Author: Sara Traynor

Trends come and go, fad diets never seem to go away. 1970s diets were especially interesting. In the midst of platform shoes and disco tunes, these diets were all the rage. Master Cleanse Diet While “cleanses” are super trendy right now, they’ve been around for decades. One particularly dangerous version is Stanley Burroughs’ Master Cleanse Diet, invented in the 1940s. This was also known as The Lemonade Diet or The Maple Syrup Diet. It rose to fame when he published his 1976 book The Master Cleanser. It involves nothing more than lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. You’re supposed to…

Celebs are undeniably trendsetters in health and fitness. Celebrity diets are so intense, they’ve become famous in their own right. These meal plans are so strange, we’re too afraid to try them. Shailene Woodley In February 2017, Shailene Woodley revealed to David Letterman that she willingly eats clay — about a teaspoon each day via her at-home toothpaste recipe, in fact. According to Woodley, eating clay helps rid one’s body of heavy metals and “radioactive isotopes.” She also reportedly takes her morning coffee with coconut oil and butter. Apparently, this makes the drink taste like a latte, without sugar and…

Following the scarce years of WWI, the roaring ’20s saw an explosion of culinary creativity. This amazing and sometimes offputting Jazz Age food should be all the evidence you need. What Was Jazz Age Food Like? The 1920s was a time of impressive culinary innovation. For one, advancements in food preservation led to the increased availability of canned and frozen foods. At the same time, Prohibition influenced the 1920s diner’s beverage choices. This “dry” period created a culture of speakeasies and homemade liquors, which weren’t always ultra-palatable. Overall, food in the 1920s wasn’t all that different from what we eat…

Because of WWII, certain 1940s foods were improvised, and a little had to go a long way. As you’ll come to see, people got creative. Gold Nugget Cake It turns out that banana bread isn’t the only sweet treat that calls for days-old bananas. You can use the fruit in Gold Nugget Cake, too. This cake was meant to taste similar to banana pudding. It’s deliciously topped with frosting flavored with fresh lemon juice and, of course, bananas. The dessert is relatively easy to make, and it’s bound to impress any household. People are more interested in things like ice cream…

As a kid, you’re bound to try some wacky food combinations. We scoured the internet for some of the weirdest combos that people thought were totally normal growing up. Oatmeal Cookies and Garlic Sausage One Redditor asked his fellow users what their favorite weird food combos are. “The bachelor’s treat” does not sound that sweet, if you catch our drift. Did they put the sausage on the cookies? In the cookies? Alongside the cookies? We’re not sure, but we’re intrigued, if just a little bit grossed out. There is something to be said for a sweet and salty food combination.…

It is never safe to consume lead, even at the lowest levels. Exposure to heavy metals like lead has been linked to a whole host of problems, especially for young children. Contamination is typically associated with older toys and paints found in older homes. These 13 common foods we eat probably contain lead. Home-Grown Vegetables Soil could contaminate garden-fresh food. Even though growing your own food is typically a smart choice for your health, it isn’t a practice that is without risks. Since vegetables and fruit can absorb lead from the soil they’re grown in, gardeners should be careful to…

During the ‘90s, kids basically lived off snacks like Dunk-a-roos and Gushers. Adults, however, were experimenting with the most popular 1990s diets, which were severely limiting. Low-Fat Foods On paper, it made sense that fat caused weight gain. As a result, low-fat foods were super popular during the 1980s and early 1990s. The issue? Manufacturers often add tons of sugar to low-fat (and non-fat) foods to compensate for flavor. Besides, fat is an essential nutrient. However, all fats aren’t equal. For example, avocado and almonds contain good-for-you fats that help control your cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart…

Sometimes, items leave the menu before we even have a chance to know they’re there. Let’s pay homage to the fast food menu items that you may have never even heard of before. Burger King Satisfries There’s an ongoing fry war between the fast food chains. Burger King saw the “Satisfry” menu item as their ultimate trump card. Or so they thought. Burger King used these fries’ lower calorie count as their main marketing tool. The thinking was that customers would flock to these supposed “guilt-free” fries. The menu item came out in 2013, but after a resounding failure, was discontinued…

Many weird foods were eaten during the Victorian period. Luckily, many of these strange dishes have been weeded out of modern cookbooks. We explored some of the era’s odd eats. Marrow Toast Marrow toast was a favorite of Queen Victoria’s. The recipe is in her cook’s (Charles Francatelli) book, The Cook’s Guide and Housekeeper’s & Butler’s Assistant. He instructs readers to procure bone from the butcher and remove the marrow. Cut the marrow into small pieces and parboil with salt for about a minute. Drain and toss with parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a smidge of shallot. Spread the mix onto…

Get ready to elevate your burger game! We’re diving into the top meats that promise to transform your patties from good to unforgettable. Let’s get juicy!