Rethinking the “Paleo” Diet: What Hunter-Gatherer Diets Teach Us About Health and Metabolism

The Modern Paleo Myth

The modern paleo diet is built around returning to the way our ancestors ate—cutting out grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods in favor of meat, vegetables, nuts, and a select few fruits. For many, this approach feels intuitive and healing, especially in contrast to today’s ultra-processed food environment. 

However, according to evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer, this popular interpretation of the ancestral diet oversimplifies what our ancestors actually ate. It relies on a narrow understanding of ancient nutrition and often ignores the wide range of foods consumed by traditional hunter-gatherer groups throughout history. The truth is, human diets have never followed a one-size-fits-all model. What worked for early humans wasn’t a rigid set of food rules but adaptability, rooted in an intimate connection to nature and the environment.

No One-Size-Fits-All Ancestral Diet

Instead of clinging to a single, universal "paleo" diet, Pontzer urges us to consider the data from surviving hunter-gatherer groups and archaeological findings. These insights reveal a much richer, more varied picture of ancestral eating—one defined by seasonality, geography, availability, and tradition, not macronutrient ratios. The human body evolved not for one specific diet but for a wide range of nutrient-dense, real foods. Some communities thrived on starchy tubers and honey, while others relied heavily on fish, roots, or wild game. We didn’t evolve eating only meat or plants—we evolved eating what was available and adapting as needed.

Why “Paleo” Is a Misnomer

The term “paleo” implies there was one single, ideal diet during the Paleolithic era, but this simply isn’t true. Humans have inhabited a wide range of environments across the globe—from frozen tundras to tropical forests to coastal wetlands—and their diets have reflected the ecosystems they lived in. What early humans ate varied drastically depending on climate, geography, and season. In colder regions, diets may have been more meat-heavy out of necessity, while in warmer climates with abundant plant life, carbohydrates from fruit, tubers, and honey played a much larger role. Claiming there was a single ancestral diet erodes the ecological reality of human history.

Pontzer argues that the “paleo diet” concept is misleading because it ignores the fundamental truth that humans are nutritional generalists. Our bodies are not built for one strict eating pattern; we evolved to survive and thrive on a broad range of real foods. Evolution didn’t give us a set diet to follow—it gave us the ability to adapt. Humans learned to gather, hunt, and use whatever food sources were available in their environment. That kind of flexibility is what helped us spread across the globe and thrive in such a wide range of climates. Our digestive systems, metabolism, and microbiomes were shaped by that adaptability—not by sticking to one rigid way of eating.[1]

Anthropologist Alyssa Crittenden, who also studied the Hadza, clarifies this point. She found that honey makes up as much as 15% of their total calories—a natural, high-fructose food they actively seek out and enjoy. That alone challenges the idea that sugar, in any form, was avoided by our ancestors. The Hadza’s strong preference for honey is a perfect reminder that ancestral eating doesn’t always match up with today’s nutrition trends or the more rigid interpretations of the paleo diet. Their diet shows us that natural sugars, when part of a whole food lifestyle, can play a healthy and functional role.[2]

Ancestral Diets Were Carbohydrate-Inclusive

Looking at present-day hunter-gatherer groups around the world, one thing becomes clear: their diets aren’t all the same. They’re varied, flexible, and heavily shaped by the environment. The common idea that early humans mostly lived on meat and avoided carbohydrates doesn’t hold up when you study groups like the Hadza, the !Kung of southern Africa or Indigenous communities in the Amazon—many of whom eat plenty of starchy plants, fruit, and even wild grains, depending on what’s available.

 Populations like the Hadza in East Africa, the !Kung of southern Africa and several tribes in the Amazon rely heavily on plant foods, including fruits, tubers, and even wild grains, depending on what their environment provides.

 Many of these communities eat diets rich in carbohydrates from wild plants, fruits, and tubers, and they do so with remarkable metabolic health. Carbohydrates play a central role in many hunter-gatherer diets—far more than the modern paleo template would suggest.

