After seeing viral videos of the Liver King (the steroid-pumped, raw meat-eating influencer who claims to get his vigor from extreme ancestral practices like eating cow testicles and drinking raw blood) most of us wrote off ancestral eating as pseudoscience. However, a true ancestral diet can be more healthy—and less extreme—than you think.
The term “ancestral diet” refers to any eating plan that attempts to mimic the way our ancestors ate thousands of years ago. This includes the paleo diet, primal diet, and other variations that are based on different periods, regions, and cultures and the food sources available to them. In general, what these diets have in common is that they focus on nutrient-dense whole foods and avoid ultra-processed ones.
Eating a whole foods-based diet has been linked to a string of health benefits, from balanced hormones to weight loss to a longer life. But is there any merit to the more out-there practices of some ancestral diets like eating nose-to-tail or drinking raw milk?
It’s time to crack open our ancestors’ proverbial fridge. We tapped nutrition experts to break down the potential benefits of ancestral diets and the tweaks they suggest if you decide to go for it.
About the Experts
Paul T. Jaeckel, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., L.D.N., is a registered dietitian with an inclusive private practice specializing in medical nutrition therapy to help patients set goals and manage chronic health issues.
Sarah Herrington, M.S., C.N.C., C.P.T., is a functional nutritionist and trainer for BrioMedical, where she specializes in holistic approaches to modern diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Imashi Fernando, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian who works in a large hospital system as a clinical dietitian, specializing in chronic diseases.
What is an Ancestral Diet?
Before the industrial revolution, people lived off of what Mother Nature provided, explains Paul T. Jaeckel M.S., R.D.N. Ancestral diets aim to get back to those roots. Ancient ancestral diets have changed throughout history. What our ancestors ate depended on geography, climate, and cultural influences, which often evolved even within a single culture over time.
For this reason, ancestral diets are best viewed as general frameworks rather than strict guidelines. Which means the core tenet of most modern-day ancestral diets is pretty straightforward: Stick to whole, organic, seasonal, and minimally processed foods. Those foods can include animal protein (including organ meats), healthy fats, seasonal fruits and veggies, whole grains, fermented foods, and sometimes dairy products.
The aim is to source these foods from as close to nature as possible—think local, fresh-caught fish, home-raised meat, eggs, and dairy, and home-grown fruit and veggies. To be clear: Raising chickens, hunting deer, or starting a garden isn’t a requirement. But sourcing the best quality food your time and budget allows is the goal.
Ancestral diets also eliminate ultra-processed food options including fast food, soda, and packaged foods, such as Twinkies and boxed mac and cheese. Some research suggests these foods are associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and early death (1). Swapping ultra-processed foods for natural, nutrient-dense options—like the ones emphasized in ancestral diets—has been shown to help minimize these risks (2).
Ancestral diet vs. paleo diet
If an ancestral diet sounds a lot like the paleo diet, that’s because they’re similar. Technically, the paleo diet is just one form of ancestral eating that focuses on foods from the Paleolithic era, about 2.5 million years ago (3).
The paleo diet centers around foods available before modern agriculture, which developed around 12,000 years ago (10,000 BC). That means things like grains, legumes, refined sugars and sweeteners, and dairy products would be minimally (if at all) available and are not included in this diet today.
Potential Benefits of an Ancestral Diet
More research is needed to determine the specific benefits of an ancestral diet, especially as they tend to vary greatly by region and culture. But here’s what we know:
It boosts longevity
A healthy dietary pattern emphasizing nutrient-dense foods—like an ancestral diet—can reduce your risk of chronic disease, increase lifespan, and improve healthspan (4). One study suggests that swapping a typical unhealthy diet, like the Western diet, for an “optimized” one by age 60 might add up to eight years or more to your life (5). Compared to a typical diet, the studied diet consisted of a higher intake of whole grains, legumes, fish, fruits, vegetables, and a small amount of nuts, while decreasing consumption of red and processed meats, sugary beverages, and refined grains.
It supports weight loss
An ancestral diet may also be a good option for weight loss. Eating nutrient-dense foods provides sustained energy, helps stabilize blood sugar, and can make you feel fuller with fewer calories. One study suggests that a focus on getting more high-quality macronutrients like lean protein and fibrous carbs may help you lose fat while holding onto muscle mass (6).
