16 Strange Diets from the Past That Somehow Went Mainstream
Explore 16 bizarre historical diets that, despite their oddities, gained widespread popularity.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
People have tried some truly strange diets over the years to lose weight. Some involved eating almost nothing, others used risky tricks, and a few were just plain weird. These 16 diets all went mainstream at one point, even if they made no real sense.
1. Fletcherism
Paul Fornier on Wikimedia Commons
In the early 1900s, Horace Fletcher advocated for chewing food until liquefied and then spitting out the solids. This method, believed to aid digestion and weight loss, gained popularity among notable figures like Henry James and Franz Kafka.
2. The Tapeworm Diet
Jim Griffin on Wikimedia Commons
In the early 20th century, some individuals ingested tapeworm cysts, believing the parasites would consume excess calories. While weight loss occurred, the diet posed severe health risks, including infections and organ damage.
3. The Cigarette Diet
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wikimedia Commons
In the 1920s, cigarette companies promoted smoking as an appetite suppressant. Campaigns like “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet” encouraged smoking over snacking, despite the health hazards.
4. The Grapefruit Diet
Nicola Barts on Pexels
Also known as the Hollywood Diet, this 1930s trend involved eating grapefruit with every meal, based on the belief that it contained fat-burning enzymes. Despite lacking scientific backing, it remains popular today.
5. The Cabbage Soup Diet
Silar on Wikimedia Commons
Emerging in the 1950s, this diet promised rapid weight loss by consuming large quantities of cabbage soup daily. While effective in the short term, it lacked nutritional balance and was hard to maintain.
6. The Sleeping Beauty Diet
Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
Popularized in the 1970s, this dangerous method involved sedating oneself for extended periods to avoid eating. Rumored to be used by Elvis Presley, it posed significant health risks.
7. The Drinking Man’s Diet
Kiro Wang on Wikimedia Commons
Introduced in the 1960s, this diet encouraged the consumption of meats and alcohol while avoiding carbohydrates. Despite its popularity, health experts warned against its high alcohol intake.
8. The Vinegar Diet
Veganbaking.net from USA on Wikimedia Commons
In the 1820s, Lord Byron popularized drinking vinegar to suppress appetite and promote weight loss. While it led to some weight reduction, it also caused various health issues.
9. The Baby Food Diet
MAKY.OREL on Wikimedia Commons
This diet involved replacing meals with jars of baby food to control portion sizes and calorie intake. While it offered simplicity, it lacked the satisfaction and nutrition of adult meals.
10. The Cotton Ball Diet
Quartl on Wikimedia Commons
This was a dangerous trend in which individuals would swallow cotton balls soaked in liquids to feel full without consuming calories. This practice led to severe digestive issues and malnutrition.
11. The Prolinn Diet
Dvortygirl on Wikimedia Commons
Developed in the 1970s, this diet involved consuming a liquid made from animal byproducts. Lacking essential nutrients, it led to numerous health complications and fatalities.
12. The HCG Diet
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wikimedia Commons
This regimen combined a very low-calorie diet with injections of the HCG hormone. Though it promised rapid weight loss, medical experts criticized its safety and efficacy.
13. The Ice Cube Diet
Pixabay on Wikimedia Commons
People began eating ice cubes to burn calories through the body heat used for warming up. It sounded scientific, but any weight loss was barely measurable. Still, it became a fad for those hoping for an effortless trick.
14. The Ice Cream Cleanse
Coolhaus on Wikimedia Commons
This trendy diet had people eating nothing but specially formulated ice cream pints for days. It claimed to detoxify the body while still allowing you to indulge in sweets. Nutritionists rolled their eyes, but it still managed to attract attention from curious foodies.
15. The Vision-Distorting Diet
Abhishek Shekhawat on Pexels
In the 1970s, people wore blue-tinted glasses designed to make food look less appealing. The hope was that odd colors would reduce cravings and help with portion control. It did not last long, but it shows how far people were willing to go.
16. The Air Diet
Monstera Production on Wikimedia Commons
Also known as the “breatharian” approach, this diet had people lifting empty forks to their mouths and pretending to eat real meals. It was more performance than nutrition, based on the idea that imagining food could curb hunger. Unsurprisingly, it left followers feeling hungry and confused.