Why Our Ancestors Knew Best : The Evolution of Our Optimum Nutrition

Long before the rise of supermarkets and food pyramids, early humans were guided by instinct, environment, and necessity when it came to eating. Surprisingly, those primal choices—formed over hundreds of thousands of years—still shape what we need to thrive on today. Evolution didn’t just mould our brains and bodies; it fine-tuned our optimum nutrition. And the closer we look at how early man ate, the more we understand why certain foods remain powerhouses of nutrition for us even now and why eating them may give us the best health outcomes.

Being a daily requirement early man would have always settled by a source of fresh water with early humans living on the edge of rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastlines. Though water meant life - as well as fresh drinking water, it also provided mobility, and, crucially, food. Fish and seafood were plentiful, easy to catch with primitive tools, and packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids. These essential fats not only supported brain development, maybe giving our ancestors a critical evolutionary edge, but continue to protect our hearts and minds today. It’s no wonder modern nutritional science praises oily fish like salmon, trout and mackerel.

Along those same fertile shorelines and river banks, our ancestors gathered nuts, fruits, berries, and eggs. These weren’t indulgences—they were survival staples. Nuts, for example, are energy-dense and rich in healthy fats, minerals, and protein. Today, they’re still revered in nutritional science for supporting everything from heart health, immunity and cognitive function.

Fruits and wild berries provided natural sugars—quick energy in a world that required constant movement—and came with a bonus: fibre, vitamins, and powerful antioxidants.

It's not all for Pooh Bear's enjoyment either - if our ancestors wanted an extra glucose boost, then what would have been better than finding a natural hive of honey?

Eggs, foraged from nests, were likely to be another miracle food. Portable, versatile, and full of high-quality protein and essential nutrients like iodine, iron and selenium they were a perfect evolutionary fit. Despite modern myths around cholesterol, eggs remain a near-perfect food from a nutritional standpoint.

But our ancestors weren’t just gatherers and fishers—they were hunters, too. Large game like deer, wild boar, and bison provided dense sources of protein and fat, which were vital in times when plant foods were scarce. These animals also offered essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, all of which helped fuel the growth of our larger brains and more active bodies. We would presume that nothing went to waste: organs, bone marrow, and fat were prized, nutrient-rich parts of the animal that modern diets often overlook. Hunting was dangerous and energy-intensive, but the nutritional payoff was enormous—and our physiology still reflects that.

What’s notably missing from this prehistoric pantry? Grains and dairy. These foods are relative newcomers on the human nutrition timeline, only appearing around 10,000 years ago with the advent of agriculture and animal domestication. That may sound like a long time, but in evolutionary terms, it’s the blink of an eye. Maybe as our digestive systems had already been shaped over millions of years without them, some of us still struggle to tolerate wheat (specifically gluten) and dairy (especially lactose). Food intolerances and allergies to gluten (wheat, barley and rye protein), lactose (milk sugar) and casein (milk protein) are relative common and this may be why: our bodies simply haven’t had enough time to fully adapt.

It’s not about glorifying the “caveman diet” or rejecting modern cuisine. Rather, it serves as a reminder that the foods we consumed during our evolution—whole, nutrient-rich, and unprocessed—might still be most beneficial for us today, just as the nutrients they provided drove their survival many years ago. Via 'survival of the fittest,' those that had a plentiful supply of water, fish, meat, eggs, and berries, constantly adapting to their natural environment, went on to have the next generation and so on. Our ancestors didn’t count calories or follow diet trends. They listened to their environment and their bodies. And in doing so, they developed a diet that is not only great for the ideal body composition but also delivers the best health and well-being outcomes.

So the next time we reach for a handful of berries or crack an egg for breakfast, let's take a moment to appreciate that we’re fuelling our body in a way that’s been millions of years in the making.

If you would like help achieving your optimum nutrition, please come and see me at Bridgford & Bingham Nutrition.

Happy eating,

Nina Thomas

BSc (Hons), MSc, ANutr

Registered Associate Nutritionist & Food Scientist

Bridgford & Bingham Nutrition              

21 Brickyard Lane

East Bridgford

Nottingham

NG13 8NJ

Call: 07958 765337

​www.bridgfordbinghamnutrition.co.uk