In 2002, the book ‘The Paleo Diet’, by Loren Cordain is published. In this book, he builds the case for eating habits as they were supposedly found in our Paleolithic ancestors. He claims that the origination of agriculture, about 10.000 years ago, gave rise to a host of health conditions related to our changing food habits.

As people settled down and started to work the land, milk and other dairy products entered our diets. And after the industrial revolution, roughly two centuries ago, our food became more and more processed.

Cavemen (or Paleolithic)Food

In the diet of the caveman, cereals and dairy are missing because agriculture and cattle-breeding hadn’t been developed yet. However, careful calculations by dietary experts have shown that this diet was remarkably rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers and (healthy) fatty acids. Only the calcium level was rather low.

Despite this low calcium, research has shown that the bones of our Paleolithic ancestors were stronger than the bones of present day man. It is thought that the high levels of potassium and sodium have a calcium saving effect.

For example, osteoporosis was virtually absent in the elderly (who were a lot younger in those days, of course).

Fats, Proteins and Carbs

Like in our diets, the caveman diet delivers energy in the form of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. But in a different ratio. The carbohydrates in the caveman diet are mainly provided by fruits and vegetables, whereas today, most carbohydrates are drawn from cereals, refined sugars and dairy.

This, however, does not really fit with our genetic predisposition. Where we eat too much bread and potatoes, we eat too little fish, healthy fats, vegetables and fruits.

The Composition

The nutrient composition of the caveman diet appears to be very healthy indeed, with only 7,5 grams of saturated fats, and an intake of five times more unsaturated fatty acids (the good ones). The fiber content lies between 40 and 100 grams, which is markedly higher than in most present people, who struggle to get to 30 grams.

The amount of vitamins and minerals is up to 8 times higher and the salt ingestion is limited to a health 2,5 grams, whereas today’s western people frequently pass 10 grams of salt in their diets.

References

Cordain, L. (2002). The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat. Wiley.
Cordain, L.; Eaton, S.B.; Sebastian, A.; Mann, N.; Lindeberg, S.; Watkins, B.A.; O’Keefe, J.H. & Brand-Miller, J. (2005). Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 81(2), pp. 341 – 354.
Pate, D.F. (1994). Bone chemistry and paleodiet. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory. 1(2), pp. 161 – 209.