Tag: Fad diet history

In 1863, an English undertaker named William Banting published a self-help pamphlet that quickly became a sensation, pioneering the idea of a low-carb diet for weight loss. His publication, *Letter on Corpulence*, detailed a revolutionary eating plan that represented the definitive answer to the query, 'What was the fad diet in 1863?'.

First gaining traction in the 1930s, the grapefruit diet is one of the oldest and most persistent fad diets in history, sometimes referred to as the 'Hollywood diet'. The central, and most controversial, claim is that a special 'fat-burning' enzyme in grapefruit melts away pounds, a notion that is not supported by scientific evidence. Understanding what is the concept of the grapefruit diet requires separating this popular myth from the actual nutritional science.

The term 'fad' comes from a 16th-century word for something nonsensical, which aptly describes many popular eating plans. Understanding this origin is key to comprehending **why is it called a fad diet** and the often trivial nature of its promises.