{"id":52291,"date":"2025-04-11T10:42:50","date_gmt":"2025-04-11T02:42:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/?p=52291"},"modified":"2026-01-30T06:14:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T06:14:19","slug":"what-is-the-ancestral-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/blog\/what-is-the-ancestral-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the ancestral diet may be the perfect human diet (and how to get started with it today)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many of us grew up on TV dinners, snack packs, fast foods, fizzy drinks, canned and boxed everythings\u2026 Far from the ancestral diet<\/strong> of our hunter-gatherer great-great-great-forebears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And little did we know how damaging it truly could be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHumans are supposed to be the smartest animals on the planet, and yet, we suffer with more illness and disease than any other animal on Earth<\/em>,\u201d says Eric Edmeades<\/strong>, the founder of WILDFIT\u00ae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a lifetime of shoveling in beige crap masquerading as food and suffering for it, we\u2019re finally<\/em> waking up. And this time, we\u2019re feeding the future, not our cravings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an ancestral diet?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The ancestral diet is an umbrella term for eating natural, unprocessed foods, like the kind people used to get by hunting, fishing, and gathering straight from the land and water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granted, we no longer have to actually<\/em> hunt and gather for our food (unless tracking down hummus in a crowded store is your idea of ancestral survival). But the whole idea is to eat what\u2019s natural, organic, and in sync with the four seasons of the human diet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just a set of rules but a way of reconnecting with foods our bodies evolved to process<\/em>,\u201d explains clinical dietician Marloes Mulder<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cUnlike strict diets like paleo or carnivore, it\u2019s flexible<\/em>.\u201d That means you can even eat foods that appeared after modern agricultural development, including dairy, grains, and healthy fats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounds simple, sure. But in a world of processed everything, it\u2019s a big shift. And a necessary one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Your health is far more dependent on you getting enough of the good stuff than it is on you eliminating the bad stuff.<\/p>\n\u2014 Eric Edmeades, founder of WILDFIT\u00ae<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The ultra-processed foods we\u2019ve been eating are linked to a rise in chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the CDC, nearly half of U.S. adults now have high blood pressure<\/a>, while over 38 million Americans live with diabetes<\/a>. The World Health Organization also names poor diet as a major driver behind the global surge in cardiovascular disease<\/a> and obesity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s not kid ourselves. Our bodies were never built to run on processed snacks and sugar bombs. And getting back to real, whole foods might be the smartest thing we ever do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancestral diet vs. other diets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hear the word \u201cdiet,\u201d and chances are, you picture counting calories, nibbling on a sad carrot, or swearing off bread for the third time this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turns out, that\u2019s not just in your head. Eric shares that a British newspaper reported that most people go on two<\/em> diets a year<\/a>, each one lasting an average of just six days. That\u2019s 12 days a year spent trying to eat better… and 353 days falling right back into old habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But fueling the body the way our ancestors did is way different than the traditional diet that we\u2019ve come to know (and, honestly, dread). Here\u2019s a closer look at how it compares to two usual food fads your favorite Karen swears by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancestral diet vs. paleo diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/strong><\/td>Ancestral diet<\/strong><\/td>Paleo diet<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Philosophy<\/td>Eat like your ancestors, but keep it flexible and seasonal<\/td>Eat like humans did before farming started<\/td><\/tr>
Food variety<\/td>Includes both plant and animal foods, even some modern ones<\/td>Excludes all grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods<\/td><\/tr>
Modern food allowed<\/td>Allows some dairy, grains, and healthy fats if tolerated<\/td>No dairy, grains, or anything post-agriculture<\/td><\/tr>
Focus<\/td>Seasonal eating, local sourcing, and body awareness<\/td>Historical accuracy and ingredient restrictions<\/td><\/tr>
Approach<\/td>Fluid and adaptive<\/td>Rule-based and often strict<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ancestral diet vs. carnivore diet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/strong><\/td>Ancestral diet<\/strong><\/td>Carnivore diet<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Philosophy<\/td>Balanced eating inspired by ancient lifestyles<\/td>Eat only animal-based foods<\/td><\/tr>
Food variety<\/td>Plants and animals<\/td>Only meat, fish, eggs, and animal fats<\/td><\/tr>
Carbs<\/td>Encourages natural sources like fruits and root veggies<\/td>No carbs at all<\/td><\/tr>
Fiber<\/td>Supports gut health<\/a> through fiber-rich foods<\/td>No fiber, since no plant foods are eaten<\/td><\/tr>
Approach<\/td>Adapts to your environment and biology<\/td>Extremely strict and exclusionary<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ancestral diet benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour health is far more dependent on you getting enough of the good stuff than it is on you eliminating the bad stuff<\/em>,\u201d says Eric. And we know our ancestors didn\u2019t have access to Pop-Tarts, Diet Coke, and whatever junk the food industry<\/a> has stocked up in our local grocery stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies of foragers like the Tsimane<\/a> of Bolivia, the Arctic Inuit<\/a>, and the Tanzanian Hadza<\/a> have found that these people traditionally didn\u2019t develop high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the human body hasn\u2019t changed much over the past 2.6 million years, the theory goes that our genes haven\u2019t had enough time to adapt to farmed and processed foods<\/strong>. The truth is, we\u2019ve only been eating them for the last 10,000 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what did they get from their food that the rest of us so-called \u201ccivilized people\u201d are missing out on today? Here\u2019s what an ancestral diet gave them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n