The Hadza, studied extensively by Pontzer and Crittenden, provide one of the most compelling examples of this dietary diversity. Their diet includes large amounts of starchy tubers, seasonal fruits, baobab seeds, and honey—foods high in carbohydrates, fiber, and micronutrients. Meat is part of their diet, too, but it is not consumed daily or in excess. It is hunted, shared, and appreciated, but not relied on as a constant staple. Honey is one of the most valued foods in the Hadza diet. When it’s available, they eat it often and with enthusiasm, even though it’s packed with natural sugar. But instead of causing metabolic problems, it helps meet their energy needs during long days of physical activity and supports a diverse, healthy gut microbiome.[2][3][4]

Loren Cordain, one of the early voices behind the modern paleo movement, originally pushed a version of the diet that focused heavily on meat and low-carb eating. Over time, though, even he came to recognize that many ancient cultures relied more on starchy plants and carbohydrates than his early model suggested. As more research emerged, it became clear that real ancestral diets were far more flexible than many of us were led to believe.

 Archaeological findings—including grinding tools and residue from roots and grains—have shown that humans have been processing starches for tens of thousands of years.[3]

Seasonality and Flexibility Were Key

One of the most important lessons from studying the Hadza is how seasonality and ecology shape what people eat. Their food intake isn’t rigid or repetitive—it changes constantly based on weather, migration patterns, and rainfall. Some months, they eat more fruit, others more roots, and others rely more on meat if game is available. This built-in flexibility keeps their diet in sync with the land and supports microbial diversity in the gut. It also prevents the nutritional ruts many modern eaters fall into when following a strict diet plan daily.

Pontzer has also contributed important research on energy expenditure and metabolism. A lot of people assume that hunter-gatherers burn way more calories than we do, just because they’re more physically active. But research shows that’s not really the case. Their total daily energy burn is pretty similar to ours—it’s how their bodies manage and use that energy that’s different. Daily movement, a healthy gut, and low levels of chronic inflammation all play a role. It’s not about doing more cardio or cutting calories—it’s about how well the body handles the food it gets.[5][6]

Gut Health Is the Missing Link

Gut health is a big part of that equation. The Hadza have one of the most diverse gut microbiomes ever studied, and a big reason is their diet. They eat a wide variety of wild plants rich in fiber, polyphenols, and natural compounds that feed their gut bacteria. These fibers act like fuel for the microbes that help regulate hormones, support immunity, and even influence mood and brain health. When the gut is working well, blood sugar stays more stable, cravings start to shift, and energy feels more even throughout the day.

The Hadza aren’t healthy because they’re strict—they’re healthy because their food and lifestyle support a resilient inner ecosystem.

In contrast, many people today struggle with gut imbalances caused by processed food, overuse of antibiotics, and chronic stress. These imbalances can drive cravings, fatigue, and metabolic dysfunction. Cutting out food groups may offer short-term relief, but true healing will be difficult to maintain unless we address the gut and support microbial diversity. Supporting the gut with real, fibrous foods—movement, rest, and connection—may be more powerful than any elimination diet.

Work by researchers like Jeff Leach, co-founder of the Human Food Project, confirms this. He found that the Hadza microbiome is significantly more diverse than those living in industrialized nations and shifts seasonally in response to available foods—something almost nonexistent in Western guts. This kind of microbial resilience appears to be one of the cornerstones of long-term health.[7]

Extremes Rarely Lead to Sustainability

Modern nutrition is filled with extremes—zero-carb, plant-only, raw vegan, carnivore, juice cleanses, and more. These approaches often appeal to people looking for clear answers or quick results, especially after years of confusing or conflicting information. However, Pontzer’s research reminds us that the most effective long-term approach is usually flexible. Extreme dietary restrictions may create short-term benefits but rarely lead to long-term metabolic balance. A successful diet isn’t the one that promises the fastest weight loss or looks good on social media—it’s the one that supports your body’s ability to regulate itself. When we eat whole foods, allow space for variety, and nurture the gut, many chronic symptoms people struggle with begin to ease on their own.[7][8]

Reconnecting to the Body

Hunter-gatherers didn’t count macros, log meals, or read nutrition blogs. They responded to what was available, shared food with the community, and relied on inner signals of hunger and satisfaction. Today, we’re often so distracted by rules, devices, and opinions that we forget how to tune in. But the ability is still there—it just takes practice to rebuild. Slowing down, eating without distractions, chewing thoroughly, and observing how food makes us feel can help us reconnect to those internal cues.

