What Is The Paleo Diet All About? Is It Worth It? Is It Safe?
Paleo Diet
What Exactly is Paleo Diet?
If you don’t know what the Paleo diet is or you’ve never heard of it before, no worries –In this article, we’re going to explore exactly what this way of eating is all about. Paleo Diet
The Paleo diet, also referred to as the Paleolithic diet, emphasizes increased consumption of lean meat, fish, shellfish, fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, and seeds while excluding grains, legumes, cereals, dairy, processed foods, refined sugars and added salt. The Paleo diet has gained popularity all over the world, and in 2014, it was the most searched diet-related term via Google.
This diet pattern,
Finds its roots in our human Paleolithic ancestors who consumed foods available from their environments through hunting, fishing, and gathering. Since humans followed hunter-gatherer lifestyles for many thousands of years, the advocates of the Paleo diet claim the human body became especially well adapted to this diet. However, the composition of the ancient Paleolithic diet varied greatly based on geographic region.
Critics,
Of the contemporary Western diet postulate that the rise in chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease, is due to the influx of processed, refined, and sodium-heavy foods made widely available to the public, and that the nutritional quality of an ancestor-based diet may have therapeutic value in the treatment of chronic disease.
Paleo Diet Basics:
People assume the Paleo Diet is complicated or difficult to follow, but it is actually quite simple:
- Eat real foods. For a guideline on portions, 56–65% of your calories should come from animals, 36–45% from plant-based foods.
- Keep proteins high at 19-35%, carbohydrates at 22-40%, and fats at 28-58%.
“Rules” of the Paleo Diet Lifestyle:
If you need a more concrete recap of what to do and what not to do in order to live a proper Paleo diet lifestyle the following is a list of most commonly observed guidelines:
1. The Paleo diet should contain moderate amounts of animal protein, low amounts of carbohydrates, and it should be high in fat. Portion control and counting calories are not needed or recommended.
2. Saturated fats such as coconut oil can be eaten in unlimited quantities. Duck fat, beef tallow, and lard can also be eaten, but only if they come from grass-fed animals. Olive, macadamia, and avocado oil are also good to use as fats.
3. Animal protein can be eaten in healthy portion sizes. These include organ meats, wild game, red meat, eggs, pork, poultry, and fish. Cooking with the bones in place makes the meat more tender, juicy, and tasty, and can also make great tasting soup stock.
4. Eat plenty of vegetables either raw or cooked with some type of fat. A starch such as a sweet potato can provide non-toxic carbohydrates that provide clean energy.
5. Fruits and nuts should be eaten in low to moderate amounts. Low sugar fruits such as berries and nuts that contain omega 3 fatty acids are best. Eliminate fruits and nuts completely if you are trying to lose weight.
6. Choose meat that is grass-fed from local farms in your area. If you choose lean cuts of meat, add fats when cooking.
Also,
7. Do not eat legumes or grains. This means eliminating oats, corn, rice, soy, barley, beans, rye, peanuts, and wheat.
8. Do not use any vegetable, partially or fully hydrogenated oils such as canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, margarine, corn oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil.
9. Do not eat sugary foods such as processed foods, prepackaged foods, fruit juices, soft drinks, or sugar.
10. Do not eat dairy products, except for grass-fed butter if you cannot do without.
11. Eat only when you are hungry and do not worry if you find you are skipping meals. There is no need to eat three defined meals each day.
12. Try to reduce or eliminate as much stress in your life as you possibly can, and sleep when you feel the need to do so. Try going to bed when it becomes dark, and wakeup when it is light, without using an alarm clock.
13. Keep exercise to a normal level, with short and intense routines just two to three times each week. If you feel tired, do not work out. Think of exercise sessions as short sprints that are intense right off the bat, without the need for in-depth cardio.
14. Instead of commercial supplements or multivitamins, take just a vitamin D supplement and probiotics. Iodine may also need to be supplemented, however, this can be done naturally through foods such as seaweed.
