Also known as “The Caveman Diet”, the paleolithic diet is based on the presumed diet of our hunter-gatherer human ancestors during the Upper Paleolithic Era, which ended about 10,000 years ago.

The foods are those that could have been hunted or gathered in the locations where those ancestors primarily thrived from about 35,000 years ago, when the technology of fire and fishing implements were most likely introduced.

For the most part, these Stone Age nomads ate wild game meat, shellfish, leafy wild vegetables, fruit, nuts, and insects when and where they were available. This hearty diet ended at the start of the Neolithic agricultural revolution, when a nomadic lifestyle was considered obsolete and unnecessary.

The Neolithic Era, however, ended up having major dietary problems, including mass famine and malnutrition, leading many nutritionists to believe that the Upper Paleolithic diet was ideal for our newly-evolved human bodies.

Our modern-day version of this diet is very similar to the ancient paleolithic diet, and encourages the consumption of wild game and grass-fed meats, as well as fish and shellfish, vegetables low in carbohydrates, fresh fruit, fungi, roots such as carrots, beets and radishes that contain some healthier carbohydrates, and nuts. Only 23% of the diet consists of carbs, so this means no grains or bread, legumes such as soybeans and lentils, dairy products, starchy root vegetables like potatoes, refined sugar or salt, or processed oils. It is advised that fructose and gluten are especially avoided, but naturally-found items such as spices are perfectly acceptable.

The paleolithic diet is an especially healthy choice for all of us in our time because it excludes the fillers that make up so much of our diets. Lean meats that are free of antibiotics are much healthier than other less natural choices, and the vegetables allowed by this diet are full of vitamins and minerals, nutrients that improve the body by giving it the things it really needs to function at maximum efficiency. Carb-loading is a big problem for most of us right now, as they get us full but don’t really do anything else for us, especially if we don’t burn off the energy right away. As we, for the most part, have constant access to a wide variety of choices when it comes to what we eat, this diet encourages the consumption of only the most necessary of foods.This diet is good for us anytime, as we can adapt the diet to fit any part of the year. During the colder months, more meat is necessary to keep our bodies warm, and the amount of meat can be increased to protect us from the harsher weather.When our bodies need to be leaner and more fit during the spring and summer for increased outdoor activity, the paleolithic diet contains a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts, which provide more than sufficient nutrition.We all need this kind of food. This is the food that was integral for our ancient ancestors just as they were evolving into the humans we are today. It fueled our evolution and helped us to become a stronger, smarter race. We thrived on this food outdoors in many different locations and climates, and it’s good for everyone wherever they live.This food is taken right from the Earth and not processed to make it cheaper or easier for us to get. This is a conscientious dietary choice for anyone who wants to optimize their body’s functions and make it a more efficient and healthy machine. 

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