Food faddists (also known as pseudoscientific diet advocates) are people who promote fad diets or pseudoscientific dieting ideas. The following people are recognized as notable food faddists, either currently or historically.

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Elliot Abravanel Elliot D. Abravanel is an American physician and diet counselor, who developed the ''Body Type'' system for weight loss and overall wellness. Based on his experience with the "Skinny School" program in the 1970s and 1980s, the Body Type program i ...

Jessica Ainscough Jessica Ainscough (July 1985 – 26 February 2015) was an Australian teen magazine editor who became a writer and wellness entrepreneur following a rare cancer diagnosis at the age of 22. Ainscough went by the self-coined nickname "The Wellness ...

Dan Dale Alexander Dan Dale Alexander (July 18, 1919 – June 15, 1990) was an American nutrition influencer, famous for his eccentric beliefs about cod liver oil curing arthritis. He became known as the "Codfather". Career Alexander was born in Norwich, Connect ...

Rasmus Larssen Alsaker Rasmus Larssen Alsaker (1883 – June 14, 1960) was a Norwegian American physician and alternative health writer. History Alsaker was born in Norway.Anonymous. (1923)''Some Quasi-Medical Institutions'' Prepared and Issued by the Propaganda Depar ...

Daniel Amen Daniel Gregory Amen (born July 1954) is an American celebrity doctor who practices as a psychiatrist and brain disorder specialist as director of the Amen Clinics. He is a five-time ''New York Times'' best-selling author as of 2012. Amen has b ...

Dave Asprey Dave Asprey (born October 30,1972) is an American entrepreneur, author and advocate of a pseudoscientific low-carbohydrate high-fat diet known as the Bulletproof diet. He founded Bulletproof 360, Inc. in 2013, and in 2017, founded Bulletproof Nu ...

* Robert Atkins

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William J. A. Bailey William John Aloysius Bailey (May 25, 1884 – May 17, 1949) was an American patent medicine inventor and salesman. A Harvard University dropout, Bailey falsely claimed to be a doctor of medicine and promoted the use of radioactive radium as a c ...

Fereydoon Batmanghelidj Fereydoon Batmanghelidj (1930 or 1931 – 15 November 2004) was an Iranian doctor and writer. He is best known for believing increased water consumption is the cure for most disease, which is considered quackery by medical experts. Life and famil ...

* Luigi di Bella * Sanford Bennett * Henry G. Bieler *

Maximilian Bircher-Benner Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, M.D. (22 August 1867 – 24 January 1939) was a Swiss physician and a pioneer nutritionist credited for popularizing muesli and raw food vegetarianism. Biography Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner was born on 22 Aug ...

* Russell Blaylock *

Alfredo Bowman Alfredo Darrington Bowman (26 November 1933 – 6 August 2016), better known as Dr. Sebi (), was a Honduran self-proclaimed herbalist healer, who also practiced in the United States in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Bowman claimed to cu ...

* William Brady *

Paul Bragg Paul Chappuis Bragg (February 6, 1895 – December 7, 1976) was an American alternative health food advocate and fitness enthusiast. Bragg's mentor was Bernarr Macfadden. He wrote on subjects such as Detoxification (alternative medicine), dietin ...

Johanna Brandt Johanna Brandt (18 November 1876 in Heidelberg, Gauteng, Heidelberg, South African Republic – 13 January 1964 in Newlands, Cape Town) was a South African propagandist of Afrikaners, Afrikaner nationalism, spy during the Boer War, prophet and ...

Eric R. Braverman use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = ...

John R. Brinkley John Romulus Brinkley (later John Richard Brinkley; July 8, 1885 – May 26, 1942) was an American quack. He had no properly accredited education as a physician and bought his medical degree from a "diploma mill". Brinkley became known as the ...

Johanna Budwig Johanna Budwig (1908 – 2003) was a German biochemist, alternative cancer treatment advocate and writer.Kerckhof, Annette. (2020). ''Budwig, Johanna (1908–2003)''. In ''Wichtige Frauen in der Naturheilkunde''. Springer. pp. 65-69. Budwig was ...