15. Take some time to enjoy life! Get outside, play some games, travel, discover nature, and just relax.
Are there benefits to consuming a Paleo diet?
Here’s The Most Paleo Diet Health Benefits:
At first glance, it appears as if the Paleo diet would be healthy as it encourages increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, which may reduce blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, and reduce the risk for congestive heart disease and stroke. The increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables also increases the dietary consumption of some essential vitamins like Vitamins A, C, and E.
However,
There is a paucity of scientific research supporting many of the claims associated with the diet. The Paleo diet discourages the consumption of sodium; short-term reductions in sodium may reduce blood pressure in some individuals. In addition, the Paleo diet eliminates the consumption of refined carbohydrates, which in excess, can be associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and congestive heart disease.
Under short-term circumstances (i.e. 12 weeks), a Paleo diet has been shown to improve fat mass, insulin sensitivity, glycemic control and leptin in patients with type 2 diabetes. Limited research shows that Paleolithic-like diets may also decrease markers of inflammation and oxidative stress.
A review of four randomized,
Controlled trials examining the effects of the Paleo diet on factors related to metabolic syndrome reported that waist circumference, triglycerides, and blood pressure were significantly decreased with consumption of the Paleo diet; HDL-cholesterol and fasting blood sugar were not affected.
Positive Effects,
Were more drastic in the single trial that provided the meals to participants rather than ones that only gave dietary recommendations. The quality of this evidence was rated as moderate based on the grading Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Approach used by Manheimer and the team, with some concerns noted about high-risk bias in one study.
Pros And Cons Of Paleo Diet:
A. Pros:
Here are some health benefits that are often associated with the Paleo diet:
1. Reduces Diabetes:
The Paleo diet contains non-processed foods, low-fat foods, and does not contain foods with high sugar content. Therefore, your risk to develop diabetes is greatly reduced to an extremely low percent.
2. Removes toxins:
Processed foods found in fast food or snack food contains many chemicals and ingredients that build up in our digestive system. The Paleo diet helps improve digestion and in turn, removes the buildup of waste and toxins that have accumulated in the intestines, kidneys, and stomach.
3. Overall better feeling:
Because of the healthy nature of the Paleo diet, most people have noted that they experience a much better overall feeling after a short period of time. This better feeling includes a person having more energy, a higher productivity level, and increased focus both at work and at home.
4. Loss of Excess Fat – Weight loss:
Because you are only eating natural, unprocessed foods, your body is able to digest them quickly and use the nutrients. The foods contained in this eating plan are extremely beneficial for weight loss and many people who try the Paleo diet will experience some form of weight loss.
5. Reduce inflammation:
Thousands of people all over the world complain of daily aches and pains. Their body hurts but they do not know why. The reason is inflammation due to the consumption of unhealthy foods. The cells are inflamed from the food they ate. By switching to the paleo diet, you will be consuming a very healthy diet. This will reduce all inflammation and increase your sense of well-being.
6. Increased muscle mass:
Since the paleo diet revolves around the consumption of copious amounts of meat, you will be getting a lot of protein. This will aid in muscle growth and recovery if you engage in regular exercise. There will be much less muscle breakdown. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. This basically means that you will be lean, fit and healthy.
7. Reduced tendency to get allergies:
Modern-day foods contain ingredients that raise people’s sensitivity to allergens. By cutting out these foods, our ability to get allergies is greatly reduced.
8. Increased energy:
Initially,
the diet may be a little difficult to follow and you will not feel so good because your body is ridding itself of toxins accumulated from past eating habits. The change in diet also can be challenging. However, once you get over this hump, it will be smooth sailing all the way. You will find yourself full of life and bursting with energy.
B. Cons:
Here are Some Negative aspects of consuming the Paleo diet:
- Limitation of grains and dairy in the Paleo diet may limit the intake of key nutrients like fiber, vitamin D, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, and iron.
