While low-carb diets are all the rage today, they can be traced back to one man who is said to have birthed the stripped-back way of eating. 

William Banting, a funeral director residing in London during the mid-19th century, asserted that he lost 52lb and reduced his waist by more than 13 inches in a year by following a low-carb diet after battling weight issues for three decades.

His diet, however, while low in carbs, included some items that doctors today say to avoid to drop pounds, including alcohol and whipped cream. 

By 1862, when he was 64, Banting was considered obese, weighing 202lb at a height of 5ft 5in with a BMI of 33.6, prompting him to quit bread, butter, milk, sugar, beer, and potatoes, and focus on consuming primarily animal protein, fruit, and non-starchy vegetables.

Slimmer: Fitness YouTuber William Tennyson has tried out what is believed to be the world’s first weight-loss diet

Impressed by his transformation, he documented his weight loss journey in a booklet named ‘Letter On Corpulence, Addressed To The Public,’ recognized as one of the pioneer diet guides.

To see how Banting’s diet holds up in the 21st century, fitness YouTuber William Tennyson decided to give it a go for one day. 

In a YouTube video, Tennyson begins his day with Banting’s ‘Corrective cordial,’ which consists of a quarter of a gallon of blackberry juice, 1lb of sugar, 0.5oz of grated nutmeg, 0.5oz of powdered cinnamon, 0.25oz of allspice, 0.25oz of cloves, and a pint of brandy.

One tablespoon of this solution is then diluted in a glass of water. 

Tennyson, describing the drink, which he remarks ‘tastes like Christmas,’ commented: ‘I think in the 19th century every single day when you wake up you could probably die of 14 different diseases.

‘So, ideally, you’d want your immune system to be absolutely 100 percent. I don’t think this [drink] would achieve that. I believe it’s just an excuse to consume sugar and alcohol in the morning. Dare I say an energy drink is healthier.’

Moving on to breakfast, Tennyson rustles up a feast in line with what Banting would have eaten.    

In his diet book, Banting wrote: ‘For breakfast, I take four or five ounces of beef, mutton, kidneys, broiled fish, bacon, or cold meat of any kind except pork; a large cup of tea (without milk or sugar), a little biscuit, or one ounce of dry toast.’

This restriction of pork stemmed from a belief at the time that it contained starch and saccharine matter, which Banting and his medical adviser, William Harvey, believed contributed to the creation of fat and hindered weight loss. 

Tennyson said that it is easy to understand why Banting lost weight with such a ‘sad looking’ breakfast. 

Groundbreaker: William Banting, who was a funeral director living in London during the mid-19th century, claimed to have lost 52lb  by adhering to the low-carb diet covered in a booklet titled Letter On Corpulence

He said the mutton (aged lamb) tastes ‘very earthy’ and ‘like I’m licking a barn door.’ 

However, he noted he was happy to see some protein on his plate to kick off the day. 

Studies consistently show that increasing your protein intake is one of the most effective strategies for promoting satiety and helping with weight loss.

Meanwhile, some carbohydrates such as pastries and pasta, don’t keep you full because they are refined or processed, causing rapid blood sugar spikes and crashes that lead to hunger. 

In the 19th century, what is now called lunch was generally known as dinner, and it was the largest meal of the day, served in the early afternoon. 

In his food diary, Banting said for ‘dinner’ he enjoyed: ‘Five or six ounces of any fish except salmon, any meat except pork, any vegetable except potato, one ounce of dry toast, fruit out of a pudding, any kind of poultry or game, and two or three glasses of good claret, sherry, or Madeira – champagne, port and beer forbidden.’

Banting excluded salmon as it is considered one of the fattiest fish. 

Mirroring this medley, Tennyson made a meal with cod, Brussel sprouts, and a piece of dry toast. 

For dessert, he interpreted ‘fruit out of a pudding’ as a dish made with strawberries and whipped cream, and as a drink, he opts for sherry. 

While most modern-day diets generally recommend limiting or avoiding alcohol, Tennyson was surprised to see that alcohol is a running theme with the Banting diet, with up to seven glasses permitted per day. 

