Although one or two of these diets have stood the test of time, many fall into the fad category: they are popular for a minute, but become obsolete the minute they are proven to be ineffective and in some cases dangerous.
From elimination plans to juice cleanses, here are some of the most popular diets over the last 100 years.
Fletcherism was the 1900s version of juicing.
In 1928, Vilhjalmur Stefansson tried to push people to eat like Inuits of the Arctic.
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An anthropologist, Stefansson spent two decades exploring the Arctic. The University of Minnesota reports that, as part of his explorations, Stefansson would eat a high-fat diet similar to that of the Inuits. Following his time in the Arctic, Stefansson promoted a high-fat eating pattern, labeling it as the "Friendly Arctic Diet" and "Holiday Diet."
This diet may have worked especially well for the Inuits. According to a 2015 study published in the journal Science, Arctic peoples genes have adapted in a way that allows them to consume much higher amounts of fat without suffering the typical risks, like increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
People were encouraged to pray their weight away in the 1950s.
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In 1957, Reverend Charlie Shedd published "Pray Your Weight Away," a book that documented his 100-pound weight loss journey. In the book, Shedd attributed his success to gaining self-discipline through the power of prayer.
The Sleeping Beauty diet of the 1960s has resurfaced in recent years.
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Founded in 1963, Weight Watchers has stood the test od time.
According to its official website, Weight Watchers started as a small group of friends meeting at founderJean Nidetch's home to discuss their weight loss struggles and successes. Today, the program boasts an impressive 1.1 million members, including celebrities like Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Hudson, and Oprah Winfrey.
The program uses ascience-backed points system , which emphasizes fruits, veggies, and lean protein. Members track their foods and stay within a certain point range, which is assigned based off their needs and goals.
Though the program has made adjustments to keep up with the times, the concept has always remained the same. In fact, according to Fast Company, the program's flexibility and focus on lifestyle rather than weight has made it one of the most successful "diets" to date.
The Macrobiotic diet first became popular in the 1960s.
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The Grapefruit Diet of 1971 had people eat the citrus at every meal.
This citrus saw a rise in popularity in the '70s due to a diet that promised quick weight loss. According to Healthline, the premise of the Grapefruit Diet was to eat a grapefruit with every meal. The thought was that the grapefruit contained a special enzyme that burns fat fast.
Although the diet may lead to weight loss, it isn't because of the fruit.
" Grapefruit has no special properties when it comes to weight loss," Elisabetta Politi, nutrition manager of the Duke University's Diet and Fitness Center, tells Health. She adds that the reason people may lose weight on this diet is that they are consuming less calories.
In 1975, Americans were introduced to the Cookie Diet.
SlimFast launched in 1977, but grew in popularity during the 90s.
The meal-replacement program was wildly popular in the '90s, but was a weight-loss method long before then. The SlimFast premise is quite simple, according to its official site. Simply "replace any two meals with SlimFast shakes, bars or cookies, enjoy one sensible meal of your choice and three 100-calorie snacks in between."
Generally, participants are limited to 1,200 calories a day.
In 1978, the Scarsdale Diet had people increasing their protein and decreasing their snacks.
The Scarsdale Diet emphasized protein consumption and banned snacking, according to Healthline.Another rapid weight loss program, critics of the diet said it missed out on important macronutrients and was not sustainable in the long term.
Everyone was consuming cabbage soup in the 80s.
"Because the Cabbage Soup Diet has such a low calorie intake and virtually no protein, almost all weight lost on this diet will be water and muscle, not body fat," personal trainer and fitness coach Scott Laidler tells the publication.
In 1981, the Beverly Hills Diet made its way outside LA.
The Beverly Hills diet was developed by Judy Mazel , a weight loss advocate who had no nutritional certification. According to the New York Times, the 42-day diet centered around eating fruits for the first 10 days, then adding items like bread and proteins like "steak and lobster."
Unsurprisingly, experts frowned upon this plan.
