Comment Re:"Paleolithic diets" now vs then (Score 1) 281
The latest research points to primarily sugar being the main problem in our diets. Excessive carbs in general seem to be likely driving a fair amount of weight and health problems and my very rudimentary understanding of the paleo approach addresses this and it's why many people on it find success -- if you're eating paleo, you aren't eating much bread, sugar, etc.
It seems to me that this transition to carb heavy diets that satiate hunger probably helped accelerate civilization -- it helped to satisfy hunger more easily and freed people to pursue activities that didn't involve hunting for food from dusk till dawn. But this came at a price -- negative health effects.
Maybe I just don't understand what paleo is all about, but trying to achieve a balance of macronutrients closer to those original diets seems like the point (or it should IMO) and not actually trying to eat foods that are 100% like what our ancestors ate.