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Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram (FullyRawKristina) (born 11 March 1987) is a writer, speaker, and Raw veganism, raw vegan activist. She is the founder and creator of FullyRaw, the Rawfully Organic cooperative, FullyRaw Juice, and author of the book ''T ...

* Hereward Carrington * Paul Carton *

Deepak Chopra Deepak Chopra (; ; born October 22, 1946) is an Indian-American author and alternative medicine advocate. A prominent figure in the New Age movement, his books and videos have made him one of the best-known and wealthiest figures in alternati ...

Eugene Christian Eugene Christian (1860–1930) was an American naturopath, nutritionist and raw foodism writer. Biography Christian was born in McMinnville, Tennessee. He worked in manufacturing and sales until 1900.Hoolihan, Christopher. (2001). ''An Annotat ...

Hulda Regehr Clark Hulda Regehr Clark (18 October 1928 in Rosthern, Saskatchewan – 3 September 2009 in Chula Vista, California)Gabriel Cousens Gabriel (born May 14, 1943) is an American homeopath, rabbi and practitioner of holistic medicine. In 1976, Cousens legally changed his name from Kenneth Gabriel Cousens to Gabriel. Cousens advocates live foods therapy, a nutritional regimen wh ...

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* Peter J. D'Adamo *

Adelle Davis Adelle Davis (25 February 1904 – 31 May 1974) was an American writer and nutritionist, considered "the most famous nutritionist in the early to mid-20th century." She was an advocate for improved health through better nutrition. She wrote an e ...

Lorraine Day Lorraine Jeanette Day is an American author, former orthopedic trauma surgeon and Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at San Francisco General Hospital and promoter of alternative cancer treatments. She first became controversial when she began advoc ...

* Emmet Densmore *

Arnold DeVries Arnold Paul DeVries (November 30, 1921 – February 16, 1996) was an American natural hygienist, alternative health writer and pioneer of the Paleolithic diet. Biography DeVries was born in Kesley, Iowa and graduated from Aplington High Schoo ...

Edward H. Dewey Edward Hooker Dewey (21 May 1837 - 21 December 1904), best known as Edward H. Dewey, was an American physician. He was a pioneer of therapeutic fasting and the inventor of the "No Breakfast Plan". Career Dewey graduated from the College of Medic ...

Marilyn Diamond Marilyn Diamond is an American author and speaker on the topic of anti-aging and longevity. She is known for advocating a "cleansing" or "detoxification" diet. Career In 1985, with her then husband Harvey Diamond, she co-authored the best-selling ...

Susanna Way Dodds Susanna Way Dodds (November 10, 1830 – January 20, 1911) was an American physician, hydrotherapist and natural hygiene proponent. Biography Dodds was born in Randolph County, near Richmond, Indiana. She was a vegetarian and advocate of women ...

* Kurt DonsbachButler, Kurt (1992) ''Consumer's Guide to Alternative Medicine'', Prometheus Books. . pp 34-36. * George J. Drews

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* Webster Edgerly *

Arnold Ehret Arnold Ehret (July 29, 1866 October 10, 1922)Melton, Gordon J. (1990). ''New Age Encyclopedia''. Gale Research. p. 159. was a German naturopath and alternative health educator, best known for developing the Mucusless Diet Healing System. Ehret ...

August Engelhardt August Engelhardt (27 November 1875 – 6 May 1919) was a German author and founder of a sect of sun worshipers. Background Engelhardt wrote a book called ''A Carefree Future'' () in 1898, which described a colony of fruit and vegetable eaters, ...

* St. Louis Estes

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* Horace Fletcher *

Carlton Fredericks Carlton Fredericks, born Harold Frederick Caplan, (October 23, 1910 – July 28, 1987) was a radio commentator and writer on health and nutrition. Career He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1931 with ...

