An Interesting Research Article On The Hunter-Gatherer Diet

Post by **tex** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:25 pm

Hi All,

Dr. Briffa blogged about a research article published this past June, that indicated that the diet our paleo ancestors actually ate, apparently ranged from 3% to 50% carbohydrates. Evidently, the farther away from the equator people lived, the lower their carb intake, which certainly makes sense, since plants grow best near the equator. Of course, these data were based on projections made from the diets of more recent hunter-gatherer tribes, but that's probably the best source of information available, at this stage of the game, since the paleo people didn't keep "winning the poo" diaries, (at least, none have been found, so far).

The most interesting part, though, is the observation that overall, the average hunter-gatherer living in paleo times averaged a diet containing about 20% carbohydrates. So why are our governments, our doctors, and all the other "health experts", trying to convince us that we need to eat a diet that contains 60% carbs, in order to be healthy? That's significantly higher than even the carb percentage of paleo ancestors who lived right on the equator, and it's obviously 3 times the average.

Sure, we can survive on a diet that contains 60% carbs, but is it healthy?

http://www.drbriffa.com/2011/10/11/it-l ... carb-diet/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21745624

Tex

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:54 pm

Tex,

I love, and am so grateful for, this perspective. I really do find a lower-carb, higher-fat/protein diet to be so helpful, after years (decades?) of working in the opposite direction.

Clearly an extra apple or chunk of butternut squash won't throw us off, as carbs go, but it doesn't take very many servings of grains to knock us off our optimal balance. Not to mention super-sweet, and highly addictive, 'treats' - whether GF or not! IMHO...

Love,
Sara

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:04 am

I'm really glad there are a few voices of sanity out there trying...........

Love, Shirley

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:35 am

Thanks for posting this, Tex. You know that I am a believer.

The ultimate outcome from the 60% carbohydrate (mainly grains) diet can be seen everyday in the number of Americans, at least 25 %, who suffer from the "metabolic syndrome X". This means obesity plus at least two of the following: increased triglycerides, increased blood pressure (over 130 systolic), increased fasting blood glucose or decreased HDL. It is so upsetting to me to see teens who are already suffering from this, not to mention increasing numbers who have developed full diabetes type II at such a young age.

And to think that our country has actually promoted this! It is truly an iatrogenic (medically-caused) disease, IMHO. I recall being shocked and incensed by that former FDA food pyramid that recommended 6-11 servings of grains a day. WHAT????? NO ONE should eat like that! For a long time now I have realized that I feel my very best on days when I eat no grains at all. That old recommendation to eat "sparingly" with regard to fats/oils needs to be appled to grains! Grains are killing us!!!

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to rant!

Love,

Polly