight. And if you think this is only from centuries ago, think again – the most recent weirdest diet trend in this list is from 2014.

The purpose of a diet can vary widely depending on an individual’s goals, which may include weight loss, muscle gain, or improving overall health. Here’s how diet plays a crucial role in each of these objectives:

1. Weight Loss: The primary purpose of a diet for weight loss is to create a calorie deficit, meaning consuming fewer calories than the body burns. By doing so, the body is forced to use stored fat for energy, leading to weight loss. Diets aimed at weight loss often focus on nutrient-dense foods that are lower in calories but high in essential nutrients, which can help reduce overall calorie intake while still providing the body with the necessary vitamins and minerals. Portion control, balanced intake of macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), and reducing the intake of processed foods and high-calorie beverages are common strategies.
2. Muscle Gain: For muscle gain, the diet’s purpose shifts towards providing sufficient calories and, more importantly, adequate protein to support muscle repair and growth. Consuming more calories than the body burns, in conjunction with resistance training, encourages muscle development. A diet for muscle gain focuses on protein-rich foods, adequate carbohydrate intake for energy, and healthy fats. It’s also crucial to time nutrient intake effectively, particularly around workouts, to optimize muscle recovery and growth.
3. Improving Health: A diet aimed at enhancing overall health focuses on nutrient density, variety, and balance. The goal is to provide the body with all the essential nutrients it needs to function optimally, support immune function, maintain healthy organ systems, and prevent nutritional deficiencies. Such a diet typically includes a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while limiting processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats. Eating a diverse range of foods ensures a broad intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds that contribute to overall well-being.

However, the diets in the list you will see below are focused only on weight loss. And what is the most important weight loss factor? The one thing that makes or break losing fat? Calorie deficit.

Caloric deficit follows a fundamental law of thermodynamics. That may sound complicated, but it is not.

A CALORIC DEFICIT MEANS YOU ARE CONSUMING LESS ENERGY THAN WHAT YOU ARE USING THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

In other words, you are eating fewer calories than you are burning and when that happens, you are in a caloric deficit.

Some people might call it a diet and as with any diet that aims at losing weight, you must be in a caloric deficit, otherwise, you will not lose weight.

Read More: What is Caloric Deficit and How Much Is It Safe?

This list is based on a video shared by BuzzFeed on their YouTube channel.

So let’s take a look at the past craziest diet trends in history and be happy not to follow any of them. Because some of them might sound silly, or stupid, but others are downright dangerous for your health.

The Craziest Diet Trends in History

1. Vinegar Diet

The 1820s vinegar diet was indeed more than just consuming vinegar; it included a very restrictive regimen where individuals would drink water, vinegar, and tea, and sometimes consume raw eggs. The diet’s mainstay was vinegar, often apple cider vinegar, believed to aid in weight loss by increasing satiety and reducing fat accumulation. Water and tea likely served as calorie-free ways to manage hunger and maintain hydration, while raw eggs were considered a source of protein and nutrients, albeit consumed in a risky manner given the potential for bacterial contamination.

This diet reflects the period’s limited understanding of nutrition and metabolism. While there is some contemporary evidence supporting the modest benefits of vinegar in weight management, the overall approach of the 1820s vinegar diet is not aligned with modern nutritional science, which advocates for balanced and varied diets to promote health and well-being. The excessive consumption of vinegar can lead to adverse effects, such as dental enamel erosion and gastrointestinal issues. The diet’s extreme nature, lack of essential nutrients, and potential health risks would make it unsuitable by today’s dietary standards.

2. Chewing Diet

The 1903 chewing diet, also known as “Fletcherism,” was introduced by Horace Fletcher, an American health food enthusiast. Fletcher advocated that each mouthful of food should be chewed about 32 times or until it becomes liquid, a process he believed would enhance digestion and nutrient absorption. The underlying principle was that thorough chewing would reduce food intake and prevent overeating, as it would increase satiety and allow the body to signal fullness more effectively.

The diet included an additional, more extreme aspect than initially described. Followers of Fletcherism were encouraged not only to chew each morsel of food 32 times or until it turned to liquid but also to spit out the fibrous remains that could not be liquefied. This practice was based on Horace Fletcher’s belief that only the most thoroughly liquefied food should be swallowed, as it would be the most beneficial for digestion and nutrient absorption.

Fletcher argued that this method would allow the body to assimilate nutrients more effectively and prevent the consumption of excess calories, thereby promoting weight loss and improving overall health. The idea was that by eliminating the solid, indigestible parts of food, one could avoid overburdening the digestive system and improve metabolic efficiency.

