What Health Nuts Ate In Every Decade Since The Turn Of The 20th Century

Eating healthy foods is a bit of a relative concept, especially with the gift of hindsight. What was once considered healthy may now amount to one of many food fads that continue to enter the diet landscape. The Atkins diet, paleo diet, and other low-carb diet options have come and gone for decades, and while many have reappeared in different forms, they often claim to be a healthy alternative to mainstream eating habits. Within vintage grocery stores and modern markets alike, it was always possible to find fad health foods.

Food fads over the past century reveal a lot about how people viewed their relationships with food, the availability of information about eating, and how resources and preferences may not have always aligned. Nutrients, weight loss, strength - these have all been factors in determining the best foods to eat. The history of health food is as complicated as any assessment of the past, but it's obvious consumers, foodies, and advertising professionals throughout the 20th century have considered many foods healthy.