Introduction
Our ancestors, known for their energy and vigor, possessed incredible bodies fueled by a diet far removed from the processed foods of today. The ancestral diet, a return to the basics, emphasizes the consumption of foods that nourished our ancestors for generations. This guide delves into the ancestral diet, exploring its principles, benefits, and practical steps for creating a personalized meal plan.
What is the Ancestral Diet?
The ancestral diet is about returning to basics and eating foods our ancestors consumed for generations. It's a return to a time when our food wasn't processed, refined, or loaded with artificial additives. Ancestral eating provides the body with diverse nutrition from whole, unprocessed foods that naturally contain bioavailable fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
The specific foods included in an ancestral diet depend largely on the location where your ancestors lived (their geographical location). If you live near the sea, for example, then your ancestral diet would contain lots of seafood.
An ancestral diet is based on wholesome, nutrient-dense foods from natural sources and completely free from industrialized processes. These foods should have been easy for our direct ancestors and paleolithic ancestors to access in the past.
Core Principles of Ancestral Eating
Although many early cultures lived in isolated areas, they remarkably all followed similar eating principles:
Read also: Is the Ancestral Diet Right for You?
- Prioritize Nutrient-Dense Foods: Ancestral diets emphasize whole, unprocessed foods, ensuring a rich intake of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. When food is processed, most of the nutrients are lost. When eating natural foods, you’re consuming the foods your body was made for-foods without additives and full of nutrients. This means you're getting more essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with every bite.
- Embrace Healthy Fats: Think avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil-as well as animal fats like tallow, lard, and butter. Healthy fats provide a stable source of energy, support cell growth, and aid in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins.
- Limit Grains and Processed Carbohydrates: If grains are included, they're usually whole grains in moderation. One of the most significant shifts in an ancestral diet is eliminating sugar and highly processed carbohydrates. Excessive sugar consumption is linked to various health issues, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. By reducing your sugar intake, you're taking a step toward better health. You’re also taking a step toward more stable energy levels by eliminating the energy crashes sugar can cause.
- Listen to Your Body: Your body is a wise guide when it comes to eating. Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. Eat when you're hungry, and stop when you're satisfied. Tuning in to your body's signals helps you avoid overeating and promotes mindful eating.
- Follow your intuition. A lot of people will try to influence the way you eat-and it’s important to follow the wisdom of holistic doctors and medical professionals. However, remember that you’re wired for survival, and your own intuition can tell you a lot, too.
- No processed foods. Our ancestors did occasionally eat things like wheat and sugar, but they were in their whole-food form and unprocessed.
- Consume lots of animal protein. Compared to our ancestors, we don’t eat nearly as much animal protein. And the animal protein we do eat (thighs, breasts, etc.) isn’t even the most nutritious part of the animal.
- Prioritize grass-fed meats. We consume the nutrients our animal protein consumes. Grass-fed beef and other meats have shown significantly more nutritional benefit than typical grocery store brands.
- Eat nose-to-tail. By consuming the whole animal, we cut down on waste-and it seems nature rewards us. There are a lot of nutrients in organ meats and bone marrow-in fact, they can act like a natural (and more bioavailable) multivitamin.
Potential Benefits of Adopting an Ancestral Diet
The answer is that ancestral eating may benefit our health in many ways. Indeed, experts say that the human genome (our complete set of genetic information) has barely changed since modern early humans first existed. But the result has been a significant increase in chronic illnesses like obesity, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease (cardiovascular disease). So, if you suffer from lifestyle-related diseases, you may want to consider switching to a more ancestral-based approach. So what are the possible benefits of switching to an ancestral diet based on organic, locally sourced ingredients? It is likely that eating more real food and ancestral foods will include more essential nutrients and will benefit overall health.
- Weight Management: If you've ever struggled with maintaining a healthy weight, an ancestral diet might be the answer you've been searching for. An ancestral diet is all about that. When your meals are nutrient-dense and filling, you're less likely to experience those familiar hunger pangs that lead to overeating.
