The Paleo Diet: Should Modern Humans Eat the Way Our Ancestors Did?

According to paleo diet literature, eating like our hunter-gatherer ancestors will help people lose weight and avoid diseases. But is this sound nutritional advice?

By Megan Schmidt
Aug 18, 2020 9:45 PMAug 20, 2020 2:21 PM
homo sapiens around a fire - shutterstock
(Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock)

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

Can you prevent weight gain and 21st-century health problems by eating the way our ancestors did? 

That’s the premise behind the paleo diet, which takes inspiration from the Paleolithic era that spanned between 2.6 million to 12,000 years ago — predating the advent of farming and animal domestication. 

Some followers of the paleo diet believe that humans are genetically adapted to eat a certain way — one that’s closer to how early humans ate. This view is rooted in the evolutionary discordance hypothesis, which states that human evolution stopped around 50,000 years ago. In other words, our Stone Age bodies are not suited for our modern diets of convenience and carbs, and this mismatch is making us fat and sick.  

While eating like a caveman or cavewoman isn’t easy, making the paleo leap is purported to result in a number of health benefits — from weight loss, to clearer skin, to improved mood, to better sleep. But like many health and wellness fads, researchers say paleo’s health benefits are likely too good to be true. 

Unfortunately, scientists haven’t found much evidence that backs up the health benefits of the paleo diet beyond weight loss. Other claims haven’t been studied at all. But what research has uncovered is that it might be unhealthy for some people to follow a paleo diet, particularly among those concerned with heart and kidney health.

0 free articles left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

0 free articlesSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

Stay Curious

Sign up for our weekly newsletter and unlock one more article for free.

 

View our Privacy Policy


Want more?
Keep reading for as low as $1.99!


Log In or Register

Already a subscriber?
Find my Subscription

More From Discover
Recommendations From Our Store
Shop Now
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2023 Kalmbach Media Co.