"This is the most dangerous diet I have ever come across," endocrinologist Mark Saginor told People in 1981. "Along with the fat loss you can break down a tremendous amount of lean body mass, and you can lose potassium, which is potentially devastating."
Jenny Craig came to the US in 1985, and offered prepared meals for followers.
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Originally launching in Australia, Jenny Craig made its way to the US in 1985. According to the official website, participants receive a customized menu of pre-made meals and meet with a consultant who offers support and guidance.
The Liquid Diet of 1988 is pretty self-explanatory.
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The Liquid Diet, also known as Optifast, was made popular thanks Oprah Winfrey . In 1988, the former talk show host stepped on stage wearing a pair of size 10 jeans and pulling a wagon filled with 67 pounds of fat a representation fo the weight she lost on Optifast.
When I started Optifast in July 1988, I was at 212 pounds. By fall, I weighed 145 pounds. Wearing my size 10 jeans, I pulled a wagon full of fat representing the 67 pounds I'd dropped onto the stage. What I didn't know was that my metabolism was shot. Two weeks after I returned to real food, I was up 10 pounds. Since I wasn't exercising, there was nothing my body could do but regain the weight.
In the early 90s, people were encouraged to eat low-fat foods.
1994s Ornish Diet emphasized low-fat, high-fiber foods.
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Dr. Dean Ornish convinced people to try his diet by telling them they could, "eat whatever you want, whenever you want it, and however much of it you want." As the New York Times pointed out in 1994, however, the food on the Ornish diet must below in fat and high in fiber. Specifically, less than 10% of calories consumed can come from fat.
The purpose of 1995s Zone Diet is to reduce inflammation and improve overall health.
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The diet encourages people to eat in a 40-30-30 principal: 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat.
The Blood Type Diet of 1996 has since been debunked and found to deprive people of nutrients.
According to VeryWell, the Blood Type Diet was developed by P eter D'Adamo , a naturopathic physician. D'Admo theorized that eating for your blood type would allow you todigest food with greater efficiency, lose weight, and enhance your overall health.
The Subway Diet swept the nation in the early 2000s.
This meal plan has an interesting backstory. According to the chain's official website, the Subway Diet was created by Jared Fogle in 1999 when the then 22-year-old replaced two of his high calorie meals with low-fat sandwiches from the restaurant.
The diet has never been supported by dietitians or even Subway itself.
The Atkins Diet, made popular in 2003, was another high-fat, low-carb eating plan.
Although it was first conceptualized in the 1960s, the Atkins Diet didn't become mainstream until 2003 when, according to the official site,Dr. Robert C. Atkins published "Atkins for Life." The diet, as many know, was a high-fat, low-carb eating plan. It involved phases where you slowly introduced carbs back into your life, though never exceeding 20 grams of carbohydrates a day.
The South Beach Diet was similar to the Atkins diet, but allowed for some carb consumption.
Cardiologist Dr.Arthur Agatston introduced the South Beach Diet named after a poplar Miami spot in 2003. According to the official site, the high-protein, low-carb diet began as a solution to "quick fix diets" that left people hungry: particularly, Atkins.
Many celebrities were trying the Master Cleanse in 2006.
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The Master Cleanse, aka the Lemonade Diet, requires participants to drink a cocktail offresh-squeezed lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and water for every meal ... for 10 days straight. Although it was first developed by "nutrition guru" Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s, it saw a rise in popularity after Beyonc went on the Master Cleanse to lose weight for "Dreamgirls."
And she did lose weight because, as experts were quick to point out, she was essentially not eating.
"Of course you're going to lose weight you're starving yourself," nutritionist Joy Bauer told the New York Times in 2006 . "People want a quick fix and they want to be thin so badly that they're vulnerable and open to almost anything."
In 2007, people followed the Raw Food Diet in hopes of getting the most nutrients from their produce.