- Stable Energy Levels: An ancestral diet can help you regain control over your energy levels. Removing refined sugars and highly processed carbohydrates in your diet prevents mid-afternoon crashes that leave you reaching for sugary snacks. Instead, you'll experience more stable blood sugar levels throughout the day.
- Reduced Inflammation: Inflammation, the body's natural response to injury or illness, can sometimes go haywire and become chronic. This chronic inflammation is linked to various health issues, including heart disease and autoimmune disorders.
- Connection to Nature: In a world filled with artificial additives, preservatives, and highly processed foods, an ancestral diet is a return to simplicity. By choosing an ancestral diet, you're taking a step closer to nature. You're reconnecting with natural foods that are free from artificial enhancements.
- Improved Gut Health: Most probiotic-rich foods are ones that our ancestors would have eaten. This includes yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and more.
- Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: These foods are filled with empty calories, meaning that they cause you to gain weight without offering any real nutrition.
- Addresses the Root Cause of Inflammation: Inflammation is how your body responds to an infection, injury, or allergy, often causing pain, swelling, and redness. Rather than a normal response designed to restore health to the body, it arises for no clear reason and can last indefinitely.
Crafting Your Personalized Ancestral Diet Plan
Building your personalized ancestral diet plan doesn't have to be complicated.
- Embrace Whole Foods: The foundation of your ancestral diet plan is whole foods. This means going for foods as close to their natural state as possible. Load your plate with unprocessed, nutrient-dense options like meat, fish rich in fatty acids, fresh vegetables, and fruits. Whole foods are rich in essential nutrients and free from the additives and preservatives found in processed foods.
- Prioritize Protein: Protein is your ally in an ancestral diet. It's not just about muscle-building; it plays a crucial role in overall health. Think grass-fed and -finished beef, pastured poultry, wild-caught fish, and eggs. Protein is also essential for repairing tissues, supporting immune function, and maintaining a healthy metabolism.
- Incorporate Healthy Fats: Don't shy away from healthy fats that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Our ancestors relied on sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, in addition to the fats that come from natural meat. Healthy fats provide a stable source of energy, support cell growth, and aid in absorbing fat-soluble vitamins.
- Reduce Sugar Consumption: One of the most significant shifts in an ancestral diet is eliminating sugar and highly processed carbohydrates. Excessive sugar consumption is linked to various health issues, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. By reducing your sugar intake, you're taking a step toward better health. You’re also taking a step toward more stable energy levels by eliminating the energy crashes sugar can cause.
- Diversify Your Plate: Diversity is the spice of life, which also applies to your ancestral diet. Mix up your meals with colorful fruits and vegetables. Each hue represents a unique set of nutrients, so the more variety, the better. But perhaps more important is to throw in a bit of organ meat-because that’s one of the main things our ancestors ate that we have a hard time getting in the average diet. They just so happen to be the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet.
- Hydrate Adequately: Water is essential for overall health. Drink plenty of mineral-rich water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Your water is one of the hardest things to get right, because so many of our normal water sources have hidden problems, like BPAs that come from plastic, or the chlorine in your tap water. Herbal teas are also a great option to add in your diet. Proper hydration supports digestion, regulates body temperature, and ensures the efficient transport of nutrients throughout your body.
