For the sake of argument and illustration I will presume that certain articles of ordinary diet, however beneficial in youth, are prejudicial in advanced life, like beans to a horse, whose common ordinary food is hay and corn.

Banting’s pamphlet was popular for years to come and would be used as a model for modern diets. December 1796 – 16 March 1878) was a formerly obese English undertaker who was the first to popularise a weight loss diet based on limiting intake of refined and easily digestible carbohydrates. His own diet was four meals per day consisting of meat greens fruits and dry wine.

He undertook his dietary changes at the suggestion of Dr. William Banting (c.