A naturalist diet is similar to vegetarianism and mimics the eating pattern of early humans. Some people contend that the human body was not designed to tolerate much of the food available in modern times and reverting to this ancient way of eating provides health benefits. Early in human history, eating meat was rare because it could only be consumed when it was available and easy to kill. A naturalist diet might help you lose weight and could improve your overall health. Talk with you doctor to be sure this type of diet is right for you.
How It Works
Eating a naturalist diet involves choosing foods that would have been part of diets eaten millions of years ago by early humans, who might have had a lower incidence of modern health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. Since meat was scarce much of the time, ancient people focused on plant foods for sustenance. Many naturalists contend that a diet that is similar to a modern primate's is optimal because, based on the theory of evolution, it is likely the way early humans ate as well.
What to Eat
Eating a naturalistic diet involves choosing foods that are easy to obtain, cook and eat. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, seeds, nuts and leaves are foods that early humans were able to gather for meals, making them the basis of a naturalistic diet. Before the advent of eating utensils, humans did not eat a lot of meat. One reason: The human mouth and teeth are not designed to rip and tear flesh from the bones of animals. For this reason, a naturalist diet excludes meat.
Health Benefits
Meat contains saturated fat, which increase the risk of heart disease when eaten in large amounts. A diet that focuses on plant foods might lower your risk of heart disease, because you are consuming plenty of fiber and other nutrients that keep your heart working properly. Fruits and vegetables are a good source of antioxidants, which protect against free radicals that damage cells and contribute to a variety of health concerns, including heart disease and cancer. A diet that is rich in plant foods supplies nutrients that might help prevent asthma, osteoporosis, kidney problems, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Considerations
Despite the health benefits of a naturalist diet, eliminating entire foods groups increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Avoiding meat and dairy products might leave you deficient in calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12. Talk with your doctor about an appropriate nutritional supplement to cover any gaps.
References
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; Vegetarian Foods: Powerful for Health
- Jewish Vegetarians of North America: What is Our "Natural" Diet?
- European Vegetarian Union: Omnivorous or Vegetarian? What Famous Naturalists Think About It
- Beyond Vegetarianism: Subjectively Based Vegetarians Naturalism vs. What Evolution Tells Us
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