When the Paleo Diet book was originally published, seafood was recommended but not from a true Paleolithic perspective. The idea was that seafood could provide things like omega-3 fats that were found in Paleo foods like organ meats, bone marrow, etc., - foods that aren't that appetizing in modern society. In 2000, Cordain stated here that:
"Hence, fish, shellfish, and other shore-based foods likely would have played a minor role in providing nutrients,including essential fatty acids, that were crucial for the rapid hominid brain expansion that occurred during the Early Paleolithic."
Now the tide seems to have shifted. Over at the Paleo diet blog, there was this statement:
"From an evolutionary standpoint fish allergy is nonsense, as it has been part of the human nutrition since, probably, 2-2.5 million years ago."
It appears then that evidence does show seafood consumption by Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. I think this has a lot of important implications.
Now, instead of just focusing on fish oil, there are a number of other issues to consider. Such as:
- Did Paleo man consume sea vegetables?
- Was the iodine consumption of Paleo man higher than previously thought?
- What about salt? Obviously, more consumption of sea food could increase salt intake.
- What about trace minerals that are only found in marine food? Are these important?
Researchers appear to be already making the connection between marine foods and health. I am seeing a ton of new articles on the subject. For example, this study shows that lean fish, but not lean meat, consumption lowers VLDL (bad) cholesterol levels. This study shows how a unqiue batch of marine omega-3 fats can be effective for cancer care.
When I read other posts about a Paleo diet not working for people, I wonder if the consumption of marine foods is the missing link. There are nutrients in marine foods that are not available in animal foods. It could be that a combination of aquatic and animal food is necessary for optimal health.