It regulates hormones
What you eat plays an important role in hormone balance (7). According to Jaeckel, an ancestral diet ticks all the right boxes: “Getting enough protein, healthy fats, lots of fiber, and less sugar—which [an] ancestral diet [typically] focuses on—can contribute to hormone regulation.”
It improves energy levels
Ultra-processed foods tend to be calorie-rich, and nutrient-poor (8). These foods can lead to spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, which only leave you feeling drained. Nutrient-dense mainstays of ancestral diets—including protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals—provide your body with sustained energy.
It reduces inflammation
A diet high in protein, particularly plant-based protein, may help reduce inflammation in the body in older populations (9). Combine that with other key aspects of an ancestral diet, like fermentation, and you’ve got a home run (10). “Any diet that has a lot of whole grains, limits refined sugars, and increases vegetables and fruits may aid in decreasing inflammation and maintaining a healthy gut,” says Jaeckel.
Our ancestors’ diets varied widely, but there are a few specific foods that tie ancient and modern ancestral diets together:
Lean protein
Our ancestors ate whatever protein was available. Depending on the region, they may have consumed mostly plant-based proteins, animal-based proteins, or a mix (11). For instance, the Inuit from the Arctic subsisted mainly on animal proteins, while people in the Andes in South America lived primarily on a plant-based diet—which included ancient grains like quinoa and millet and ancient beans like lupini, fava, lima beans. For most recent hunter-gatherers, well over half of their diet came from animals (11).
To source animal protein as close to nature as possible, modern ancestral diets often emphasize grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught fish, and free-range eggs. Proponents point to emerging studies that suggest these options are leaner and also contain more favorable nutrient profiles than grain-fed beef, farmed fish, and caged poultry and eggs (12, 13, 14). However, more research is needed.
Healthy fats
Fat was a big source of energy and sustenance for our ancestors, but they weren’t eating ice cream and cookies. One review estimates very little dietary fat came from the saturated fat or trans fats that dominate Western diets today (15). Modern adaptations of ancestral diets tend to focus on sources of heart-healthy omega-3s and polyunsaturated fats, including grass-fed dairy (16), wild-caught fish (12), and nuts and seeds.
Some also emphasize beef tallow and lard. Registered dietitian Imashi Fernando, M.S., R.D., suggests consuming these in moderation. There’s no denying these animal fats—which may be used in place of cooking oil or butter—are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and vitamins A, D, E, and K (17, 18). Tallow is also lower in saturated fat and higher in micronutrients than grass-fed butter. “However, tallow and lard are still higher in saturated fat than olive or avocado oil,” Fernando says.
Seasonal plants
Some ancient diets included more carbs than you might think. For example, plants dominated ancestral plates in the Andes region, potentially making up between 70 to 95% of their diet (19). These complex carbs are prime sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants such as polyphenols—which may help reduce inflammation and chronic disease risk when consumed through dietary sources (20). Certain fruits and veggies are also packed with prebiotic fiber, which is essential for a healthy gut.
Most produce peaks in flavor, antioxidants, and certain nutrients when ripe. To emphasize nutrient density and consume produce at its peak, think about what’s fresh at your local farmers’ market throughout the year. Spring and summer are high times for berries, tomatoes, summer squash, and herbs. Come fall and winter, root vegetables and winter squash are abundant. Dark leafy greens may have early, late, or mid-year peaks, depending on the variety.
Whole grains
The paleo crowd passes on grains since in modern diets grains are farmed. However, evidence for wheat, barley, and rice consumption dates back thousands of years (21). One study even suggests Balkan foragers from southeast Europe ate wild cereal grains 11,500 years ago, before the arrival of modern agriculture (22).
When our ancestors did eat grains, they weren’t highly processed or refined like white rice and pasta at the grocery store. They ate what was available—emmer and eikorn, wild forms of wheat and barley, and smaller grains like rye, sorghum, and millet (11). “Opt for non-processed options that mimic the ability our ancestors had to utilize them, such as homemade sourdough bread or steel-cut oats,” says functional nutritionist Sarah Herrington, M.S., C.N.C.