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* Jesse Mercer Gehman * Max Gerson *

Belle Gibson Annabelle Natalie Gibson (born 8 October 1991) is an Australian convicted scammer and pseudoscience advocate. She is the author of ''The Whole Pantry'' mobile app and its later companion cookbook. Throughout her career as a wellness guru, Gibs ...

Ann Louise Gittleman Ann Louise Gittleman is an American author and proponent of alternative medicine, especially fad diets. She regards herself as a nutritionist. Gittleman has written more than two dozen books and is known for ''The Fat Flush Plan'', a "detox" d ...

Sylvester Graham Sylvester Graham (July 5, 1794 – September 11, 1851) was an American Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer known for his emphasis on vegetarianism, the temperance movement, and eating whole-grain bread. His preaching inspired the graha ...

Steven Gundry Steven R. Gundry (born July 11, 1950) is an American physician and low-carbohydrate diet author. He is a former cardiac surgeon and cardiac surgery researcher, who currently runs his own experimental clinic investigating the impact of diet on hea ...

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Vani Hari Vani Deva Hari (born March 22, 1979), who blogs as the Food Babe, is an American author, activist, and affiliate marketer who criticizes the food industry. She started the Food Babe blog in 2011, and it received over 54 million views in 2014. ...

* Gayelord Hauser *

William Howard Hay William Howard Hay (December 14, 1866 – 1940) was an American physician and director of The East Aurora Sun and Diet Sanatorium. He is principally known for the ' Hay diet', a food-combining dietary system. Career Hay graduated from the New ...

Linda Hazzard Linda Laura Hazzard (''née'' Burfield; December 18, 1867 – June 24, 1938), nicknamed the "Starvation Doctor" was an American quack, swindler and convicted serial killer noted for her promotion of fasting, pummeling and hours-long enemas as tre ...

* Bob Hoffman * Adolphus Hohensee *

Patrick Holford Patrick Holford is a British author and entrepreneur who endorses a range of controversial vitamin tablets. As an advocate of alternative nutrition and diet methods, he appears regularly on television and radio in the UK and abroad. He has 36 b ...

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D. C. Jarvis DeForest Clinton Jarvis (March 15, 1881 – August 18, 1966) was an American physician from Vermont. He is best known for his writings on the subject of folk medicine. He recommended a mixture of raw apple cider vinegar and honey that has variousl ...

Jasmuheen Jasmuheen (born Ellen Greve; 1957) is a proponent of "pranic nourishment" or breatharianism, the practice of living without food or fluid of any sort and regarded by the scientific community as a lethal pseudoscience. She makes appearances at ...

Isaac Jennings Isaac Jennings (November 7, 1788 March 13, 1874) was an American physician and writer who pioneered orthopathy (natural hygiene). Biography Jennings was born on November 7, 1788 in Fairfield, Connecticut.Orcutt, Samuel; Beardsley, Ambrose. (1 ...

Adolf Just Adolf Just (born 8 August 1859, Lüthorst near Dassel, Kingdom of Hanover; died 20 January 1936, Blankenburg (Harz)) was a German naturopath. He was the founder of the sanatorium Jungborn in Eckertal (resin). Life He began an apprenticeship as ...

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William Donald Kelley William Donald Kelley (November 1, 1925 – January 30, 2005) was an American orthodontist who developed "non-specific metabolic therapy," an alternative cancer treatment, now known to be ineffective, which he based on his personal belief that " ...

Willis Sharpe Kilmer Willis Sharpe Kilmer (October 18, 1869 – July 12, 1940) was a patent medicine manufacturer, newspaperman, horse breeder, and entrepreneur. Biography Willis Kilmer, son of Jonas M. Kilmer and Julia E. Sharpe, was a marketing pioneer, newspape ...

Henry Valentine Knaggs Henry Valentine Knaggs (14 February 1859 – 11 July 1954) was an English physician, anti-vaccinationist, naturopath and alternative health writer.Dr. H. Valentine Knaggs (obituary), "N.T.", ''The Times'', 24 July 1954.Brown, P. S. (1991)''Medic ...

