But how much of this is just a fad, and to what extent are these forward-looking initiatives or even necessary diets? Understanding them is not only important for those who follow a given diet, but also for those who don’t—after all, you might easily find yourself cooking for someone with special dietary needs, and it helps to know the reasoning behind them.

The paleo diet raises rather serious philosophical questions about history. How do we even know what our ancestors ate? And even if we know, do we really have to imitate them? After all, centuries—indeed millennia—have passed since humans first appeared; perhaps our diets should adapt to the present as well. And are we even sure the picture of “cave people” we were taught in school is accurate—that they lived in caves, dirty and primitive, driving away rival tribes with clubs? Perhaps our ancestors wore white robes, fed on light, and maintained good relations with the noble inhabitants of neighboring planets! Joking aside: what is certain is that today’s human diet includes many ingredients that our ancestors never consumed, and if our genetics have not adapted to them, they may be causing us problems.

What is Paleo?

The paleo diet reaches back to the Stone Age, before agriculture, when people ate the foods they found almost ready-made in nature: fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat. This period lasted long enough in human history for our genetics to adapt to such foods. By contrast, the ingredients introduced by agriculture and industry are so recent that it is uncertain whether our bodies can fully tolerate them. What our ancestors almost certainly did not eat: grains, legumes (which require cooking), and processed or refined foods. As for dairy, paleo makes some allowance for hard cheeses, but not for raw milk. Compared to today’s carb-heavy diets, paleo emphasizes higher protein intake. It’s true that excessive carbohydrate consumption eventually leads to fat storage, overweight, and related diseases. However, critics argue that humanity could never have reached its current level of technological development without carbohydrates, since the human brain requires a tremendous amount of energy.

Don’t Judge!

Most special diets spark heated debates, especially when someone follows them by conviction rather than necessity (such as allergies). But it’s never wise to argue aggressively against someone’s deeply held beliefs. A friendly exchange of views is fine, but no one should be ridiculed for their dietary choices—especially if they are consciously trying to take care of their health. Anyone following a diet (as long as it isn’t extreme) is already showing more awareness than a “typical” omnivore. And awareness always involves some form of limitation. We should respect those boundaries!

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