The Most Bizarre and Unusual Diets in History

Throughout history, people have gone to extraordinary and often dangerous lengths to lose weight and achieve the "ideal" body. From consuming cotton balls to ingesting tapeworms, here are some of the most outrageous and ill-advised diets that have captured the public's imagination.

The Tapeworm Diet

In the early 1900s, some people resorted to ingesting beef tapeworm cysts in a desperate attempt to shed pounds11. The idea was that the tapeworm would mature in the intestines and absorb nutrients from the dieter's meals. Once the desired weight was achieved, an anti-parasitic drug would be taken to kill the tapeworm. However, this risky practice could lead to dangerous complications like intestinal blockages, organ damage, and even death11.

The Cigarette Diet

In the 1920s, cigarette companies shamelessly promoted smoking as a weight-loss aid. Lucky Strike launched an ad campaign encouraging women to "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet"17. The nicotine in cigarettes was touted as an appetite suppressant. While smoking may curb hunger, the health risks like lung cancer far outweigh any potential weight loss benefits18.

The Cotton Ball Diet

The cotton ball diet, which allegedly originated in the modeling industry, involves consuming cotton balls dipped in juice to feel full without gaining weight15. However, this extremely dangerous practice can cause choking, intestinal blockages, and malnutrition15. Cotton balls are not food and can wreak havoc on the digestive system.

The Chew and Spit Diet

Horace Fletcher, an American entrepreneur in the late 19th century, popularized "Fletcherism" - chewing food until it turned to liquid, then spitting it out15. Fletcher believed this method allowed the body to absorb nutrients without gaining weight from actually ingesting food. However, "chewing and spitting" is now recognized as an eating disorder that can cause severe nutritional deficiencies4.

The Arsenic Diet

In the 1800s, some diet pills and potions contained dangerous ingredients like arsenic18. Arsenic was marketed as a stimulant that could boost metabolism. However, even low doses could be toxic and cause organ damage over time, not to mention the risk of fatal poisoning18.

The Vinegar and Water Diet

The poet Lord Byron popularized a diet of potatoes drenched in vinegar in the early 1800s5. He would drink vinegar and water daily in an attempt to cleanse his body and achieve a pale, thin appearance, which was the fashion at the time. The side effects included vomiting and diarrhea5.

The Milk Diet

In the early 1900s, the "milk diet" became popular thanks to celebrities like Bernarr Macfadden1. The regime involved consuming nothing but milk for extended periods, which was supposed to cleanse the body and promote weight loss. However, the lack of essential nutrients and fiber could lead to serious health problems.

The Grapefruit Diet

Also known as the "Hollywood Diet", this fad from the 1930s involved eating grapefruit with every meal18. Supporters claimed enzymes in grapefruit burned fat. However, the diet was extremely low in calories (800-1000 per day) which is why people temporarily lost weight, not because of any magical fat-burning properties in grapefruit18. Such restricted diets are unhealthy and unsustainable.

The Sleeping Beauty Diet

This disturbing fad from the 1960s recommended sedating oneself and sleeping for several days to avoid eating20. The idea was that if you're sleeping, you won't feel hungry. However, apart from the dangers of taking sedatives, prolonged bed rest leads to muscle atrophy and weakness20. It's an incredibly risky way to attempt weight loss.

The "Breatharian" Diet

The most extreme and implausible diet on this list has to be "Breatharianism". Followers claimed they could survive on air and sunlight alone, without the need for food or water20. Obviously, this is physically impossible and would quickly lead to severe dehydration, malnutrition and death. No one can photosynthesize like a plant. We need food and water to live.

While fad diets have always existed, it's clear that some took things to hazardous and absurd extremes. These outlandish practices demonstrate the enormous social pressure people have felt throughout history to conform to unrealistic beauty standards.

Ironically, many of these diets likely had the opposite effect, causing weight gain in the long run by slowing metabolism and encouraging binge-eating. They also carried major health risks, from malnutrition to organ damage to fatal complications.

Nowadays, we understand that there are no quick fixes or miracle solutions for weight loss. Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and taking a sustainable approach are the safest and most effective paths to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

The key is to be skeptical of any diet that seems too good to be true or promotes eliminating entire food groups. Anything that involves consuming non-food items or drugs is a huge red flag.

If a diet sounds bizarre, extreme or dangerous, that's probably because it is. No matter what the fashionable body ideal of the moment is, it's never worth jeopardizing your health. The road to wellness is paved with science-backed nutrition and common sense, not cotton balls and tapeworms.

Sources:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Stay updated with the latest discoveries and recommendations in the health domain! Subscribe to our Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube channels, and join us on Facebook to get the latest updates on health trends and breakthroughs.