* Lelord Kordel *

Catherine Kousmine Catherine Kousmine (September 17, 1904, in Hvalynsky, Russia – August 24, 1992, in Lutry, Switzerland) was a Russian physician who proposed an alternative cancer treatment. Kousmine devised a restrictive diet for treating many human ailments i ...

Morris Krok Morris Krok (28 April 1931 – October 2005) was a South African author, publisher and health educator. Biography Background Morris Krok was born in Johannesburg and brought up in Durban, South Africa. As a young man, he started to seek sol ...

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* Henry Lindlahr * Benedict Lust

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Aseem Malhotra Aseem Malhotra is a British cardiologist, public health campaigner, author, and advocate against the use of COVID vaccines. He campaigns for people to reduce sugar in their diet, promotes a low-carb and high-fat diet, and encourages the reduct ...

* Judy Mazel * Alfred W. McCann * Frank McCoy *

John A. McDougall John A. McDougall (born May 17, 1947) is an American physician and author. He has written a number of diet books advocating the consumption of a low-fat vegan diet based on starchy foods and vegetables. His eponymous diet, called ''The McDouga ...

* Gillian McKeithCooke, Rachel
"The vegetable monologues"
''The Observer'', 12 June 2005. * Joseph Mercola *

Eustace Miles Eustace Hamilton Miles (22 September 1868 – 20 December 1948) was a British real tennis player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics, restaurateur, and a diet guru who made his name selling health products and health advice to Edward ...

Earl Mindell Earl Lawrence Mindell (born January 20, 1940) is a Canadian-American writer and nutritionist who is a strong advocate of nutrition as preventive healthcare and homeopathy. Early life and education Mindell was born to parents William and Minerva ...

Theodor Morell Theodor Gilbert Morell (22 July 1886 – 26 May 1948) was a German medical doctor known for acting as Adolf Hitler's personal physician. Morell was well known in Germany for his unconventional treatments. He assisted Hitler daily in virtually ev ...

* James Morison * Michael Mosley

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* Mary Gove Nichols * Gary Null

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Mehmet Oz Mehmet Cengiz Öz (; born June 11, 1960), known professionally as Dr. Oz (), is an Turkish American former professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University, television presenter, author and former political candidate. The son of Tur ...

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Gwyneth Paltrow Gwyneth Kate Paltrow (; born ) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Paltrow gained notice for her early work in films ...

James Martin Peebles James Martin Peebles (March 23, 1822 – February 15, 1922) was an American physician, prolific author and organizer of many professional, medical, and Psychic/Spiritualist religious associations. Biography Peebles was born in Whitingham, Verm ...

David Perlmutter David Perlmutter is a Naples, Florida, Naples, Florida–based American celebrity doctor and author. Early life Perlmutter's father Irwin was a Miami neurosurgeon. David Perlmutter received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of M ...

Nicholas Perricone Nicholas Perricone is an American celebrity doctor. He is a board certified dermatologist, a businessman, and the author of self-help books about weight loss and maintaining the appearance of youth. He earned his medical degree from the Michigan ...

Lydia Pinkham Lydia Estes Pinkham (born Estes; February 9, 1819 – May 17, 1883) was an American inventor and marketer of an herbal-alcoholic "women's tonic" for menstrual and menopausal problems, which medical experts dismissed as a quack remedy, but w ...

Edward Earle Purinton Edward Earle Purinton (April 24, 1878 – July 10, 1943) was an American businessman, Naturopathy, naturopath, philosopher and self-help writer. Biography Purinton was born in Morgantown, West Virginia. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts from De ...

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Andrea Rabagliati Andrea Carlo Francisco Rabagliati (1843 in Scotland – 7 December 1930 in Bradford, England) was a physician and author of books on dietary practice. Career Andrea Rabagliati was the son of Giacomo Rabagliati, a political refugee from Italy, an ...