- The limitation of salt and dairy in the Paleo diet also increases one’s risk of developing iodine deficiency.
- Short term studies on the effects of the Paleo diet have shown that calcium intake is well below the recommended daily intake levels for healthy adults.
- This is especially concerning as the increase in dietary protein increases the loss of calcium in the urine, further reducing calcium levels.
- This may increase the risk for bone demineralization, osteoporosis, and osteopenia in the modern-day if not sufficiently balanced with increased fruit and vegetable intake that are sources of calcium.
Also,
- The Paleo diet provides no dietary vitamin D, further affecting the absorption of calcium.
- There is also a debatable risk of high-protein intake on kidney function. The scientific literature does not support the claims made by proponents of the Paleo diet because, at this time, there is a paucity of empirical research.
When compared to other diets,
like the Atkins diet, there is less proof to suggest either short-term or long-term weight loss benefits from the Paleo diet. Data in support of long-term adoption of the Paleo Diet are not strong at this time as it tends to be a difficult diet for study participants to adhere to for long-term follow-up.
Paleo Approved Foods:
Foods You Can Eat: (We’ll cover this in a bit more detail below):
- Butter.
- Eggs.
- Fish and Seafood.
- Fruit.
- Herbs and Spices.
- Meat.
- Natural oils (avocado, coconut, olive).
- Nuts (Seeds).
- Vegetables.
Here are the primary foods to be included in The Paleo diet plan:
1. Meat:
Any kind of meat as long as it’s lean. Paleo dieters prefer seafood to be the prime meat source as they are easy to acquire and some can be eaten even in their raw state. Aside from typical meats, the Paleo diet also encourages the consumption of organ meats like liver and kidneys because they have low-fat content and high in protein.
Meat is an important food in the diet plan as this is the main source of protein and humans should have a high protein diet which helps to build up muscles in the body and provide us enough energy to sustain our everyday activities.
2. Raw Vegetables:
Of course, vegetables will never be left out in this diet, but the main idea is you have to eat it raw or as close to raw as possible. Cooking is good, but it is not recommended because during the cooking process the vitamins and nutritional value of the food might be “cooked away”, leaving you with a food that has little or no nutritional value.
Whenever possible, vegetables should be eaten as is so that you will get more of the vitamins and nutritional benefits which is good for your body.
3. Nuts:
Some nuts are also a part of the Paleo diet meal plan as they can be a good source of fiber and protein and less in fat. The types of nuts allowed in the caveman diet are Brazilian nuts, almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts. However, peanuts and cashews are not recommended because they have a higher fat content.
4. Fruits:
Fruits should also be considered in the Stone Age diet as they have all the good stuff and none of the bad. Aside from the vitamins in minerals, most fruits contain fiber which makes us feel full and antioxidants, which cleans and detoxifies our body of the bad elements.
A large variety of fruits can be eaten when you go Paleo. On this list is all kinds of berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.), apples, oranges, mango, and pears. This also includes avocados which is a fantastic source of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that your body needs.
5. Eggs:
Yes to eggs as well – hard-boiled, soft boiled, scrambled, omelet (just add some of those vegetables and even some of the meat list, if that’s what you enjoy.
6. Oil:
Oils are an important part of the Paleo diet and include the aforementioned olive, coconut, and avocado.
7. Herbs And Spices:
Finally, we have our herbs and spices. There is something here for everyone to flavor your food – Sea salt, garlic, turmeric, mint, basil, rosemary, and many others can be part of your every day eating.
You will find slightly different approved foods with the Paleo diet or the “Caveman” diet. Some will tell you that it’s okay to consume certain things in limited quantities.
This includes red wine (science says there are a variety of health benefits to red wine), hot chocolate using dark chocolate, and certain teas, like green tea, that is packed with powerful antioxidants that have a lot of health benefits.
