Fad Diets: A Look Back at Weight Loss Trends

The Master Cleanse, low-carb, raw food: These diets might seem like modern methods to lose weight, but they actually all have roots in diets that were originally popular more than 100 years ago. That’s the message historic gastronomist Sarah Lohman spreads through her research on the history of American diets and on her blog, Four Pounds Flour. Inspired by Lohman and her fascinating work, here’s a look at historic American diet trends — and the ways those trends still pop up today.