Is there an optimal diet for human beings?

Whole grains, ancient grains, meat, no meat, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean; is there an optimal diet for human beings? The NY Times recently explored this idea based on a recent study of hunter-gatherer groups that are in excellent health.

The journal Obesity Reviews reviewed the diets, habits, and physical activity levels of hundreds of modern hunter-gatherer groups and small-scale societies. Their lifestyles are similar to those of ancient populations and they found them to have excellent metabolic health while consuming a wide array of dietary habits.

Their regional diets could be heavy in carbohydrates or be heavy in meat or vegetables, or a combination thereof.

The study concluded that there is no true diet for humans, but an array of diets that can result in excellent health. Of course, it helps that these groups are very physically active as well.

Check out the NY Times article below

Is There an Optimal Diet for Humans?

A study of modern hunter-gatherer groups found that they exhibit generally excellent metabolic health while consuming a wide range of diets.

By Anahad O’Connor
Dec. 18, 2018

Nutrition experts have long debated whether there is an optimal diet that humans evolved to eat. But a study published this month adds a twist. It found that there is likely no single natural diet that is best for human health.

The research, published in the journal Obesity Reviews, looked at the diets, habits and physical activity levels of hundreds of modern hunter-gatherer groups and small-scale societies, whose lifestyles are similar to those of ancient populations. They found that they all exhibit generally excellent metabolic health while consuming a wide range of diets.