Navigating the Financial Aspects of Ancestral Eating
Whether you are just getting started trying to shift your dietary choices to a more ancestral approach, or whether you’ve been living this way for a while, it’s possible that you’ve worried about the financial costs of eating this way. Maybe you’re motivated to eat a more evolutionarily-aligned diet, but anxiety kicks in every time the total comes up at the Whole Foods check-out. I must admit, I don’t love the title of this article. It implies that an ancestral diet is inherently “expensive”. But I don’t believe that has to be true. Eating out regularly is expensive. Paying for medications and healthcare bills fueled by poor diet and lifestyle choices is expensive. However, there is still a way to overspend on an ancestral diet. Unfortunately, many natural food companies or alternative healthcare providers-though well-intentioned-have promoted the idea that the only way to be healthy in this modern world is to eat 100% organic, only buy pasture-raised eggs, and avoid any and all GMOs. While there is benefit to doing these things, I believe it is dangerous to make people think it’s essential. That is an anxiety-inducing message rather than an empowering message. On the other hand, an empowering message-one that I hope you’ll gain from this brief article-is this: keep it simple, eat whole foods, cook at home, and spend what you can afford. The health foods market is incredibly saturated with products claiming to revolutionize your health. Many of them are fantastic. But there is a balance between not spending enough to get the quality types of food that will fuel good health, and overspending on sometimes unnecessary organic superfoods. Coming from someone who is still going through school, I’m constantly making sure I fall on the right side of that spectrum. My wife and I have been eating this way for a while, and we don’t have a ton of money lying around. Here 8 simple tips for you to get the most out of your dollars. Some are specific for ancestral eating while others are general grocery shopping/meal planning principles. Regardless, if you apply any or all of them, you will start saving money immediately! Our hunter-gatherer ancestors-and likely even our grandparents’ generation-lived a life where the terms “organic”, “non-GMO”, “grass-fed” and “free-range” didn’t exist. They didn’t need to exist. Humans evolved in a world connected to their food: 100% wild, organic, fresh, straight from nature. However, there should be a hierarchy of priorities when we think about what foods to purchase to best optimize our nutrition. Along with eating organic, our ancestors didn’t consumed refined sugar, refined grains, vegetable oils, or any packaged or processed foods. Purchasing the types of foods they ate-fruits, vegetables, meat, etc-should come before the quality of those foods, as important as that is as well. If you don’t have the extra money, don’t sweat buying everything organic. Consider using the Environmental Working Group’s “Clean Fifteen” and “Dirty Dozen” to prioritize which produce to buy organic. Whole Foods and similar health food stores are fantastic. They have more options for special dietary needs than anywhere else, and tremendous food quality. With that being said, they aren’t the only options for buying good, healthy food. They’re expensive, and I rarely ever go, as much as I love them. We shop at our local WinCo (if you have one nearby, I’d highly recommend it. They really should have compensated me by now for how many friends I’ve convinced). WinCo provides our staples: vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, rice (OK for many!), spices and seasonings, coconut milk, and coconut oil, among other things. We supplement this with occasional Thrive Market orders to get more speciality items such as red palm oil, ghee, EPIC bars, coconut aminos, etc. Eating an ancestral diet doesn’t mean perfectly emulating hunter-gatherers. I know they didn’t consume dark chocolate, but I’m not about to give that up! And in the previous tip, I mentioned that we regularly buy white rice, which can be fine for many people. We’ll also often have some corn chips, potatoes, and a few other non-Paleo/questionably-Paleo foods. I am careful not to eat them frequently enough to sacrifice my health (I definitely can eat my way into problems), but including small amounts of these foods in my diet right now saves money as well as keeps my diet flexible and varied. With that being said, it may be that, in your situation, you need to be more strict than I am. 4. This isn’t exclusive to someone trying to eat ancestrally, nor is it remarkably unique advice, but holy cow it’s a game-changer! No matter where you go out to eat (I am looking at you, McDonald’s), no matter what great deals you may find, eating out even a few times a week will almost always rack up your food spending, usually more than anything else. I’ve been more aware of my budget since getting married, and am continually amazed by how expensive eating out, even at “cheaper” locations, ends up being. In order to save money and make ancestral eating an affordable eating pattern, eating out must be limited. