The Natural Human (Paleolithic) Diet

What are humans designed to eat? For hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors hunted for animals (including animal products) and gather vegetables and sometimes fruits for their meals. How many meals do they eat a day? It’s a safe bet to say anywhere from 1-3 times since they had no way to keep their food for a long amount of time and so they had consume it right away for the most part. They would probably eat a small breakfast (mostly nuts, seeds, and some fruits) and then go find food for lunch. Then eat whatever they find for a big lunch (usually meat, fish, eggs, and plants) and relax for a few hours. Then go find more food for a big dinner (meat, fish, eggs, and plants) and save some for tomorrow for breakfast (nonperishable food like nuts, seeds, and sometimes fruits).

What they ate in high quantity are: meat, seafood, eggs, low-starch vegetables, etc.

What they ate in medium quantity are: nuts, seeds, cheese, roots, etc.

What they ate in low quantity are: fruits, legumes, milk, potatoes, etc.

What they don’t eat are: sweets, alcohol, cakes, grains, etc.

Below are the nutrients, essential (need to consume in our diet) and nonessential (no need toconsume in our diet and can be manufactured by the body automatically or don’t need it at all), found in nature:

4 Macronutrients: nutrients we need in a huge amount.

Protein: This is an essential nutrient, hence the name, essential amino acids. We need a high amount of this, anywhere from 1-3x in grams per lb of bodyweight. Here’s the list of all the Essential Amino Acids we need in our diet:

§ Isoleucine

§ Lysine

§ Leucine

§ Methionine

§ Phenylalanine

§ Threonine

§ Tryptophan

§ Valine

§ Histidine^[3]

§ Arginine (more for preterm children than adults)

Fat: This is another essential nutrient, hence, the name, essential fatty acids. We need a very high amount of this, slightly higher than the amount of protein. All the fats are good except for trans-fat because it’s a processed fat and not natural. Below are the 2 Essential Fatty Acids we need in our diet:

§ α-Linolenic acid (the shortest chain omega-3 fatty acid)

§ Linoleic acid (the shortest chain omega-6 fatty acid)

Carbohydrate: This is a nonessential nutrient. We have zero need for this. You can function fine without this and in fact, you function better without carbs. However, carbs make food taste better so it’s ok to eat a little.

Alcohol: This is another nonessential nutrient. We have zero need for this. You function better without it. However, you can have alcohol every once in a while for enjoyment.

2 Types of Micronutrients: nutrients we need in a small amount.

Vitamins: Essential nutrients, which you need in a small amount. You need to have vitamins otherwise, you won’t function properly. Below are the essential vitamins we need in our diet:

§ Vitamin A (retinol)

§ Vitamin Bp (choline)

§ Vitamin B₁ (thiamin)

§ Vitamin B₂ (riboflavin, vitamin G)

§ Vitamin B₃ (niacin, vitamin P, vitamin PP)

§ Vitamin B₅ (pantothenic acid)

§ Vitamin B₆ (pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, or pyridoxal)

§ Vitamin B₇ (biotin, vitamin H)

§ Vitamin B₉ (folic acid, folate, vitamin M)

§ Vitamin B₁₂ (cobalamin)

§ Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

§ Vitamin D (ergocalciferol, or cholecalciferol)

§ Vitamin E (tocopherol)

§ Vitamin K (naphthoquinoids)

Minerals: Essential nutrients, which you need in a small amount. You need to have minerals otherwise, you won’t function properly. Below are the essential minerals we need in our diet:

§ Calcium (Ca)

§ Chloride (Cl⁻)

§ Chromium (Cr)^[4]

§ Cobalt (Co) (as part of Vitamin B₁₂)

§ Copper (Cu)

§ Iodine (I)

§ Iron (Fe)

§ Magnesium (Mg)

§ Manganese (Mn)

§ Molybdenum (Mo)

§ Nickel (Ni)

§ Phosphorus (P)

§ Potassium (K)

§ Selenium (Se)

§ Sodium (Na)

§ Sulfur (S) numerous roles^[5]

§ Zinc (Zn)^[6]

The required quantity varies widely between nutrients. At one extreme, a 70 kg human contains 1.0 kg of calcium, but only 3 mg of cobalt.