Diets Through the Decades: A Look at Where They Started and the Most Outrageous Trends of the Last 50 Years

For as long as human beings have existed, we have looked for the “perfect” way to eat. Food has always been more than fuel – it’s cultural, social, and deeply tied to identity. Yet in the modern era, dieting has become a phenomenon of its own, with each decade bringing new (and sometimes outrageous) trends promising rapid weight loss, eternal youth, or miracle health benefits.

At Sebastian Siebert Supplements, we believe in functional nutrition and balance over fads. Still, it’s fascinating to look back at how diets have evolved over the last 50 years – and which ones managed to capture the mainstream, despite their questionable logic.

A Brief History of Diets

Before the explosion of modern diet culture, food choices were simpler. People ate what was locally available and in season. It wasn’t until the 19th and early 20th century that dieting for weight control became popular, with the first commercial diet books and calorie-counting methods emerging.

By the mid-20th century, food production had industrialised, processed foods became widespread, and people were more sedentary. Suddenly, controlling diet became not just a matter of vanity but also of health.

From the 1970s onward, diets turned into cultural phenomena – often driven by celebrity endorsements, media hype, and later, the booming wellness industry.

Outrageous Diet Trends of the Last 50 Years

1970s: The Grapefruit Diet

This fad suggested eating half a grapefruit before every meal to “burn fat” and limit calories. While grapefruit is healthy, the diet was restrictive and nutritionally incomplete – yet it was wildly popular for decades.

1980s: The Cabbage Soup Diet

Another extreme low-calorie approach, this plan centred on eating unlimited cabbage soup for a week, sometimes with tiny additions of protein or vegetables. Unsurprisingly, it led to nutrient deficiencies, boredom, and quick weight regain.

1990s: The Hollywood Liquid Diets

Celebrities made “liquid-only” detox diets famous. These often meant days or weeks of juice or shakes with very few calories. Quick results, yes – but also dizziness, muscle loss, and a slowed metabolism.

2000s: The Low-Carb Craze (Atkins & Co.)

The Atkins Diet, and later South Beach and Keto, exploded into the mainstream. These plans emphasised extreme carb restriction and high fat intake. While they worked for some, many people found them unsustainable long-term, and critics warned about heart health risks when fats were poorly chosen.

2010s: Paleo & Whole30

These diets claimed to “return us to our ancestral ways of eating.” Paleo eliminated grains, legumes, and dairy, while Whole30 removed processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and dairy for 30 days. While they encouraged whole foods, they also created rigid rules that made social eating and sustainability difficult.

2020s: Biohacking Diets & Extreme Intermittent Fasting

From eating only during a one-hour window to multi-day fasts or “bulletproof coffee” replacing breakfast, modern diets often overlap with biohacking trends. Some find benefit in time-restricted eating, but extreme fasting without guidance can stress the body, disrupt hormones, and weaken immunity.

What These Diets Teach Us

While each of these diets promised a “shortcut” to health or weight loss, most were unsustainable. The biggest takeaways are:

• Restriction rarely works long-term – balance is key.

• Whole foods win – when diets cut out processed foods, people often feel better (even if the rest of the rules are unnecessary).

• Gut health is central – no fad diet can replace the importance of maintaining a healthy microbiome.

A Better Way Forward

Rather than chasing the next diet craze, the smarter path is to focus on nutritional foundations: whole, unprocessed foods, plenty of hydration, restorative sleep, movement, and supplements that fill the gaps modern diets leave behind.

At Sebastian Siebert Supplements, we emphasise supporting the body holistically. Supplements like FLORISH Spore Probiotic with Fulvic Acid help restore gut balance, while FULFIXER Fulvic Acid ensures your cells absorb and utilise micronutrients more effectively.

No fad diet can replace the basics of functional nutrition – but the right daily choices, backed by smart supplementation, can transform long-term wellness.