In theory, there should be. If there is such thing as an optimal diet (and at iLivTru we definitely think there is one for weight loss), then it very likely differs from person to person and is based on many factors, including genetics. I actually get this question a lot, especially ever since the Paleo diet (and its variations) have been around. Honestly, I’ve wondered this too, so I dug around the research related to the evolution of the human diet. Here’s what I found:

Humans (and our primitive ancestors) have had many types of diets, and they were mainly determined by factors such as geography and the invention of controlled fire for cooking. Our earliest ancestors (hominins) lived in woodland areas and ate mainly fruit. As we evolved, our diet started to include some meat products, but it was the ability of our ancestors to control fire and cook meat that really began to mold us into who we are today. You see, just the simple act of cooking a piece of meat (versus eating it raw, yeah, gross) gave our bodies the advantage of increasing that singular piece of meat’s caloric content. The ability to cook food to make it more energy-dense provided great advantages. The most important one being that our brain size increased substantially while our stomach (and GI system) size decreased. In other words, raw foods had previously caused our GI system to work harder which takes more energy.

This a great weight loss tip! There’s a reason why “processed” foods are not your friend for weight loss. Processing food raises its caloric content (think applesauce versus an apple). This is one reason why raw, fresh fruits and vegetables are encouraged in any weight loss program. (Unless it’s sushi or sashimi from a reputable source, stay away from the raw meat.)

Domestication of animals and farming has been the most recent major dietary change for humans, and interestingly, as crop farming of starchy foods such as barley and wheat has become a way of life, our genes have adapted. Research shows that individuals from the regions in Europe (or of European descent) where farming first started generally have more copies of the amylase gene; amylase is critical to breaking down starch. However, humans who remained in mid-Africa maintained relatively low-starch diets, and not surprisingly, have low copies of the amylase gene. This theory has been challenged in more recent years and remains an active area of study.

All in all, if you look at human evolution, diet, and genetics, it becomes clear that many influencers contributed to our current diets. So, is there such thing as an optimal diet? The experts will tell you they don’t know. My take? Your genetics clearly play a role. If you’re interested in learning more about how some of your genetic variations may affect diet-based weight loss, please visit us at www.iLivTru.com.