Diets, Fad

A “fad diet” is a scheme of eating that enjoys temporary and sometimes enthusiastic popularity. Usually created by one person or the product of a religious movement, these diets are meant to improve the practitioners’ health, vitality, and appearance. Such diets often either limit or emphasize one particular food or type of food. The origin of American food faddism is commonly attributed to the health movement of the 1830s. William Sylvester Graham, who championed the use of graham (whole wheat) flour, was a leading figure in the movement. Posed against professional medicine, the movement sought a more natural, less complicated lifestyle based on several key elements: a simple, vegetarian diet using whole grains and daily exercise to promote physiological and spiritual reform. Highly seasoned food, rich dishes, and meat were considered stimulating, sinful food. James C. Jackson, one of Graham’s disciples, advocated hydropathy, also known as water-cure, as an addition to Graham’s health reform. Jackson’s invention of Granula, made of graham flour and water, was said to be the first cold breakfast cereal.