Is paleo over? Discovery of ‘world’s oldest bread’ discredits Pete Evans’ diet

The paleo diet claims our caveman ancestors didn’t eat grains, but one doctor has slammed the controversial diet after a new discovery provided evidence that humans have always eaten bread.

“One of the core principles of the paleo diet was shaken to its low-carb core this week, with the discovery that our Palaeolithic predecessors did the unthinkable — they ate bread,” Dr Nick Fuller wrote in The Daily Telegraph.

The paleo diet, commonly referred to as the caveman diet, is hugely popular these days. It’s designed to emulate only what humans are thought to have eaten during the Palaeolithic era — promoting poultry, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables and meat — however it has now proven to be historically inaccurate.

In fact, the origins of bread have been found to date back to 14,000 years ago, when flour was made from wild wheat and barley. “Bread has long been part of our staple diet as human beings,” Fuller wrote.

His comments come after the ‘world’s oldest bread’ was discovered at an archaeological site in Jordan earlier this week, proving humanity’s love of bread goes back thousands of years. Archaeologists found the scraps of what is believed to be flatbread around a fireplace at a Natufian hunter-gatherer site called Shubayqa, located in northeastern Jordan, with the leftovers believed to be around 14,400 years old.

Many health experts in the past have also criticised the diet and labelled it another fad. According to evolutionary biologist Karen Hardy, carbohydrates play an important role in the developing of bigger brains, The Guardian reported. And a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found people lost more fat on a low-fat diet than on a low-carb one. 

Fuller added: “Just like paleo Pete did with his marketing switch from previously recommending ‘five small meals per day’ to ‘intermittent fasting’, perhaps the big names behind this nonsensical and unhealthy approach to food will change their angle to now include bread and grains in their diet.”

Read more: Pete Evans rebuffs doctors’ criticism over ‘fad’ paleo diet

Evans, famed for pushing his strict paleo diets, transformed his body over the past few years, adopting a hard-lined approach to healthy eating and dropping the kilos.

Earlier this month, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) called for his documentary The Magic Pill to be pulled from streaming service Netflix.

However, speaking in an exclusive chat with Starts at 60, the 45-year-old has hit back at the comments, questioning the AMA’s real intentions. “I believe that any criticism shows the fears and insecurities of the people or organisations making the criticisms,” he says.

The documentary makes a case that eliminating processed foods, carbohydrates and grains can potentially alleviate health conditions ranging from asthma to autism. Despite the AMA’s claims, Netflix have decided to release The Magic Pill globally, and they have also extended the contract for another 12 months.

What do you think? Are you a fan of the paleo diet? Would you try it?