Man's World Issue 1

Given the caloric density of honey it is
inconceivable that our Palaeolithic
ancestors didn’t make use of it.
Of course, honey is limited to warm
and temperate climates for the most
part, and the Arctic populations are
the archetypal case for people arguing
for carb-restricted diets. But again,
we are learning a lot about both the
diets and the genetics of Arctic huntergatherers.
The huge amount of circulating polyunsaturated
fatty acids in their blood,
mostly from omega-3s, has produced
distinct genetic adaptive protections,
along with increased liver size,
increased urea production and a host
of enhanced genes for shuttling fatty
acids between cells.
Alongside this is the tendency for
Arctic peoples to eat their meat raw.
They do this because there isn’t
enough fuel for cooking, but also
because fresh muscle meat contains
large amounts of glycogen, which in
effect means they are not eating keto
at all. Up to 20% of the Inuit diet is
composed of carbohydrates from raw
meat.
Theirs is a diet evolved in the most
niche of circumstances, with a niche
phenotype to match. Clearly it can’t be
the diet of everyone else in the world
as well.
That appeal to purity goes something
like this. If meat is good, then eating
just meat must be better, cleaner, more
like our ancestors.
It’s appealing, but it’s wrong. We must
think beyond just short-term dieting,
like some women’s weight loss
magazine, and start thinking about
local, sustainable, generational eating.
What this all comes
down to is a plea
against a certain kind
of purity spiral that
seems increasingly
popular today.
Simple meat, eggs, dairy, fruit, veg
and some nuts can be grown and
harvested almost anywhere in the
world.
Making use of local knowledge and
plants, delicacies and inherited
recipes, food preparation traditions
and nutrient-dense foods suitable for
all ages is a true ancestral diet, one
that strong families - and even
dynasties - can be raised on.
What this all comes down to is a plea
against a certain kind of purity spiral
that seems increasingly popular
today.
MAN'S WORLD