The Paleo Diet
A diet that follows the eating style of our primate ancestors.
BACKGROUND
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The Paleolithic Diet, also known as the Paleo Diet or the Caveman Diet, is one that includes eating the foods that were consumed by those living during the Paleolithic times some 10,000 years ago.
The concept behind the Paleo Diet rests on the hypothesis that our bodies are genetically and evolutionary designed to survive and thrive on the foods that were available to our early Paleolithic ancestors.
The main foods within the Paleo Diet are meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots and nuts. There are no grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar or processed oils because this type of eating took place before the development of agriculture.
The Paleo Diet was very first made popular in the 1970s by Walter L. Voegtlin, and has since been revised and recreated by numerous authors and researchers throughout several books.
The diet has been classified as a fad diet by the American Diabetic Association.
Those who support this plan believe that much of the obesity epidemic as well as the increase in weight-related health conditions are the result of the consumption of grains, flours and sugars, which are all kinds of carbohydrates.
PRO
- Diet reflects the evolutionary purpose of how our bodies were first designed to eat and metabolize food
- Focuses on eating foods that come from the earth and animals, rather than processed foods
- Low carbohydrate eating plan will assist in weight loss
- Supports clean-eating and eating a whole-foods diet
- High fat and protein content of diet makes it a very satiating eating plan
- Scientific studies have shown positive health benefits from following the Paleo Diet
- Naturally gluten and casein free
CON
- Strict and limited eating plan may be impractical for today's living
- Deemed as a fad diet by some health experts
- Diets high in meat and saturated fat are associated with health risks
DIET and NUTRITION
The Paleo Diet consists of foods that can be mainly hunted or gathered. Foods that were introduced after agriculture was developed are not allowed on the Paleo Diet. Some of the foods that can be consumed on this program include:
- Meat
- Chicken
- Fish
- Eggs
- Fruit
- Vegetables (excluding potatoes and sweet potatoes)
- Nuts (excluding peanuts and cashews) and seeds
The following foods are not allowed:
- Grains
- Beans
- Dairy
- Sugar
- Salt
- Legumes
- Flours
A typical diet might look like this:
- Breakfast might be scrambled eggs with a side of fresh berries.
- Lunch might be a green salad topped with grilled chicken breast or shrimp.
- Dinner might be beef tenderloin, raw or steamed vegetables and stewed fruit for dessert.
- Snacks include raw nuts, veggies, hard-boiled eggs and fresh fruit.
EXERCISE
Although some books on the Paleo Diet may include an exercise regimen, the general scope of this diet does not cover that.
Since our ancestors were constantly moving, it is recommended that you engage in as much as physical activity as you can, particularly if you are trying to lose weight.
CONCLUSION
The Paleo Diet is one that takes eating back to how our hunter and gatherer ancestors ate. Eating only foods that are from nature, such as meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits, the Paleo Diet has shown promise not just for those who want to lose weight but also for those who want to improve their risk of diabetes.
But critics argue that this type of eating is unsafe and can deprive your body of some of the nutrients it needs such as calcium. Also its highly restrictive nature can lead to quick burnout.
Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian if you are interested in following the Paleo Diet.
Common Misspellings
paloe diet, paleo deit, plaeo diet, stone age diet, caveman's diet, paleolithic diet
Featured Diets
Related Diets: Caveman Diet, Dr. Gott's No Flour No Sugar Diet, High Protein Diet, Low-Carb Diet, Natural Foods Diet, The Whole Foods Diet
User Feedback
(Page 2 of 2, 25 total comments)Dave
Those on the Paleo diet say they don't eat carbs... Yet, they eat fruits and veggies - aren't these carbs? This is confusing. Example, A medium gala apple is about 70 calories and 19 grams of carbs, no fat, no protein.
posted Jun 28th, 2011 1:03 amJaci
This is largely how I eat in general and I don't call it a "diet" at all. I do eat carbs, but usually only in the first half of the day. I don't add sauces or oils unnecessarily and I always try to only eat foods that I find delicious for their own flavor, not the flavor of what I smother it in. It's neat to know that there's a diet that is based around a belief similar to mine: we evolved to eat certain foods!
posted Jun 21st, 2011 7:36 amraquel montoya
i didnt like this diet because u hurty alot of animals,,, go vegans!
posted Mar 9th, 2011 3:41 pmKevin H
Paleo diet solved my health problems within days! Now I blog about how I'm making my whole life paleo.
posted Oct 27th, 2010 8:35 pmDJ
I know many people who have lost plently of weight on this diet. On in particular lost 6 lbs in the 1st week. It is hard, but after 1 week I felt more alert throughout the day, I slept better at night, and I had a mood change (for the better). My exercising improved dramatically as well! Great diet!
posted Oct 5th, 2010 1:14 am