Optimal Midlife Diet: Cutting Through the Confusion
If you’ve been frustrated by the contradictory nutrition advice that dominates the media, you’re not alone. One minute eggs are terrible, and the next, they’re a superfood. Fat was demonised for decades, only to be followed by a low-carb craze.
It’s enough to make your head spin!
This is the reality for many of us trying to figure out what to eat: contradictory claims, cherry-picked studies, and an overwhelming amount of information that often leaves us more confused than ever.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The Problem with Nutrition Research: Why Are We So Confused?
Despite millions of dollars poured into nutritional research, one of the main reasons we are more confused than ever is simple: we’ve been asking the wrong questions and relying on flawed methods.
Most studies focus on a “one-size-fits-all” diet, ignoring the significant variations between individuals. This approach, often backed by headlines from respected journals, leads to widespread confusion.
Here's why that’s problematic:
Top-down, population-wide recommendations don’t account for individual genetic differences, health status, or lifestyle factors.
Observational studies are often relied upon, but these can't always establish causation. For instance, are people who eat more red meat unhealthy because of the meat itself, or because of the ultra-processed junk they eat alongside it? Did they smoke, drink alcohol, exercise, and get optimal sleep?
We need to look at nutrition through a broader lens.
Let’s Take a Step Back: What Does an Optimal Human Diet Look Like?
The truth is, there’s no single, perfect diet that works for everyone. Humans are diverse, and what works for one person may not work for another. Factors like genetics, health status, activity levels, and life circumstances all play crucial roles in determining our nutritional needs.
Consider this: would a sedentary 55-year-old with prediabetes follow the same diet as a 23-year-old Olympic athlete training three hours a day? Of course not. Their bodies require entirely different nutritional approaches.
Even among men in midlife, factors like stress levels, sleep quality, and physical activity all shape what’s best for you nutritionally.
The Problem with “Nutritionism”
One of the greatest obstacles to understanding optimal nutrition is a concept called nutritionism—the idea that food is merely a collection of nutrients, and that if you focus on the right macronutrient ratios, you’ll be healthy.
This reductionist approach misses a key point: food quality matters.
Imagine two people both eating 50% of their calories from fat. One eats whole foods like avocados, nuts, and fish, while the other consumes fast food, donuts, and pizza. Despite having the same macronutrient intake, their health outcomes would be vastly different.
What Foods Are Universally Good?
While there’s no universal “best” diet for everyone, there are some core principles that apply to most of us:
Avoid ultra-processed foods: Sugar-laden, nutrient-poor processed foods lead to poor health outcomes.
Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods: Prioritise vegetables, fruits, high-quality proteins, and healthy fats.
These basic guidelines are a great starting point, but beyond that, individual differences come into play. Your genetics, gut health, and even personal health goals will shape the specifics of what’s best for you.
Why Ancestral Health and Evolution Matter
When we consider what humans are biologically adapted to eat, the lens of ancestral health offers key insights:
Our ancestors thrived on diets that consisted mainly of whole, unprocessed foods, including meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables.
Chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease, and diabetes were virtually nonexistent until modern, processed foods became the norm.
Research shows that our bodies are better adapted to whole foods than the ultra-processed junk that dominates modern diets. This means that when we go back to eating in a way that aligns with how our bodies evolved, we thrive.
Biochemistry: Understanding Animal vs. Plant Foods
When looking at food from a biochemical perspective, animal-based foods provide several essential nutrients that are hard to obtain from plant sources, such as:
Complete proteins with all nine essential amino acids.
Heme iron, which is more bioavailable than non-heme iron found in plants.
Vitamin B12, critical for nerve function and only found in significant amounts in animal products.
That said, there are also plant-based foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers that offer unique benefits. The key is balance and personalisation—finding the right mix of foods that works best for your body.
Final Thoughts: Creating a Diet That Works for You
By taking into account our ancestral biology and biochemistry, we can arrive at a more balanced, personalised approach to nutrition. While the exact mix of foods may differ from person to person, focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods and minimising ultra-processed junk is a recipe for success.
So if you’re tired of the confusion and frustration surrounding nutrition, remember this: there’s no perfect, one-size-fits-all diet. But there is a natural way of eating that can guide you toward better health.
