Ancestral/Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet's claim to replicate ancestral eating is its most compelling hook, but anthropology demolishes it. Hunter-gatherer diets varied by 80% across regions—Inuit ate 90% animal foods, while Hadza consumed 70% tubers and honey—so a single template is fiction. Modern produce has been domesticated so thoroughly that wild carrots contain 6% sugar versus 35% in today's varieties, yet Paleo bans legumes with 15% protein. It's only slightly better than #7 Lectin-Free in fiber intake—Paleo provides 22 grams daily versus 15 grams—but both fall short of the 30-gram recommendation. A 2021 longitudinal study found that after three years, paleo followers had 12% higher LDL cholesterol than those eating a Mediterranean diet, undermining its claim to optimal health.