Bruno Laurioux studies the history of diets and nutrition from Antiquity to the present, reflecting on the fears, desires, and representations of an era.

Often thought of as a modern science for its associations with contemporary concerns, dietetics in fact has a long and storied history. In the days of Antiquity, lists of foodstuffs were already matched with medical properties and specific diets for self-care or staying healthy. The virtues ascribed to a given foodstuff have changed over the centuries, and some reputations even reversed (red meat, sugar, etc.). By combining intellectual and social history, this book reveals the origins of our consumption fads. Because it both alters society and must adapt to its changes, dietetics remains an eminently cultural phenomenon.