- Reaction score
- 65
- Location
- Brooklyn NY
AI Overview
The traditional Inuit diet is a
high-fat, high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet centered on marine mammals (seals, whales, walruses) and fish, supplemented by land animals (caribou) and gathered plants like berries, seaweed, and roots, providing all essential nutrients from animal sources like organ meats and skin, which offer Vitamin C and D, preventing deficiency diseases like scurvy. This unique diet, rich in omega-3s, sustains them in the Arctic, though modern diets introduce health challenges.
Core Components
- Marine Mammals: Seals (ringed, harp), whales (narwhal, beluga), walrus.
- Fish: Arctic char, salmon, trout, cod.
- Land Animals: Caribou, polar bear, birds (geese).
- Plant Foods:
Berries (cloudberries, crowberries), seaweed, grasses, tubers, roots, stems (often from caribou stomachs)
.
Key Nutritional Aspects
- High Fat & Protein: Up to 50% calories from fat, 30-35% from protein, providing energy and preventing protein poisoning.
- Rich in Vitamins: Organ meats and animal skin (like narwhal skin) are excellent sources of Vitamin C, while fish provide Vitamin D, eliminating scurvy.
- Omega-3s: Abundant from fish and marine mammals, beneficial for cardiovascular health.
How They Get "Vegetables"
- Whole Animal Consumption: Eating liver, kidneys, brains, and raw skin provides vital nutrients often associated with plants.
- Stomach Contents: Consuming partially digested lichens and moss from caribou stomachs.