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love eating out. Trying new restaurants and just being in that social atmosphere is almost universally loved, and I’m no exception. But let’s face it, restaurants aren’t very ancestral: eating out is an institution of modernity, and restaurants often use cheap ingredients. 5. I haven’t bought a steak in months. We know that our ancestors ate “nose-to-tail”, and so buying certain cuts of muscle meat again and again may not be optimal for your health or your wallet. We like to mix it up and go for the ground beef, chuck roast, rump roast, and occasionally brisket (as a Texan, I must endorse brisket consumption as a critical ingredient of a healthy diet). As I mentioned on the first tip, buying organic or grass-fed isn’t always a necessity, but one benefit of going for cheaper cuts of meat is that we find grass-fed to be affordable. 6. Maybe this goes without saying, but buying in bulk is key if you aren’t already doing it. Frozen fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat and other foods can often be purchased in larger quantities upfront to save money in the long run. Even if it makes your bill expensive one week, if it’s cheaper per ounce or per unit, it’s usually worth it! After you’ve bought the staples of your diet in bulk where possible, try and keep the number of ingredients you buy to a reasonable amount. It seems that very often in the Paleo/ancestral health community people want to make every meal based on an extravagant recipe with a laundry list of specialized (and often expensive) ingredients. While portobello mushroom burgers topped with bacon served alongside cauliflower rice and sweet potato fries is an incredible meal, it can be helpful to limit these kinds of meals, or save them for special occasions. Keep it simple throughout the week. We will often make some meat in the crockpot along with a veggie and some potatoes, and eat that for several days. 7. Snacks can be expensive. Unfortunately, healthier snack choices like beef jerky and nuts tend to be far more pricey than common snacks like chips or granola bars. It may be worth asking yourself if the snacks you’re buying are necessary. It may very well be that for you they are. For many people who have high activity days, healthy snacks are an important part of what keeps them going. However, the majority of our hunter-gatherer ancestors likely weren’t eating nearly as frequently as we are today. Studies are showing that, for many people, practices like intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding are valuable. 8. Can you afford not to eat this way? That’s the way I think when I sometimes get flustered and wish we could go for the ramen and other dirt-cheap pre-packaged foods. I simply can’t afford to do that, and I don’t want to! I know that with every dollar I put into these nutrient-dense foods, I’m actually investing in the health of myself and my family. I’m investing dollars into living better now, with more energy and vitality. And I’m investing in disease-free, vibrant later years to spend with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Some people may feel fine eating mostly crappy foods for now, but the time usually comes when it catches up with them.
Transitioning to an Ancestral Diet
Shifting immediately to a new diet can be counterproductive. So, do it slowly but surely. One of the ways you can do this is by taking supplements first. Our liver capsules are a concentrated source of essential nutrients, including vitamin A, B vitamins, iron, and more. We understand that sourcing, preparing, and eating organ meats can be challenging. Our capsules contain pure grass-fed beef liver with no added fillers or artificial ingredients. It is easy to incorporate. Simply take a few liver capsules daily as part of your dietary supplement routine. If you're committed to optimizing your health through an ancestral diet, our Grass-Fed Beef Liver Capsules are the perfect complement. This post is authored by blog contributor and new writing intern Andrew Graham. Andrew is a friend of the team and is as passionate about ancestral health as we are. Disclaimer: If you are on a therapeutic diet under the direction of a practitioner, some of these tips may not apply. Strict adherence is often necessary.
Finding Your Ancestral Diet
There isn’t a single ancestral diet, as the foods our ancestors consumed varied greatly according to their geographical location, climate, and cultural practices. Some consumed something like what we now know as the Paleo diet, while others were fond of a more plant-dominant diet. Explore the traditional cooking techniques used by your ancestors to enjoy the same flavors they did. These could include fermenting, soaking, and sprouting. You should ask your elders and check your history to study your ancestors’ dietary patterns. Although it isn’t necessary to incorporate these into your life, you can examine the difference between a plant-based and Paleo diet to make informed decisions.
Read also: Principles of the Ancestral Diet
- The key is to concentrate on local and seasonal foods that haven’t been overly-processed.
- For example, you may regularly eat certain fruits that are not compatible with an ancestral diet, maybe because they are imported from overseas.
