William Banting

Mr. Banting faced a challenge. He had retired and at age 66 found himself obese. If he had been alive today doctors would have put him on a low fat high carb diet in which he would have gained more wieght, oh wait, he did listen to the doctors of his day and became worse. What is next doctor recommended saved his life. William Harvey had just returned from a Diabetes symposium in Paris. In those days diabetics were placed on low carb diets so Dr. Harvey recommend the same for Banting.

"Dr. Harvey put Mr. Banting on a diet that banished potatoes, bread, butter, milk, sugar and beer -- the patient's favorite foods. As was the custom in late-19th-century England, Mr. Banting continued to eat four meals a day. But instead of buttered toast for breakfast, he ate four or five ounces of meat or fish. At lunch, rather than bread, beer and pastry, he ate fish, vegetables and fruit. Tea and supper were similar, although supper included two or three glasses of claret, sherry or Madeira. Champagne and port were mysteriously forbidden." (Crossen)

The results were Mr. Banting losing 46 pounds and wrote about his experiences in "Letter of Corpulence" published in 1863. People started following his diet and it became know as "banting or bantingism." And since that time the medical establishment has been playing games with our diet. To many careers have been created based upon the falsehood of low fat dieting.


Cynthia Crossen. Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: May 5, 2004. pg. B.1