* Matthias Rath * Lair Ribeiro *

John and Vera Richter John Theophilus Richter (June 10, 1863 – January 24, 1949) and Vera May Richter ( Weitzel, December 11, 1884 – January 13, 1960) were an American married couple who ran an early raw food restaurant in Los Angeles, the Eutropheon, which ...

* J. I. Rodale

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Maureen Kennedy Salaman Maureen Kennedy Salaman (April 4, 1936 – August 17, 2006) was an American author, proponent of alternative medicine, and candidate of the American Independent Party for Vice President of the United States in the 1984 election. Biography S ...

* Anthony Sattilaro *

Gustav Schlickeysen Gustav Schlickeysen (September 9, 1843 – 1893) was a German Naturopathy, naturopath and Raw foodism, raw food advocate. Biography In 1875, Schlickeysen attacked meat-eating for causing militarism and a "roaming, savage and warlike life".Treit ...

Herbert M. Shelton Herbert McGolfin Shelton (October 6, 1895 – January 1, 1985)Oswald, Jean A. (1989). ''Yours for Health: The Life and Times of Herbert M. Shelton''. Franklin Books. was an American naturopath, alternative medicine advocate, author, pac ...

Walter Siegmeister Walter Isidor Siegmeister (October 5 or 6, 1903 – September 10, 1965),Brad Whitsel (2001)Walter Siegmeister's Inner-Earth Utopia ''Utopian Studies'' 12 (2): 82-102. later known as Raymond W. Bernard, was an early 20th-century American alternativ ...

* Lendon Smith *

Suzanne Somers Suzanne Marie Somers (née Mahoney; born October 16, 1946) is an American actress, author, singer, businesswoman, and health spokesperson. She appeared in the television role of Chrissy Snow on ''Three's Company'' and as Carol Foster Lambert on ...

Alois P. Swoboda Alois P. Swoboda (1873–1938) was an American quackery, quack and physical culture mail-order instructor.Cramp, Arthur J. (1921)''Nostrums and Quackery, Volume 2'' Press of American Medical Association. pp. 788-796. Swoboda claimed that his exerc ...

* Edmund Bordeaux Szekely

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* Herman Taller *

John Henry Tilden John Henry Tilden (January 21, 1851 – September 1, 1940) was an American physician best known in circles of alternative healthcare for his criticism of pharmaceutics and for his theory explaining disease via "toxaemia". Career Tilden was bo ...

* Kevin Trudeau

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Walter L. Voegtlin Walter Lyle Voegtlin (March 4, 1904 – 1975) was an American Gastroenterology, gastroenterologist and pioneer of the Paleolithic diet. Biography Voegtlin was born at Des Moines, Iowa.Voegtlin, Walter L. (1933). ''Evacuation of the Gall Bladd ...

* Aajonus Vonderplanitz

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* Robert Walter *

Joshua Ward Joshua Ward (1685–1761) was an English doctor, most remembered for the invention of Friar's Balsam. He sat briefly in the House of Commons from 1715 to 1717. Life Ward was born in Yorkshire. He was the brother of John Ward who was MP for seve ...

George S. Weger George Stephen Weger (September 2, 1874 – January 16, 1935) was an American physician and Orthopathy, natural hygiene proponent. Biography Weger was born in Baltimore, Maryland.Carr, Michael W. (1903)''A History of Catholicity in Northern Ohio ...

Ann Wigmore Ann Wigmore (March 4, 1909 – February 16, 1994) was a Lithuanian–American holistic health practitioner, naturopath and raw food advocate. Influenced by the 'back to nature' theories of Maximilian Bircher-Benner, she maintained that plants c ...

* David Wolfe

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* Robert O. Young"Putting the pH diet to the acid test
, ''Bendigo Advertiser''. Retrieved October 3, 2019.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Food faddists, List of * Lists of people by association Lists of people by ideology