Diet Cults: The Surprising Fallacy at the Core of Nutrition Fads and a Guide to Healthy Eating for the Rest of Us

Athlete and nutritionist Fitzgerald (Racing Weight) describes a diet cult as "a way of eating that is morally based, identity forming…viewed by its followers as superior to all other ways of eating." Acknowledging that cult diets have existed since antiquity, he briefly examines Jewish eating laws and the food philosophies adhered to by followers of Confucius, then examines modern diets and concludes with his own "agnostic healthy eating game." Many eating programs both healthy and not are surveyed, including raw foods, paleo, Weight Watchers, superfoods, Atkins, gluten-free, and others. Fitzgerald notes that most popular diets advocate "one true way" of eating in order to attain maximum health while focusing on an "unnecessary avoidance of healthy foods." His own eating guidelines are basic: eat mostly from a list of essential and recommended foods—vegetables, fruits, nuts, healthy meats and fish, whole grains, and dairy—and eat less refined grains, processed meats, sweets, and fried and processed foods.