Vox Rationis - 

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175 B.C.

The original Cabbage Soup Diet?
Cato advocated not only the consumption of cabbage itself to fend off illness, but also the consumption of the urine of a person who has eaten cabbage. He recommended this as a universal cure for dysentery, indigestion, drunkenness, ulcers, and warts.

According to Whelan and Stare, Cato 'is reported to have believed so strongly in the magical powers of cabbage that he continued to eat it even after his "cabbage diet" failed to save the lives of his wife and son.'

Whelan, E.M. & Stare, F.J. (1992) Panic in the Pantry. Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.
[with thanks to Stephen Barrett, MD.]