The Fascinating History of Fad Diets and Vegetarianism
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Food Fads:
The History of Diet
By the end of today’s class you
will know
…
•
Some interesting facts about the history of fad diets
•
The history of vegetarianism in Britain
•
The history of Fletcherism (chewing diet)
So what is a fad diet?
An exaggerated belief in
effects of nutrition on
health and disease
Fad Diets
•
Based on the idea that
‘you are what you eat’
•
Diet can make you:
•
Healthier
•
Happier
•
fitter
•
more intelligent
•
more attractive
•
more successful
•
The belief that diet can make you a better person!
What is a healthy diet?
Victorian Veggies
•
Vegetarian movement in Britain started by Reverend William Cowherd –
first veggie church established in 1809
•
“If God had meant us to eat meat then it would have come to us in an
edible form as in the ripened fruit”
•
Members of Cowherd’s church went on to form early Vegetarian Society
•
By 1889 there were 52 veggie restaurants in Britain – 34 in London
•
But vegetarianism was still viewed as a food fad … Many ordinary people
in Victorian Britain could not afford to eat meat so the idea that some
people would choose not to eat meat seemed completely stupid!
Primary Source Activity
•
Read the
Meat versus Vegetarian Long Walk
Competition
…
•
Where did they walk?
•
Who won?
•
What did the doctor interviewed think of the
competition?
•
Was it a ‘triumph for vegetarianism’? What did the
experiment prove?
Fletcherism
•
Invented by Horace Fletcher
an American health food
enthusiast
•
Basic principle = food had to
be chewed about 100 times
to extract all the nutrients.
Fletcherise!
•
Fletcherism promoted chewing a mouthful of food until all ‘goodness’ was
extracted, then spitting out the fibrous material that was left.
•
He was fairly prescriptive in how many times you had to chew different foods.
Just one shallot (small onion) needed to be chewed 700 times!
•
It was hugely popular and had some famous followers, including Henry James
and Franz Kafka.
•
It got to a point where people were timed at dinner parties to make sure they
were chewing enough
•
The diet also meant only defecating once every two weeks and it was nearly
odourless, described by Fletcher as smelling like 'warm biscuits’
•
Fletcher carried a sample of his own faeces around with him to illustrate this
wonder!
Primary Source Activity
•
Read the
Fletcher at West Point
document
•
What was the experiment?
•
Why was it being conducted?
•
What was the daily diet?
•
In what way did the students have to eat their food?
Well done today!
Uncover the intriguing journey of fad diets and vegetarianism, from the Victorian era's vegetarian movement to Horace Fletcher's unique chewing diet. Learn about the exaggerated beliefs surrounding fad diets and the origins of vegetarianism in Britain, including Fletcherism's emphasis on chewing food multiple times for optimal nutrition extraction. Dive into the contrasting views on diet and health throughout history, including the Meat versus Vegetarian Long Walk Competition and the curious practices of Fletcherism.
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Presentation Transcript
Food Fads: The History of Diet
By the end of todays class you will know Some interesting facts about the history of fad diets The history of vegetarianism in Britain The history of Fletcherism (chewing diet)
So what is a fad diet? An exaggerated belief in effects of nutrition on health and disease
Fad Diets Based on the idea that you are what you eat Diet can make you: Healthier Happier fitter more intelligent more attractive more successful The belief that diet can make you a better person!
Victorian Veggies Vegetarian movement in Britain started by Reverend William Cowherd first veggie church established in 1809 If God had meant us to eat meat then it would have come to us in an edible form as in the ripened fruit Members of Cowherd s church went on to form early Vegetarian Society By 1889 there were 52 veggie restaurants in Britain 34 in London But vegetarianism was still viewed as a food fad Many ordinary people in Victorian Britain could not afford to eat meat so the idea that some people would choose not to eat meat seemed completely stupid!
Primary Source Activity Read the Meat versus Vegetarian Long Walk Competition Where did they walk? Who won? What did the doctor interviewed think of the competition? Was it a triumph for vegetarianism ? What did the experiment prove?
Fletcherism Invented by Horace Fletcher an American health food enthusiast Basic principle = food had to be chewed about 100 times to extract all the nutrients.
Fletcherise! Fletcherism promoted chewing a mouthful of food until all goodness was extracted, then spitting out the fibrous material that was left. He was fairly prescriptive in how many times you had to chew different foods. Just one shallot (small onion) needed to be chewed 700 times! It was hugely popular and had some famous followers, including Henry James and Franz Kafka. It got to a point where people were timed at dinner parties to make sure they were chewing enough The diet also meant only defecating once every two weeks and it was nearly odourless, described by Fletcher as smelling like 'warm biscuits Fletcher carried a sample of his own faeces around with him to illustrate this wonder!
Primary Source Activity Read the Fletcher at West Point document What was the experiment? Why was it being conducted? What was the daily diet? In what way did the students have to eat their food?