However, modern nutrition science suggests that this aspect of Fletcherism is not only unnecessary but also potentially harmful. Dietary fibre, which is likely to be discarded in this process, plays a crucial role in digestive health, aiding bowel movements and promoting a healthy gut microbiome. Furthermore, such extreme practices can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and may not provide the balance of nutrients needed for optimal health. While mindful eating and thorough chewing are beneficial, the practice of spitting out food remnants is not supported by contemporary dietary guidelines, which advocate for a balanced and varied intake of nutrients, including fibre.

Read More: Dieting vs. Exercise for Weight Loss – How does it All Work?

3. Cigarette Diet

The 1920s cigarette diet is a stark illustration of how historical contexts influenced dietary and health trends, often with little regard for long-term consequences. This diet capitalized on the appetite-suppressing effects of nicotine, encouraging people to smoke cigarettes as a means to curb their hunger and thereby reduce food intake. Advertisements from that era even featured doctors or celebrities endorsing cigarettes as a tool for weight loss, illustrating the starkly different attitudes towards smoking prevalent at the time.

The logic behind the cigarette diet was straightforward yet deeply flawed: nicotine, a stimulant found in cigarettes, was known to suppress appetite. Thus, smoking was promoted as a quick fix to control cravings and avoid overeating, with the misguided belief that it could serve as an effective weight loss strategy. Some advertisements even claimed that smoking a cigarette would be a suitable substitute for a meal, clearly prioritizing immediate weight reduction over any nutritional or health considerations.

In retrospect, the 1920s cigarette diet serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing aesthetic ideals over health. Today, we understand the severe health risks associated with smoking, including increased risks of lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, among many others. The idea of using cigarettes as a diet aid is unequivocally rejected in modern health and nutritional science, which emphasizes sustainable, healthy lifestyle choices that include balanced nutrition and regular physical activity. The cigarette diet is a historical anomaly that underscores the importance of grounding dietary practices in sound scientific research and a holistic understanding of health.

4. Tapeworm Diet

The 1950s tapeworm diet is one of the more extreme and hazardous weight-loss fads from history, illustrating the lengths to which people have gone to lose weight. This diet involved ingesting tapeworm eggs, typically in pill form, with the expectation that the growing tapeworms would consume some of the food eaten by the host, thereby reducing calorie intake and leading to weight loss.

Proponents of this diet believed that the tapeworm would help them lose weight without requiring changes to their diet or lifestyle. Once the desired weight loss was achieved, the dieter would then take medication to kill the tapeworm, which would then be expelled from the body. The idea was that the tapeworm would allow people to consume large quantities of food without absorbing all the calories, leading to weight loss.

However, the tapeworm diet posed severe health risks. Tapeworms can cause a range of unpleasant and dangerous symptoms, including abdominal pain, weakness, headaches, and even serious neurological problems if the parasite invades the central nervous system. Additionally, relying on a tapeworm for weight control ignores the nutritional needs of the body and can lead to malnutrition and other health complications. Today, this approach is universally condemned by medical professionals and nutritionists, who advocate for safer and more sustainable methods of weight management. The tapeworm diet serves as a stark reminder of the importance of evaluating the safety and efficacy of dietary practices.

Read Also: Is the High Protein Diet Dangerous?

5. HCG Diet

The 1954 HCG diet, introduced by British endocrinologist Dr. Albert T.W. Simeons, is based on the use of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone produced during pregnancy. Dr. Simeons theorized that HCG could help reduce appetite and promote fat loss when combined with an ultra-low-calorie diet, typically around 500 calories per day.

 The diet allowed for two meals a day—lunch and dinner—each consisting of one protein, one vegetable, one fruit, and one piece of bread. The types of allowed foods were very limited, with specific instructions on how they should be prepared and consumed.

Protein choices were typically lean meats like chicken breast, white fish, or veal. Vegetables had to be non-starchy, excluding options like potatoes and peas. Fruits were usually limited to low-calorie choices like apples and berries, and the bread was often a single grissini stick or a piece of Melba toast.

Alongside this diet, individuals would receive daily HCG hormone injections. Dr. Simeons believed that the hormone would help mobilize fat stores, particularly targeting problem areas, and reduce the feelings of hunger and fatigue that would normally accompany such a low-calorie diet. The extreme calorie restriction was believed to trigger rapid weight loss, while HCG was thought to reduce hunger and target fat loss from specific areas of the body.

However, subsequent research and clinical trials have largely debunked these claims. Studies indicate that any weight loss on the HCG diet is due to the severe calorie restriction, not the HCG hormone itself. Moreover, the HCG diet’s safety has been questioned, given the risks associated with such low calorie intake, including potential for muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, and other health issues. Consequently, medical professionals typically advise against the HCG diet, advocating for more balanced and sustainable approaches to weight loss.

Read This: Best Beginners Guide to Prolonged Fasting

6. Baby Food Diet

The 1990s baby food diet is a weight loss trend that gained some popularity among celebrities and the public alike. The premise of this diet is relatively simple: replace one or two regular adult meals with jars of baby food to reduce calorie intake and promote weight loss. The idea was that baby food is portion-controlled, low in calories, and free from added sugars and unhealthy fats, making it an easy substitute for higher-calorie meals.