- Making the switch to an ancestral diet can be a little overwhelming at first. Start small. Gradually replace every packaged, processed food you buy with a natural alternative. Plan ahead to give you the time you need to track down the appropriate foods.
Comparisons to Other Diets
- Paleo Diet: The Ancestral Diet is a broader concept, encompassing various traditional diets from different ancestral cultures, allowing for more regional and cultural food variations. A Paleo approach specifically imitates the presumed diet of Paleolithic era humans and excludes grains, legumes, and dairy products. While both emphasize unprocessed foods, the Ancestral Diet offers more flexibility and may include some traditional grains or dairy, unlike the more rigid Paleo diet.
- Keto Diet: The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that helps the body burn fat for energy.
Addressing Dietary Restrictions
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Following the Ancestral Diet can be challenging for vegetarians or vegans because it relies heavily on meat and fish. However, with some adjustments, such as increasing the intake of plant-based proteins like nuts and seeds, it’s possible to adapt the diet to some extent. But it’s important to ensure all nutritional needs are met, especially for protein and certain vitamins and minerals that are typically found in animal products (see my article on the dangers of a vegan diet).
- Food Allergies and Intolerances: While ancestral diets are generally considered healthy, it's important to ensure a balanced intake of nutrients. How do ancestral diets address food allergies and intolerances?
Sample Ancestral Diet Meal Plan
This sample menu contains a balanced amount of paleo-friendly foods.By all means, adjust this menu based on your own preferences.
Monday
- Breakfast: eggs and vegetables fried in olive oil, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: burgers (no bun) fried in butter, vegetables, salsa
Tuesday
- Breakfast: bacon, eggs, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: leftover burgers from the night before
- Dinner: baked salmon with vegetables
Wednesday
- Breakfast: leftover salmon and vegetables from the night before
- Lunch: sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables
- Dinner: ground beef stir-fry with vegetables, berries
Thursday
- Breakfast: eggs, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: leftover stir-fry from the night before, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: fried pork, vegetables
Friday
- Breakfast: eggs and vegetables fried in olive oil, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, a handful of nuts
- Dinner: steak, vegetables, sweet potatoes
Saturday
- Breakfast: bacon, eggs, one piece of fruit
- Lunch: leftover steak and vegetables from the night before
- Dinner: baked tilapia, vegetables, avocado
Sunday
- Breakfast: leftover salmon and vegetables from the night before
- Lunch: sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables
- Dinner: grilled chicken wings, vegetables, salsa
Shopping Guide
- Where to Shop to Encourage Ancestral Eating
My clients and friends know these are my ride-or-die ancestral eating resources. (I’m not sure how my family would survive without Azure Standard.)
There are certainly times when you’ll need to rely on Whole Foods, Sprouts, Costco, and other local health food stores (especially in the beginning of your ancestral eating journey). But these resources can provide more consistent nutrient-dense meals, since they’re more open about their standards, processes, and commitment to quality.
Azure Standard - Pantry staples!
Primal Kitchen - Condiments, dressings, sauces, and supplements.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
US Wellness Meats - All things grass-fed meat.
Dutch Meadows - Raw milk produce if you can’t find a local farmer.
Force of Nature - Grass-fed meats and awesome options for organ meats.
Simple paleo shopping list
There is an incredible variety of foods you can eat on the paleo diet.This simple shopping list should give you an idea of how to get started:
- Meat: beef, lamb, pork, etc.
- Poultry: chicken, turkey, etc.
- Fish: salmon, trout, mackerel, etc.
- Eggs
- Fresh vegetables: greens, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, etc.
- Frozen vegetables: broccoli, spinach, various vegetable mixes, etc.
- Fruits: apples, bananas, pears, oranges, avocado
- Berries: strawberries, blueberries, etc.
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts
- Almond butter
- Olive oil
- Olives
- Sweet potatoes
- Condiments: sea salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic, parsley, etc.