What’s Wrong with the Paleo Diet (According to Michael Pollan)

Many diets come and go, surging in popularity when first touted by experts and then, more often than not, followed by a later debunking or demotion by other experts. The paleo diet, which attempts to “mimic” the diets of our ancient ancestors, focuses on the consumption of meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts – those foods that were consumed by early hunter-gatherers – and it’s become wildly popular.

But is the diet legit?

According to Michael Pollan, it isn’t. In a recent “Inquiring Minds” podcast, Pollan explains that the paleo diet has people focused on eating in a way that really isn’t all that close to the diet of early hunter-gatherers.

“I don’t think we really understand … well the proportions in the ancient diet,” states Pollan. “Most people who tell you with great confidence that this is what our ancestors ate — I think they’re kind of blowing smoke.”

Covering a range of topics from the history of cooking to what those ancient men and women really ate, the podcast offers insights to what may be off about the paleo diet, as well as provides some ideas for alternatives (more plants, anyone?)

One major point Pollan makes about meat is that the meat one can find in a grocery store today is really nothing like the stuff our ancient ancestors ate. This becomes a problem in the paleo diet because people are “assuming that the options available to our caveman ancestors are still there,” Pollan says. But “unless you’re willing to hunt your food, they’re not.”

With the corn and grain-fed animals of today, plus the probable addition of hormones and antibiotics in many non-organic meats, today’s meat looks a whole lot different than the meat of our forefathers.

You can listen to all of Pollan’s points on the full podcast below and read the accompanying Mother Jones piece here.