The planetary diet: a nutritional utopia in conflict with human evolution

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary nutrition
• Clinical nutrition
• Anthropological diversity

Background:

• The Planetary Health Diet (PHD) promotes a plant-based, carbohydrate-rich model for global health and sustainability.
• Concerns exist regarding the PHD's universal applicability, human metabolic compatibility, nutrient sufficiency, and evolutionary coherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• Critically evaluate the PHD using evolutionary biology, clinical nutrition, cancer metabolism, and anthropology.
• Propose the autogenous diet as an alternative framework aligned with human physiological and ecological heritage.

Main Methods:

• Narrative synthesis of peer-reviewed literature in evolutionary nutrition, clinical trials, oncology, and chronobiology.
• Comparative analysis of metabolic divergence between high-carbohydrate and fat-adapted ancestral nutritional models.

Main Results:

• The PHD inadequately provides DHA, vitamin B12, and iron; promotes high glycemic load and insulin signaling; and overlooks genetic variability.
• The autogenous diet offers species-appropriate macronutrients (moderate protein, high fat, low carbohydrate), prioritizes local foods, aligns with circadian rhythms, and supports tumor suppression.

Conclusions:

• Universalizing the PHD is a biological and cultural oversimplification.
• Nutritional strategies must consider evolutionary metabolism, regional diversity, and clinical outcomes.
• Ancestral, autogenous diets may provide a more effective, ecological solution meeting fundamental physiological requirements.