Are Our Modern Diets Pushing Us Toward Extinction?
In a world where convenience food reigns supreme, our bodies are struggling to keep up. Our genetics are, at their core, still primitive, and they haven’t had enough time to evolve in sync with our rapidly changing food environment. From genetically modified crops to the sheer volume of processed foods, the way we nourish ourselves today is miles apart from what our ancestors ate—and our bodies are feeling the consequences.
Our Genetic Legacy vs. Modern Foods
For thousands of years, human digestive systems evolved around a stable diet. Our enzymes, responsible for breaking down food, are essentially the same as those of our great-great-grandparents. However, the food itself has changed drastically. One clear example is wheat. In the 1970s, wheat contained around 5% lectin, a protein that’s tough for us to digest. Now, many wheat strains have been modified to contain up to 65% lectin. Our digestive enzymes are not equipped to handle this much lectin, which leads to inflammation and immune responses that can cause everything from digestive issues to skin conditions.
When our digestive system encounters something it can’t break down, like this modern wheat, it essentially goes on the defensive. Our body mounts an immune response similar to what happens when we’re fighting an infection. This inflammation, over time, can lead to chronic conditions and wears down our immune system. And wheat is just one example. From preservatives to artificial flavors, many components of today’s foods are foreign to our bodies, leading to build-ups of toxins that our systems can’t efficiently process.
The Case of Flour and the Weevil Experiment
A curious observation about wheat flour highlights just how different today’s wheat is from what it once was. Decades ago, if flour sat out, it would attract weevils, tiny insects that feed on grains. Today, however, you’re unlikely to see weevils in a bag of flour—because even they can’t process the modern wheat we consume. This change points to a transformation so significant that by the traditional definition of species, this wheat should actually be classified as something new. But lobbying by manufacturers has kept it under the familiar label, even though its makeup has dramatically shifted.
Water vs. Sugar: The Beverages We Aren’t Evolved For
Our ancestors primarily drank water, occasionally wine, or other naturally available drinks, but sugary beverages were nowhere in their diet. Now, we have fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks loaded with sugar and caffeine—far more than our bodies can handle. These drinks flood our systems with sugar, overworking our insulin and adrenal glands, leading to widespread issues like diabetes, adrenal fatigue, and chronic anxiety. While these beverages are everywhere, our bodies simply aren’t designed to handle such high doses of sugar and caffeine on a regular basis.
The Problem with Food Additives and Preservatives
Processed foods and preservatives are perhaps the biggest culprits in our dietary struggle. In the last few decades, chemicals have been added to enhance flavor, color, and shelf life, none of which our ancestors ever consumed. Our bodies don’t recognize many of these substances as food and can’t efficiently process them. These chemicals accumulate, leading to chronic inflammation and, over time, serious conditions like neurological disorders and cancer.
A Call to Return to a Simpler Diet
To protect our future generations, we need to rethink what we’re putting into our bodies. Returning to a diet closer to what our ancestors ate—one focused on whole foods, clean water, and minimal additives—may be the key to preserving our health. This doesn’t mean eliminating all modern foods or never enjoying a treat, but it does mean prioritizing foods that our bodies can naturally process. Making small changes, like choosing water over sugary beverages, can have a profound impact over time.
If we continue on the path of high-preservative, high-sugar, and chemically laden foods, future generations may face even greater health challenges, with conditions like chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases becoming increasingly common. Let’s take the steps now to nourish ourselves and our descendants with food that aligns with our genetic heritage.