Gut health also plays a critical role in this reconnection. When the microbiome is diverse and well-fed, it communicates clearly with the brain through hormones like leptin and ghrelin. That clarity makes it easier to recognize real hunger, stop when full, and develop a more trusting relationship with food. Reconnecting to the body isn’t about perfection—it’s about awareness and rebuilding the inner conversation that guided humans long before nutrition science existed.[8]

What Hunter-Gatherers Teach Us

The real takeaway from Pontzer’s work—and the work of other anthropologists, biologists, and nutrition researchers—is not that we need to eat like a troglodyte. We need to stop pretending there was ever one right way to eat. There were thousands of variations grounded in nature, availability, and human intuition. What mattered most was that the food was real, seasonal, and nourishing. The path forward isn’t a return to the past—it’s an honest acknowledgment of where we came from and how far we’ve strayed.

Our ancestors thrived not because they followed rules but because they followed the rhythm—of the seasons, their bodies, and their communities. We can apply those same principles today without rigidly cutting out entire food groups or trying to mimic a single version of the past. Instead of asking, “What did cavemen eat?” we might ask, “How can I eat in a way that makes me feel grounded, clear, and strong?”[9]

In a world of extremes and marketing noise, the quiet wisdom of ancestral variety still rings true. Our job now isn’t to perfect our diet—it’s to reconnect with the natural intelligence of our bodies and feed ourselves in a way that honors our past and present.

References: 

1. Pontzer, Herman. Burn: The Misunderstood Science of Metabolism. Avery, 2021.
   – Core reference for energy expenditure, Hadza diet composition, and flexible ancestral nutrition.

2. Crittenden, Alyssa N., and Stephanie L. Schnorr. “Current Views on Hunter-Gatherer Nutrition and the Evolution of the Human Diet.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, vol. 162, no. S63, 2017, pp. 84–109.
   – Supports carbohydrate consumption in the Hadza diet, including honey intake, and critiques of the one-size-fits-all paleo framework.

3. Cordain, Loren, et al. “Plant-Animal Subsistence Ratios and Macronutrient Energy Estimations in Worldwide Hunter-Gatherer Diets.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 71, no. 3, 2000, pp. 682–692.
   – Original support for high-protein paleo models, later nuanced by emerging evidence.

4. Henry, Amanda G., Alison S. Brooks, and Dolores R. Piperno. “Microfossils in Calculus Demonstrate Consumption of Plants and Cooked Foods in Neanderthal Diets (Shanidar III, Iraq; Spy I and II, Belgium).” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 108, no. 2, 2011, pp. 486–491.
   – Archaeological evidence of starch consumption in ancient human diets.

5. Piperno, Dolores R., et al. “Starch Grain and Phytolith Evidence for Early Ninth Millennium B.P. Maize from the Central Balsas River Valley, Mexico.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 106, no. 13, 2009, pp. 5019–5024.
   – Supports long-term historical evidence of starchy plant consumption.

6. Pontzer, Herman, et al. “Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity.” PLoS ONE, vol. 7, no. 7, 2012, e40503.
   – Demonstrates that hunter-gatherers don’t burn significantly more calories than industrialized populations, challenging the calories-in/calories-out model.

7. Schnorr, Stephanie L., et al. “Gut Microbiome of the Hadza Hunter-Gatherers.” Nature Communications, vol. 5, no. 1, 2014, article 3654.
   – Highlights the high microbial diversity of the Hadza and seasonal shifts in their gut microbiota.

8. Leach, Jeff. “The Hadza Gut Microbiome in Evolutionary Context.” The Human Food Project, 2013, https://humanfoodproject.com/the-hadza-gut-microbiome-in-evolutionary-context/.
   – Discusses the seasonality and microbial richness of the Hadza gut microbiome in contrast to Western microbiomes.

9. Leonard, William R., et al. “Energetics and the Evolution of the Genus Homo.” Annual Review of Anthropology, vol. 36, 2007, pp. 139–154.
   – Supports the idea that early humans evolved with energy-efficient and adaptable metabolic systems.