Natural Foods

• Unlike the overly processed foods of today, traditional diets contained no foods that could be considered processed. Traditional diets focused on consumption of foodstuffs in their natural state--without refined (white) flour, hydrogenated oils or added flavors or colorings.
  
  

Protein Consumption

• According to the Weston Price Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to the study of non-industrialized people and their diets, traditional diets focus on consumption of natural protein sources, whether from seafood, land animals or eggs. These diets eschew the concept of vegetarianism and veganism, preferring instead to take an omnivorous approach to nutritional intake.
  
  

Saturated Fat Consumption

• Unlike the obsessive nutritionists of today, traditional diets do not concern themselves with the saturated fat content of meats. Researchers at the Weston Price Foundation note that between 30 and 80 percent of the calories in most traditional diets come from a combination of fats. While you might think this would lead to an increased risk of heart disease among traditional dieters, the incidence of cardiac disease among the world's remaining hunter/gatherer groups (such as Eskimo and Inuit) is lower than that among individuals eating a modern diet.
  
  

Omega-3 Fats

• Traditional diets tend to include omega-3 fats in roughly equal proportion to omega-6 fats. Omega-3 fats are heart-healthy fats found in wild animals, but not among animals fed a corn-based diet. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, omega-3 fat intake is important, as adequate consumption of omega-3 fats has been linked to weight control and decreased risk of cancer and depression.
  
  

Raw Food

• Some, if not all, animal products are consumed raw in most traditional diets. While today you might equate consumption of raw foods with disease, traditional diet theory considers consumption of raw food to be a fairly healthy alternative to cooked foods. Some modern cultures today, such as in Japan, continue this tradition of consuming at least some raw food.