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Emerging onto the scene in 2007, the Raw Food Diet is exactly what it sounds like:eating only, or mostly, uncooked foods. According to NPR, raw foodists believe that food loses its nutrient content and "life force" when it's cooked over 112 degrees.
The Dukan Diet made its way to the US in 2007, and was ranked the worst diet of 2018.
Named for its creator Pierre Dukan , the Dukan Diet calls for a high intake of protein and minimal carbohydrates in an effort to shed weight. The diet, which Kate Middleton is rumored to have followed , is broken into four phases, starting with all-you-can-eat portions of certain high-protein foods.
In 2008, NutriSystem became the trendy meal plan program.
2009s Fertility Diet promised to help women get pregnant.
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In 2009, Drs.Jorge Chavarro, Walter C. Willett, Patrick J. Skerrett released a book with one simple goal: help women get pregnant through their diet. The book, "The Fertility Diet," utilizedresearch from the Nurses' Health Study to create 10 diet principals that would help women conceive. According to Harvard Health Publishing, some of those principals included eating more soy and avoiding fats.
The Special K Diet was all the rage in 2009.
Cereal is delicious, but can you make a diet out of it? That's what Kellogg's tried to do with the Special K Challenge a diet where you replaced breakfast and lunch with Special K cereal or bars.
In 2010, people were following Apple Cider Vinegar Diet to help with digestion.
Yes, the Baby Food Diet was a thing in 2010.
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Baby food is conveniently portioned, making it the ideal snack for people watching their caloric intake. Or, at least, that's the thought behind the Baby Food Diet, a meal plan in which you replace real food with its pureed counterpart.
2011s Duke Diet focussed on hunger cues rather than eating habits.
Juicing became a popular trend in 2012, but have been known to drastically restrict calorie consumption
Why eat your food when you can drink it? Although juice cleanses have been around for years, they saw a rise in popularity in 2012 thanks to the convenience of shops like Juice Press, Juice Generation , and the like.
Although some people took this as an opportunity to grab something green for an afternoon snack, others saw it as a chance to detox with a juice cleanse a day- or week-long program where you swapped your meals for various juices.
With the rise of Celiac disease, people gave gluten-free eating a try in 2013.
As more people were diagnosed with Celiac's disease, more gluten-free products became available in grocery stores. And, because gluten is most commonly found in bread, pasta, and other carbohydrates i.e. foods that have been deemed "bad" people assumed going glute-free was a way to lose weight.
2014s Paleo Diet limited followers to vegetables, meats, seafood, and nuts.
People first took note of Whole 30 in 2015, and it has risen in popularity since.
According to the official website, Whole 30 advocates "clean" eating : In other words, noadded sugars, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy, and additives. Although the program has been around since 2009, it didn't become widely popular until the release of "The Whole30" in 2015.
Although experts say the concept of eliminating or limiting foods that increase hunger and cravings is good, they say the time frame is flawed.
In an interview with TIME,Dr. Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital, said " 30 days isn't enough time to turn off systemic inflammation." Additionally, Fasano said that the restrictions are very generic, and not everyone will benefit from them.
2016 saw people attempting the Goop Detox Diet
When Gwyneth Paltrow sees a trend, she capitalizes on it. Such is the case with the GOOP Cleanse which, according to the website, is meant to clean up the menu,re-set the palate, and give your guts a break.
Again, the concept of eating less processed foods is great. But a cleanse that consists of teas and smoothies, like the GOOP Cleanse, is not sustainable. One thing the GOOP Cleanse has going for it is that it incorporates proteins like salmon, chicken, and almond butter.
The keto diet was one of the most popular diets of 2018.
The Mediterranean Diet has already been deemed the best diet of 2019, but its been around for a while.
Though the Mediterranean Diet is rooted in ancient civilization, it became more of a global eating style in 2013 and was named the best diet of 2019 by US News and World Report. It makes sense, considering the diet has been shown to help with weight loss, heart health, and diabetes prevention.
