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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.

Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner
Born(1867-08-22)22 August 1867
Died24 January 1939(1939-01-24) (aged 71)
Occupation(s)Physician, nutritionist
Known forCreated muesli
WorksFood Science for All

Biography edit

Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner was born on 22 August 1867 in Aarau, Switzerland, to Heinrich Bircher and Berta Krüsi.[1] He attended the University of Zurich to study medicine, and later opened his own general clinic.[2]

During the first year the clinic was open, Bircher-Benner developed jaundice, and he claimed he recovered by eating raw apples. From this observation, he experimented with the health effects raw foods have on the body, and from this he promoted muesli; a dish based on raw oats, fruits and nuts.[3] Bircher-Benner expanded on his nutritional research and opened a sanatorium called "Vital Force" in 1897. He believed raw fruits and vegetables held the most nutritional value, cooked and commercially processed foods held even less, and meat held the least nutritional value. Eventually, Bircher-Benner gave up meat entirely and became a vegetarian. Other scientists of the time did not respond well to what Bircher-Benner referred to as his "new food science," but was sufficiently popular with the general public that he expanded his sanatorium practice.[1][4]

His nutritional habits and eating patterns steadily grew in popularity until he died on 24 January 1939 in Zürich.[5]

Nutrition edit

At his sanatorium in Zürich, a balanced diet of raw vegetables and fruit was used as a means to heal patients, contrary to the beliefs commonly held at the end of the 19th century.[3] Bircher-Benner believed raw foods were more nutritious because they contain direct energy from the sun.[6] He encouraged people of good health to eat approximately 50% raw foods on a daily basis, and for those with poor health to eat 100% raw foods. Bircher-Benner's sisters, Alice Bircher and Berta Brupbacher-Bircher, created many recipes using raw foods to help a diet of raw foods seem more appealing. Because of this help from his sisters, his sanatorium gained enormous popularity and he expanded the size of his clinic.[1][5]

Bircher-Benner postulated eating fruit, vegetables and nuts instead of meat. He also advocated a spartan physical regime. At his Zürich sanatorium off Bircher-Benner-Platz, the patients had to follow a somewhat monastic daily schedule including early bedtime (21:00), physical training and active gardening work. Each meal began with a small dish of muesli, developed by Bircher-Benner, followed by mostly raw vegetables and a dessert. Patients were not allowed to consume alcohol, coffee, chocolate or tobacco while they were being treated. Bircher-Benner also recommended his patients to sunbathe, take cold showers and use a medicinal bath developed by American physician John Harvey Kellogg.[1] His theory of life was based on harmony between people and nature, a key component of a German lifestyle reform movement, and the reason he named his clinic "Vital Force."[3]

Criticism edit

Bircher-Benner held pseudoscientific ideas about nutrition, including vitalism. He believed that all people including babies should eat only raw food.[7] Bircher-Benner developed the idea that cooking deprived foods of their nutritional content and destroyed their "vital substance". He believed that cooked foods leave decay in the digestive tract, that may cause autointoxication.[7]

Bircher-Benner's work was not recognized by other scientists until the discovery of vitamins in fruits and vegetables in the 1930s.[1] Because his ideas about nutrition were not supported by the science of his day, he was dismissed as a quack by the medical profession.[8] A contemporaneous academic review of Bircher-Benner's cookbook Health-Giving Dishes claims that the work contains "a mixture of physiological half-truths and fantasies" and concludes that the number of people capable of eating solely raw fruits and vegetables as Bircher-Benner encouraged is limited because only few humans can live as herbivores.[4] Thomas Mann, a well-known novelist, visited the sanatorium and described it as a "health jail."[1]

Despite disapproval from others, Bircher-Benner's ideas caught the public's eye and his sanatorium stayed in business until some time after his passing.[8]

Legacy edit

Shortly after his death, a second sanatorium was opened and named "People's Sanatorium for a Lifestyle Based on Nature," and was run according to Bircher-Benner's ideas. In 1939, the Vital Force clinic was renamed the "Bircher-Benner Clinic" in his memory.[3] In the late 20th century, after closure of the sanatorium, it was briefly a student hostel. It has since been purchased by Zürich Financial Services, and is named the Zürich Development Center. It is used for executive training, and also houses an extensive private art collection.[citation needed]

