Why traditional diets are more relevant than ever today

Abstract

The current epidemic of obesity and its co-morbidities reflect an urgent need to reform our modern eating patterns. This commentary proposes the reclamation of our traditional diets of the precolonial, preindustrial era, which are argued to be more sustainable, in terms of health, economics, and ecology, than the low-carbohydrate or Palaeolithic diet. It is also argued that, via the reclamation of traditional diets, a more successful uptake of the current Food Based Dietary Guideline for increasing intake of pulses could be achieved.