'What Food History Tells Us About Living Longer'

In a recent TEDx talk titled “What Food History Tells Us About Living Longer,“ Toni MacAskill explored how diets from history can contribute to health and longevity. MacAskill, from the YouTube channel Plant Chompers, presented her findings at the TEDxBoston Longevity Summit last month, where she argued that modern nutrition could benefit from a renewed focus on some of the diverse, plant-rich diets of the past.

MacAskill began by addressing the misconception that diets from previous centuries were inherently unhealthy. Many of today’s national food guides are based on older dietary patterns, she noted, pointing to diets from the past as examples. “The very healthiest diets are ones that were started in previous centuries, such as Mediterranean and Asian diets,” she explained, emphasizing that these diets’ reliance on whole grains, legumes, and a variety of vegetables provides a strong foundation for modern health.

Watch the full talk below

One of her central points was the value of whole, minimally processed foods – a principle backed by early nutrition science. During World War I, Harriette Chick, a pioneering nutrition scientist, addressed nutrient deficiencies among British troops by using plant-based foods such as sprouted lentils and peas. “They couldn’t get fruit and vegetables to the troops,” MacAskill said. “But they could get lentils and peas, send them to the troops, sprout them, and feed them to fend off the ravages of beriberi and scurvy.” This strategy highlighted how plant-based foods can be powerful tools in preventing nutrient deficiencies, even in challenging conditions.

MacAskill also drew from historical texts to underscore the longstanding appreciation for whole plant foods. She referenced the 18th-century writer Thomas Short, who observed rising rates of obesity due to refined foods, and Thomas Wadd, who wrote about “corpulence as a disease” in 1812 and advocated for diets rich in whole, plant-based foods. These writings, MacAskill suggested, reveal that past societies were acutely aware of the health risks associated with overly refined diets – a concern echoed in today’s dietary discussions.

The importance of plant diversity

A selection of root vegetables and other salad items in a wooden tray — Adobe Stock Diets rich in minimally processed plant foods and withstood the test of time

MacAskill’s pointed out the importance of plant-based diversity in many traditional diets, which often included a wide range of vegetables, grains, and wild plants. She cited a 14th-century cookbook that encouraged the use of “as many wild edible plants and flowers as they could gather” for recipes. In one salad recipe, ingredients like fennel, mint, spinach, green onions, rosemary, and primroses were used. This, according to MacAskill, demonstrates a commitment to variety that many modern diets lack.

MacAskill concluded by highlighting the rise of hyper-palatable foods, which are high in sugar, salt, and fat, meaning they are harder for the general population to stop eating. “It shouldn’t be surprising to anyone that grain-based foods have become many times more hyper-palatable than they were just a few decades ago,” she explained. These often combine sugar, salt, and artificial flavors, colors, and emulsifiers. Meat-based dishes, she added, are also regarded as hyper-palatable in the modern world, due to their increasingly high fat content.

Despite the fact that fruits have gotten sweeter in the modern world, these are not regarded as hyper-palatable. They, along with whole grains, beans, vegetables, and minimally processed nuts, have remained “largely as they have always been with regards to hyperpalatability.” Her closing message emphasized that “traditional diets of the previous centuries” that prioritized these foods “have stood the test of time” for good reason. MacAskill suggested that by embracing dietary diversity and focusing on minimally processed plant-based foods, society can address contemporary health challenges while drawing on the wisdom of the past.