The Proper Human Diet: Grounded in Science and Human History
As I continue to study scientific evidence and historical facts, one conclusion becomes undeniable: there is a proper human diet, and it is the foundation of our health. This is not about modern diet trends. It is about biology, physiology, and the evolutionary record that shows what humans are built to eat.
Carbohydrates Are Not Essential
From a biological standpoint, carbohydrates are not essential nutrients. The human body is designed to function without them. Through gluconeogenesis, we create all the glucose we need from protein and fat. When carbohydrates are not available, the body naturally shifts to fat metabolism and produces ketones, which provide clean and steady fuel for both the brain and the body.
This adaptation is not a backup system. It is a primary survival mechanism that kept humans alive for millennia in regions where carbohydrates were unavailable.
Evidence from Traditional Cultures
If we look at traditional cultures such as the Inuit, we see proof that humans thrive without dietary carbohydrates. For most of the year, they lived entirely on meat, fish, and fat. Occasional berries or plants might have been consumed in short growing seasons, but they were never the foundation of the diet.
The same is true for other hunter-gatherer societies living in extreme or temperate climates. When animal foods were abundant, they were the primary and often exclusive source of nutrition. Meat, fat, and organs provided everything necessary for growth, reproduction, strength, and survival.
Evolution and the Human Brain
The human brain is exceptionally energy-demanding. To support it, our ancestors relied on the most nutrient-dense foods available, animal foods. Meat and fat supplied high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals in forms the body could easily absorb. These foods gave them the strength, endurance, and resilience to not just survive but to thrive.
It’s important to remember that early humans were not sitting around debating whether animal foods were “better” than plants. They knew from experience that animal protein and fat delivered the energy and nourishment needed for survival, reproduction, and growth. If you look at the earliest cave paintings, man is consistently depicted as a hunter. Hunting was central to life, identity, and survival. And while this may be a little cheeky, it’s worth noting, there are no cave paintings of salad bowls.
Cooking was a key turning point. By making meat more digestible and nutrient-rich, humans were able to extract more energy with less digestive effort. This unlocked a profound evolutionary advantage: smaller guts, bigger brains, and stronger bodies. It was animal food, made even more efficient through cooking, that set us apart from every other species.
Agriculture and Its Consequences
The introduction of agriculture shifted the human diet dramatically. It wasn’t born out of nutritional necessity but out of survival. When animal foods were scarce or difficult to obtain, humans turned to what was available in their environment, plants that could be stored, grown, and harvested. Agriculture became a strategy to endure lean times, not because the human body required these foods, but because it is a remarkable machine that adapts in order to survive.
This adaptation, however, came with consequences. Archaeological evidence shows that once humans leaned heavily on farmed foods, overall health declined. Populations became shorter, weaker, and more prone to disease compared to their hunter-gatherer ancestors. Farming allowed communities to grow larger and settle in one place, but it reduced dietary diversity and shifted the human diet away from the nutrient-rich foundation of animal foods.
This trade-off marked the beginning of many chronic health problems that still affect us today. The body’s ability to survive on less optimal fuel should never be mistaken for what is truly best. Survival is one thing. Thriving is another.
The Proper Human Diet Defined
When we align history, physiology, and science, the proper human diet is clear:
Animal-based nutrition at its core - meat, fish, eggs, and organs provide complete protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients.
Cooking for efficiency - fire increased nutrient absorption and fueled human evolution.
Minimal seasonal plants - occasional berries or roots may have been consumed, but they were supplemental, not foundational.
Exclusion of refined foods - processed carbohydrates and sugars are modern inventions that disrupt human health.
Adaptability within an animal framework - different environments meant variations, but meat and fat were always central.
Food for Thought
The proper human diet is not theoretical. It is written into our DNA and confirmed by history. Humans are built to thrive on an animal-forward, nutrient-rich way of eating, with plants playing only a minor and seasonal role. This is the foundation that fueled our evolution, supported our powerful brains, and safeguarded health for countless generations.
As I continue to learn about nutrition every day, I uncover pieces of truth that only confirm this even more. Nutrition has been made to seem complicated, but at its core, it is simple: eat meat and fat, and you will thrive. The idea that aging must mean decline and disease is a story we have been told, but it is not reality. Getting older does not have to mean getting sicker. When we nourish our bodies the way they were designed to be nourished, strength, clarity, and vitality can remain with us well into later years.
We must remember that survival on poor food choices is not the same as living in health. Big food and big pharma profit when we accept disease as inevitable, but we have the ability to think critically, to question, and to choose differently. We are human beings with extraordinary brains capable of learning, reasoning, and deciding what truly serves us.
Going back to basics, the proper human diet is not about restriction, it is about freedom. It is about returning to the foods that built us: meat, fat, and whole, unprocessed nutrition. When we align with our biology, we reclaim the ability not just to survive, but to thrive. That is the true promise of the proper human diet, and it is a promise worth living out.
Disclaimer: The content shared here is for informational and educational purposes only and should never be taken as medical advice.
In writing this blog post, my goal is to distill research findings into a clear, approachable format that encourages critical thinking and empowers you to make informed decisions about your health.