Several brands of factory-made cereals based on Bircher-Benner's original recipe for wholegrain-fruit-and-nut muesli are widely marketed as popular breakfast and snack foods in Europe and North America.[9][10]

Selected publications edit

  • Food Science For All (translated by Arnold Eiloart, 1928)
  • Fruit Dishes and Raw Vegetables: Sunlight (Vitamine) Food (1930)
  • Health-Giving Dishes (1934)
  • The Essential Nature and Organisation of Food Energy (translated by D. E. Hecht and E. F. Meyer, 1939)
  • The Prevention of Incurable Disease (translated by E. F. Meyer, 1959)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner". CooksInfo.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  2. ^ "Maximilian Bircher-Benner". www.benner.org.nz. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  3. ^ a b c d "Biography of Max Bircher-Benner – Zurich Development Center". www.zurichdevelopmentcenter.com. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  4. ^ a b "Notes on Books". The British Medical Journal. 1 (3864): 157. 1925-01-26. JSTOR 25343029.
  5. ^ a b "Dr. M. Bircher-Benner". The British Medical Journal. 1 (4075): 307. 1939-02-11. JSTOR 20302420.
  6. ^ Thuringer, Joseph M. (1927-09-01). Books Abroad. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma. p. 44.
  7. ^ a b Gratzer, Walter. (2005). Terrors of the Table: The Curious History of Nutrition. Oxford University Press. pp. 197-198. ISBN 0-19-280661-0
  8. ^ a b Fitzgerald, Matt. (2015). Diet Cults: The Surprising Fallacy at the Core of Nutrition Fads and a Guide to Healthy Eating for the Rest of US. Pegasus. p. 43. ISBN 978-1605988290 "There was, of course, no evidence that the life force that Bircher-Benner deemed all-important actually existed. His peers in the mainstream medical establishment dismissed the life-force concept as unscientific and branded Bircher-Benner a quack."
  9. ^ https://worldfiner.com/familia Familia brand Swiss Muesli official web site
  10. ^ https://www.alpenusa.com/ Alpen brand Swiss Muesli official USA web site