Fermented foods
Fermented foods include sourdough bread, sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt, and kefir. “Our ancestors used fermentation as a way to preserve foods. This allowed them to hold onto food much longer and provide accessible meals while on the move,” says Jaeckel.
Beyond being highly practical and delicious, fermentation also adds nutritional value to food (23). “Fermented foods contain natural probiotics that can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome,” Jaeckel adds. “This in turn [may] help with diarrhea and constipation, immune function, IBD, IBS, obesity, blood sugar management, inflammation, and other GI symptoms.”
Organ meats
Nose-to-tail eating was common in ancestral communities: “Previous generations of humans didn’t waste any edible parts of animals—including organ meats—due to food scarcity,” says Herrington.
Organ meats—such as heart, kidneys, tongue, and liver—are incredibly nutrient-dense (24). Liver, for example, aside from being a rich source of protein, contains high levels of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, and vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12 (25). They’re also packed with beneficial nutrients including coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and glutathione—which play an important role in energy production and immune health (24).
You can find a variety of organ meats at your local butcher or farmers’ market. Make sure you fully cook beef, veal, pork, or lamb to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees and poultry to a minimum of 165 degrees (26). “If it fits within your budget, consider buying organic,” says Fernando. “If it fits within your budget, consider buying organic,” says Fernando. Some evidence suggests organic meats may have a better fatty acid profile (27).
Full-fat dairy
Studies suggest our ability to digest lactose from milk didn’t emerge until around 10,000 years ago (28). However, many modern ancestral diets emphasize grass-fed dairy, particularly full-fat dairy, which is more nutrient-dense and may be more satiating than low-fat dairy (29).
Raw dairy consumption is also on the rise. “Once upon a time, people raised cattle and made products from their milk, such as raw cheese and kefir,” explains Herrington. Some research suggests consuming raw dairy products may boost gut health and help protect against issues like allergies and asthma (30). But raw dairy is a bit controversial since raw milk requires strict health and safety standards to be considered safe for consumption (31).
Which is why Herrington advises steering clear, noting evidence that “consuming raw cow’s milk has a [far greater] chance of a foodborne illness outbreak when compared to pasteurized milk.” According to a 2017 study, unpasteurized dairy products cause 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized options (32). If you do reach for the raw stuff, make sure it’s from a farm that prioritizes healthy animals and pays strict attention to hygiene, she says.
So, Is an Ancestral Diet Healthy?
“Individuals shifting from a Standard American Diet will likely experience some health benefits from following a balanced ancestral diet, such as improved digestion, increased energy, and hormonal regulation,” says Herrington. This is likely due to the anti-inflammatory and gut-healthy effects of eating a generally balanced, whole foods-based diet.
However, experts would make a few tweaks, including limiting organ meats and raw dairy. The raw dairy carries more of a potential contamination issue than a nutritional concern. When it comes to organ meats, the evidence is mixed. In Chinese adults, eating too much organ meat has been linked to a slightly higher risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (33). Organ meat can also cause gout flare-ups because it’s rich in purines (34). On the flip side, it has also been associated with a lower incidence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a progression of NAFLD (35). “Everything in moderation,” says Fernando.
“Our ancestors have some good habits we can utilize for beneficial health outcomes. But today, we have much longer lifespans, access to information, healthcare, and very different lifestyles,” says Jaeckel.
Use that information to make informed decisions, suggests Fernando. “Take the risk-free components of the ancestral diet—like limiting processed foods and emphasizing whole foods—that fit within your current circumstances and round it out with other healthy eating and lifestyle behaviors to optimize your health,” she says.
The Bottom Line
Consuming an ancestral diet involves cutting down on processed foods and sourcing local, seasonal, organic, farm-raised or -grown foods, like meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables, dairy, and whole grains. Generally, these swaps may support weight loss and hormone balance, improve gut health, and reduce inflammation. Still, certain elements of some ancestral diets—like organ meats and raw milk—have higher risks due to potential contamination and possible health effects when eaten in excess. If you can’t source options that are raised and produced according to strict safety and health standards, and certified by third-party organizations, experts suggest steering clear.
Larell Scardelli is a health and wellness reporter who has created content for First For Women, Rodale's Organic Life, Women's Life, Healthline and Prevention.
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