Hardcore Paleo enthusiasts,
Will tell you to go organic as often as possible, to only eat grass-fed meat and consume wild-caught sustainable fish. If you can do this, great, but if not, don’t let that stop you. Following the Paleo diet will do wonders for you even if you don’t go hardcore organic all the way. Do what you can.
Big Paleo No Foods (as in no, you can’t eat these):
Grains, grains, grains (barley, rye, wheat) – Among other things they contain gluten. Avoiding grains means no bread or pasta.
1. Sugars:
(Sugar, includes high fructose corn syrup) – No soft drinks, fruit drinks, ice cream, pastries, candy, etc. Sugars may promote weight gain, give you diabetes, energy crashes, and blood pressure issues, among other health issues.
2. Legumes:
This means no beans or lentils.
3. Dairy:
Stay away from all low-fat dairy products. If you don’t have problems digesting dairy it may be okay to consume some full-fat dairy products like raw whole milk and certain cheeses but only in small amounts.
4. Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils:
(canola, corn, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, etc.) These oils cause unhealthy levels of inflammation. And remember the essential fatty acids mentioned above? One of the major problems today is our unbalanced intake of Omega-6 fatty acids compared to Omega-3. A major factor in this unbalanced intake is the high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids in these oils.
5. Margarine:
Margarine was created as a “healthy” alternative to butter. As it turns out, butter is the much healthier option. Most margarine has high levels of deadly trans-fats in them.
6. Artificial Sweeteners:
Things like acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin and sucralose are to be avoided on the Paleo diet. Obesity is an epidemic and many, many health problems have been connected to obesity. Obesity has been linked to diets high in processed foods, high in processed carbohydrates, and excess sugar intake. The potential health problems include heart disease, type two diabetes, cancer, and stroke.
Yes,
Many of you are looking at this list of what you can’t eat and thinking you could never follow a Paleo lifestyle. Well, take another look at the list of things that you can eat! How often do you see some of those on a list of foods you can eat while on a so-called ‘diet?’
Not to mention the fact that a Paleo diet does not ask you to count calories!
Points To Consider:
While there are many obvious benefits you can get from practicing the Paleo Diet, there are also some points to consider before entering into this diet plan.
- I. Paleo Diet is a low-carb diet. It relies more on sustaining the body with the energy derived from the protein in foods being eaten.
- II. It focuses only on certain food groups, choosing simple foods to be eaten and prepared.
- III. The carbohydrates needed in our body can only be supplied from the select food source to maintain the goal of decreasing carbohydrate intake to have an improvement in health and even longevity in life.
Note:
It is recommended to consult a health professional or a dietician before moving into the caveman diet practice. Seek their advice so that you will learn to uncover the secrets of achieving a healthier well being through the Paleo diet.
Paleo Diet Recipes Are Not Tasteless:
The good thing about utilizing paleo recipes is that you can easily make dishes that are as easy or as complex as you want them to be. Moreover, your cooking talents will also be put to the test while you consider distinctive food recipes that have been created to adhere to the paleo diet ideas. You can also make use of a great variety of awesome ingredients and side dishes to go with your meals.
The most important characteristic of paleo recipes is the back-to-basics attitude instead of going to the grocery store to buy ready-made mixes, processed foods, and no-cook meals, you learn to create items from scratch and include your own personal twist to each dish. Paleo recipes ensure that you get the utmost nutritional consumption from just the primary food groups, making it essentially the most healthful and genetically-appropriate diet program available today.
Summing Up:
With all these Paleo health benefits, everybody should try to follow the Paleo diet. While you do not get to enjoy the delicious sweet treats, pizza, or beer, there are still plenty of tasty foods you can eat that will provide you with everything you need.
The Paleo diet is extremely safe and will benefit you and your overall wellbeing. If you are still unsure about trying this age-old eating style, then talk to your doctor. Chances are your doctor will tell you the same thing – the Paleo diet is safe and is good for your health.
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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment for any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”
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References
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