External links edit

  • Zurich Development Center

maximilian, bircher, benner, maximilian, oskar, bircher, benner, august, 1867, january, 1939, swiss, physician, pioneer, nutritionist, credited, popularizing, muesli, food, vegetarianism, maximilian, oskar, bircher, bennerborn, 1867, august, 1867aarau, switzer. 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 Maximilian Oskar Bircher BennerBorn 1867 08 22 22 August 1867Aarau SwitzerlandDied24 January 1939 1939 01 24 aged 71 Zurich SwitzerlandOccupation s Physician nutritionistKnown forCreated muesliWorksFood Science for All Contents 1 Biography 2 Nutrition 3 Criticism 4 Legacy 5 Selected publications 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksBiography editMaximilian Oskar Bircher Benner was born on 22 August 1867 in Aarau Switzerland to Heinrich Bircher and Berta Krusi 1 He attended the University of Zurich to study medicine and later opened his own general clinic 2 During the first year the clinic was open Bircher Benner developed jaundice and he claimed he recovered by eating raw apples From this observation he experimented with the health effects raw foods have on the body and from this he promoted muesli a dish based on raw oats fruits and nuts 3 Bircher Benner expanded on his nutritional research and opened a sanatorium called Vital Force in 1897 He believed raw fruits and vegetables held the most nutritional value cooked and commercially processed foods held even less and meat held the least nutritional value Eventually Bircher Benner gave up meat entirely and became a vegetarian Other scientists of the time did not respond well to what Bircher Benner referred to as his new food science but was sufficiently popular with the general public that he expanded his sanatorium practice 1 4 His nutritional habits and eating patterns steadily grew in popularity until he died on 24 January 1939 in Zurich 5 Nutrition editAt his sanatorium in Zurich a balanced diet of raw vegetables and fruit was used as a means to heal patients contrary to the beliefs commonly held at the end of the 19th century 3 Bircher Benner believed raw foods were more nutritious because they contain direct energy from the sun 6 He encouraged people of good health to eat approximately 50 raw foods on a daily basis and for those with poor health to eat 100 raw foods Bircher Benner s sisters Alice Bircher and Berta Brupbacher Bircher created many recipes using raw foods to help a diet of raw foods seem more appealing Because of this help from his sisters his sanatorium gained enormous popularity and he expanded the size of his clinic 1 5 Bircher Benner postulated eating fruit vegetables and nuts instead of meat He also advocated a spartan physical regime At his Zurich sanatorium off Bircher Benner Platz the patients had to follow a somewhat monastic daily schedule including early bedtime 21 00 physical training and active gardening work Each meal began with a small dish of muesli developed by Bircher Benner followed by mostly raw vegetables and a dessert Patients were not allowed to consume alcohol coffee chocolate or tobacco while they were being treated Bircher Benner also recommended his patients to sunbathe take cold showers and use a medicinal bath developed by American physician John Harvey Kellogg 1 His theory of life was based on harmony between people and nature a key component of a German lifestyle reform movement and the reason he named his clinic Vital Force 3 Criticism editBircher Benner held pseudoscientific ideas about nutrition including vitalism He believed that all people including babies should eat only raw food 7 Bircher Benner developed the idea that cooking deprived foods of their nutritional content and destroyed their vital substance He believed that cooked foods leave decay in the digestive tract that may cause autointoxication 7 Bircher Benner s work was not recognized by other scientists until the discovery of vitamins in fruits and vegetables in the 1930s 1 Because his ideas about nutrition were not supported by the science of his day he was dismissed as a quack by the medical profession 8 A contemporaneous academic review of Bircher Benner s cookbook Health Giving Dishes claims that the work contains a mixture of physiological half truths and fantasies and concludes that the number of people capable of eating solely raw fruits and vegetables as Bircher Benner encouraged is limited because only few humans can live as herbivores 4 Thomas Mann a well known novelist visited the sanatorium and described it as a health jail 1 Despite disapproval from others Bircher Benner s ideas caught the public s eye and his sanatorium stayed in business until some time after his passing 8 Legacy editShortly after his death a second sanatorium was opened and named People s Sanatorium for a Lifestyle Based on Nature and was run according to Bircher Benner s ideas In 1939 the Vital Force clinic was renamed the Bircher Benner Clinic in his memory 3 In the late 20th century after closure of the sanatorium it was briefly a student hostel It has since been purchased by Zurich Financial Services and is named the Zurich Development Center It is used for executive training and also houses an extensive private art collection citation needed Several brands of factory made cereals based on Bircher Benner s original recipe for wholegrain fruit and nut muesli are widely marketed as popular breakfast and snack foods in Europe and North America 9 10 Selected publications editFood Science For All translated by Arnold Eiloart 1928 Fruit Dishes and Raw Vegetables Sunlight Vitamine Food 1930 Health Giving Dishes 1934 The Essential Nature and Organisation of Food Energy translated by D E Hecht and E F Meyer 1939 The Prevention of Incurable Disease translated by E F Meyer 1959 See also editRaw foodismReferences edit a b c d e f Maximilian Oskar Bircher Benner CooksInfo com Retrieved 2015 10 09 Maximilian Bircher Benner www benner org nz Retrieved 2023 10 08 a b c d Biography of Max Bircher Benner Zurich Development Center www zurichdevelopmentcenter com Retrieved 2015 10 09 a b Notes on Books The British Medical Journal 1 3864 157 1925 01 26 JSTOR 25343029 a b Dr M Bircher Benner The British Medical Journal 1 4075 307 1939 02 11 JSTOR 20302420 Thuringer Joseph M 1927 09 01 Books Abroad Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma p 44 a b Gratzer Walter 2005 Terrors of the Table The Curious History of Nutrition Oxford University Press pp 197 198 ISBN 0 19 280661 0 a b Fitzgerald Matt 2015 Diet Cults The Surprising Fallacy at the Core of Nutrition Fads and a Guide to Healthy Eating for the Rest of US Pegasus p 43 ISBN 978 1605988290 There was of course no evidence that the life force that Bircher Benner deemed all important actually existed His peers in the mainstream medical establishment dismissed the life force concept as unscientific and branded Bircher Benner a quack https worldfiner com familia Familia brand Swiss Muesli official web site https www alpenusa com Alpen brand Swiss Muesli official USA web siteExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Maximilian Bircher Benner Zurich Development Center Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Maximilian Bircher Benner amp oldid 1195275092, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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