Breakfast: In the morning, Tennyson dined on mutton, a biscuit, and tea without milk and sugar

 The calorie count of wine varies significantly based on its alcohol content and sweetness. 

However, a standard five-ounce (150ml) glass of dry table wine typically ranges from 120 to 130 calories, while dessert wines and fortified wines like sherry can have a much higher calorie density. 

Dry sherries are low in sugar and calories, while sweet or cream sherries are much higher.     

As he sipped the sherry, Tennyson mused: ‘Dude has the priorities of a seasoned pirate. Or you want to know what? Maybe this was safer to drink than water.’

After his midday meal, Tennyson went for a ‘gentle walk’ before returning home for  ‘tea’ which comprised ‘two or three ounces of fruit, a rusk (a light, dry biscuit) or two, and a cup of tea without milk or sugar.’

The Banting diet was mainly concerned with food intake, with meals every three to four hours, and there is little focus on working out.     

Considering he ate less calories than he usually would, Tennyson said he was surprised how satisfied felt. 

For his final meal of the day, ‘supper,’  Tennyson opts for chicken in line with Banting’s meal plan (‘three or four ounces of meat or fish’) and this is paired with a ‘glass or two’ of sherry.

The YouTuber said he likes the light protein before bed but the alcohol leaves him feeling a little light headed, as it did so earlier in the day. 

Before bed, Banting recommended a ‘tumbler of grog (gin, whiskey, or brandy, without sugar) or a glass or two of claret or sherry.’

Tennyson opted to have a glass of gin, which made him feel even more woozy. He said: ‘[Banting] may have lost waist size, but man, that liver. So he says that this [alcohol] attributes to the perfect night’s sleep. I mean, yeah, probably because I’m going to be unconscious.’     

Alcohol creates an illusion of restful sleep by initially acting as a sedative, but it disrupts the natural sleep cycle, leading to less REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep and more light sleep, causing fragmented rest and frequent awakenings.

Dining: Tennyson made a lunch with cod, Brussel sprouts, and a piece of dry toast. For dessert, he added a dish made with strawberries and whipped cream, and drank a glass of sherry

At the end of the day – and alcohol aside, the YouTuber said he can see why the Banting diet can be effective when it comes to shedding weight as it is very low carb and it is less than the recommended calorie intake. 

He explained: ‘Other than the alcohol, I will say it’s actually kind of debatable that this diet is better than a lot of current diets.

‘[This is] because there’s just a lot of single-ingredient foods. No additives, no chemicals, just the food for what it is, which we need more of in today’s day and age. 

‘So, while there are a lot of things that we should stay away from today, there’s a lot of things that we should probably bring back and adopt.’

Tennyson used a food tracking app while on the Banting diet and in one day, it came out to 1,714 calories, 115g of protein, 31g of fat, and 68g of carbs.

For men, the recommended calorie intake per day is 2,500 calories and when it comes to macronutrients, the USDA recommends consuming 10 per cent to 35 percent of calories from protein, 45 per cent to 65 per cent from carbohydrates, and 20 per cent to 35 per cent from fat.

Tennyson said that the Banting diet is so low in carbs, ‘most people are going to lose some weight.’

New York-based nutritionist Laura Cipullo told DailyMail.com that the Banting diet is a precursor to today’s keto diet, which involves consuming a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat to help your body burn fat for energy.

She says: ‘The Banting or keto diet macronutrient distribution typically ranges from approximately 55 per cent to 60 per cent fat, 30 per cent to 35 per cent protein, and five per cent to 10 per cent carbohydrates. 

‘While you will dehydrate and lose all water related to glycogen stores immediately, you will then start to utilize fat and protein for energy. The goal is to use fat as the primary source.

However, personal trainer and fitness expert Natalya Alexeyenko says she is not a fan of such restrictive approaches to dieting. 

This is because from her observations, she believes strict approaches usually bring ‘only temporary results, and eventually, most people end up rebounding’.