Proponents of the baby food diet argued that because baby food is designed to be nutritionally complete for infants, it could also provide adults with essential vitamins and minerals while they were trying to lose weight. Dieters would typically consume around 14 to 16 jars of baby food throughout the day, followed by a sensible adult dinner in the evening.

However, the baby food diet has been met with skepticism from nutrition experts. While baby food might be lower in calories, it’s also not designed to meet the nutritional needs of adults, who require a higher intake of nutrients, fiber, and calories to maintain health. The diet’s restrictive nature could lead to nutritional deficiencies over time. Furthermore, relying on baby food could prevent dieters from developing healthy eating habits, such as learning portion control, making balanced meal choices, and enjoying a variety of textures and flavors. As with many fad diets, the baby food diet offers a quick fix rather than a sustainable, long-term approach to weight loss and overall health.

7. Cotton Ball Diet

The 2000s cotton ball diet is one of the more dangerous and extreme weight loss fads to have emerged. This diet involves dipping cotton balls in orange juice, lemonade, or smoothies and then consuming them. The purported aim is to create a sense of fullness without ingesting significant calories, thereby reducing overall calorie intake to promote weight loss.

The cotton ball diet is extremely hazardous for several reasons. First and foremost, consuming non-food items like cotton balls can lead to serious gastrointestinal blockages or obstructions, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Furthermore, most cotton balls are not made of pure cotton but rather a blend of synthetic fibers that can contain harmful chemicals not intended for human consumption.

Additionally, this diet fails to provide any nutritional value and can lead to severe malnutrition and deficiencies, as well as disrupt normal digestive function. It ignores the principles of healthy eating and does not promote sustainable or healthy weight loss habits. Instead, it poses significant health risks, reflecting the lengths to which some individuals will go to lose weight, often driven by unrealistic body image ideals. Health professionals and nutritionists strongly advise against such practices, advocating for balanced diets and healthy lifestyles to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

8. Twinkie Diet

The 2010 Twinkie diet, also known as the “Twinkie experiment,” was a somewhat unconventional and controversial diet undertaken by nutrition professor Mark Haub from Kansas State University. Haub aimed to demonstrate that calorie count, rather than the nutritional quality of the foods, is the most critical factor in weight loss. Over two months, he primarily consumed snack foods like Twinkies, along with other processed snacks, but maintained a caloric intake of fewer than 1,800 calories per day, which was lower than his usual intake.

Remarkably, Haub lost 27 pounds (12.2 kg) during this period, which seemingly supported his hypothesis that weight loss could be achieved through calorie restriction alone, regardless of the food’s nutritional value. In addition to the weight loss, Haub also reported improvements in other health markers, such as reduced LDL cholesterol levels and increased HDL cholesterol levels.

However, it’s crucial to note that the Twinkie diet was not intended to endorse eating nutritionally poor, processed foods for weight loss or health. Haub himself acknowledged that his diet was lacking in fruits, vegetables, and other essential nutrients. The experiment was more a demonstration of calorie balance and its impact on weight than a sustainable or healthful eating plan. Nutrition experts continue to emphasize the importance of a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrients for overall health, rather than just focusing on calorie intake for weight loss. The Twinkie diet serves as an interesting case study but not a recommended dietary strategy.

9. Monomeal Diet

The 2014 monomeal diet or mono diet is a type of eating plan that involves consuming only one type of food or food group for each meal. The concept gained popularity in 2014, particularly within raw food and vegan communities. Advocates argue that monomeals can simplify digestion, as the body only needs to process one kind of food at a time, potentially reducing energy expenditure on digestion and alleviating digestive issues.

A typical monomeal might consist entirely of a single fruit, such as bananas, watermelon, or apples, or one type of vegetable, grain, or another single food item. The simplicity of monomeals is said to help the body’s detoxification processes and promote weight loss, although these claims are largely anecdotal and lack robust scientific backing.

While there may be short-term benefits, such as simplicity in meal planning and potential weight loss due to reduced calorie intake, the monomeal diet has significant drawbacks. It’s challenging to obtain a full spectrum of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from a single food source over an extended period. This lack of variety can lead to nutritional deficiencies and health issues over time. Moreover, the monomeal diet might not be sustainable or enjoyable in the long term, given the human desire for variety in taste and texture. As with any diet, it’s crucial to consider balance, variety, and nutritional adequacy to promote overall health and well-being.

And that is our list. Know this article is for curiosity and entertainment purposes only. BOXROX does not recommend anyone to try any of these diet trends. Always consult your doctor before making significant nutritional changes in your life.

Read More: Do Diet Breaks Improve Fat Loss and Metabolism?