Developer Joseph S.B. Morse designed the Evolution Diet to imitate the eating habits of hunter-gatherer tribes. He models the program after the diet of existing tribes. Unlike many diets that isolate one food group to either avoid or eat in large quantities, the Evolution Diet encourages dieters to learn what, when and how to eat, in order to improve overall health and well-being.
Basic Principles
Unlike many other diet programs, which begin by shocking the dieter out of detrimental eating habits, the Evolution Diet encourages dieters to amend their lifestyle as a whole. It accomplishes this through four basic principles. First, dieters should listen to their body in order to determine when and how to eat. Second, the diet should imitate the ancient hunter-gatherer diet. Low-sugar and high-fiber foods are eaten in small amounts, with larger quantities of lean protein. Third, "Artificially Extreme Foods" (AEF) should be avoided as much as possible. The Evolution-Diet Website uses fried Twinkies as an example of an AEF. Finally, dieters must sleep and exercise when their bodies tell them to.
Ancestral Origins
Although a low-sugar, low-fiber and high-protein diet may sound similar to other diet programs, the Evolution Diet certainly provides a new interpretation of these basic principles, since it is based on the diet of hunter-gatherer tribes. In his book "The Evolution Diet: All-Natural and Allergy Free," author Joseph S.B. Morse describes the favorite foods of the !Kung tribe, who still inhabit southwest Africa. Foods include the mongongo nut, a high-protein, high-fat nut that is similar to the peanut, as well as baobab fruit, which contains high levels of vitamin C, calcium and magnesium. Tribesmen also eat a large variety of meats, including antelope and wildebeest.
Non-Tribal Diet
Basically, the diet encourages eating a large variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts, as well as lean protein sources such as skinless chicken and fish. Featured recipes on the Evolution-Diet website include chicken in cilantro sauce, lettuce wraps with spiced pork, turkey caesar wraps and quesadillas.
Benefits
By imitating ancestral eating habits, the Evolution Diet aims to provide a natural eating plan that also claims to have many health benefits. These include consistent energy levels, weight control, improved sleep and physical performance, increased immunity and lower chances of diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and other health conditions. In a study by dietitian and nutritionist Lynne Garton featured on BBC online, 10 volunteers followed the Evolution Diet for 12 days. At the end of the trial period, their cholesterol levels had decreased by 23 percent and sodium levels also improved.
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