As part of the
guidelines presented by the ASA in part 1, an evaluation for nutritional adequacy
of the diet should be performed, an analysis to determine the nutrient density
and nutritional appropriateness of the diet. I believe this is very important- Particularly
for any elimination diet, or a diet that depends on the removal of a particular
group of food, as we may fall short on particular nutrients we require for
optimal health. Our proposed diet is one that closely mimics
that of what humans have been eating for the large majority of their natural
existence- a hunter-gather diet composed of mostly meat and vegetables. So how can we go about examining the
nutritional characteristics of this diet?
Luckily, there are some pretty savvy scientists out there that have
already looked.
Doctor
Loren Cordain published a paper in The Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (JANA)
examining the characteristics of a contemporary diet based on currently
available foods that would be very similar to what hunter gathers would have
eaten. A computer program was used to
compile and analyze nutritional characteristics based upon average values
previously determined in 229 hunter gather societies, a diet without any processed
foods, dairy products and cereal grains.
The
foods used create a theoretical menu were only meats, vegetables, fruits, and
nuts/seeds. For each food type, the
commonly popular foods consumed in the US were incorporated. Based upon the 229 hunter gather societies
mentioned above, a balance between animal based food and plant based food was set
to partition animal based foods accounting for slightly over half of daily
caloric intake (for more information on proportions of plant and animal food in
hunter gathers, see Evolution
of the Human Diet). This results
in a macronutrient breakdown of 38% daily calories from protein, 23% from
carbohydrates, and 39% from fat, varying from the traditional western diet of
16% protein, 49% carbohydrate, and 34% fat.
“Except for calcium, all trace nutrients occur
in considerably greater quantities than the recommended daily allowances
(RDAs)” with folate, Vitamin E, magnesium, iron and zinc all being between
150-300% RDA, and Vitamin A, B1,B2,B3,B6,B12,C and phosphorus all being over
300% RDA. Calcium intake was only 691 mg
(69% RDA), however analyses of the skeletons of ancestral humans living during
the Paleolithic as well as more recently studied hunter gathers have shown
these people maintained robust, fracture-resistant bonds, free from signs and
symptoms of osteoporosis (here, here, and here).
In summary, the
article shows that all macro and micronutrients are at levels sufficient or
optimal for health. It is also suggest
that, despite the high levels of animal based food, blood lipid profiles would
look better, and the risk of cardiovascular disease would be reduced.
In part 3, I’ll discuss implementation
and adherence of the diet
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