Tag: Diet history

The concept of measuring energy in food dates back to the 18th century, with initial experiments linking respiration to combustion. The journey to understand how did humans come up with calories involves a surprising cast of scientists and engineers, and was not a straightforward process, evolving significantly over centuries of scientific inquiry.

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional eating patterns found in countries like Greece and Southern Italy during the mid-20th century. Its name originates not from a marketing gimmick, but from the groundbreaking scientific work of American biologist Ancel Keys, who studied the remarkable health and longevity of these populations.

The modern understanding of the word 'diet' is almost exclusively linked to weight loss and food restriction, but its origin is far more expansive. The term comes from the ancient Greek word *diaita*, which encompassed a complete "way of life" dictated by a physician, including exercise, sleep, and overall lifestyle, not just what was eaten.

In 1863, an undertaker published what is considered the first diet book, detailing his remarkable weight loss. That book described what was the original Banting diet, a pioneering low-carbohydrate eating plan that influenced modern dietary approaches and made 'Banting' a verb synonymous with dieting.

In 2005, researchers at Australia's Monash University identified a group of carbohydrates that often trigger symptoms in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), laying the groundwork for the low FODMAP diet. The diet's origin is tied to understanding how these fermentable sugars contribute to digestive discomfort and provided a novel solution for IBS management.

While the concept of an all-meat diet has been practiced by various cultures for centuries, Shawn Baker began his personal carnivore diet in 2016. This personal experimentation ultimately led to his role as the leading popularizer of the diet in the modern era, a key distinction from its actual creation.

Developed in the 1920s by Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic, the ketogenic diet was originally made for treating pediatric epilepsy that did not respond to medication. The discovery mimicked the therapeutic effects of fasting, offering a new hope for managing intractable seizures in children.

In the 1970s, a peculiar 'wine and egg' diet gained attention after being featured in *Vogue* magazine, while another version emerged online decades later. Understanding who created the egg diet is complex because it is not a single plan but rather a collection of different, restrictive dietary trends. This article delves into the various origins of the most prominent egg diets.

The modern term "pescatarian" was coined in the early 1990s, blending the Italian word for fish with "vegetarian". However, the practice of a plant-based diet supplemented with seafood has been followed for centuries across various cultures and religions. This article explores the rich, ancient history of eating fish and vegetables, long before the modern phrase was popularized.

Since embarking on a personal health quest around 2016, the question of "How long has Dr. Shawn Baker been carnivore?" has intrigued many who follow his work. His journey began with a decade of dietary experiments to address his own health struggles, ultimately leading to a long-term commitment to an all-meat eating pattern.