The Paleo diet is a blast from the past. On a further serious note, a Paleo diet entails consuming foods that we ate WAY back when.
The Paleo diet has since secured its rank in the wellness industry as one of the most popular diets and it’s garnered a diverse audience that includes bodybuilders, CrossFit advocates, professional athletes, yogis and overall wellness aficionados.
In 2013, it was named as the ‘World’s Most Popular Diet’, yet it leaves most of us in doubt.
Here, learn exactly what it means to “Go Paleo” and how to get started on the Paleo diet, plus who should and who shouldn’t adopt these caveman-era eating habits.
What is Paleo Diet?
Paleo is short form for “Palaeolithic,” which alludes to the age when Neanderthals, often known as cavemen, roamed the earth. The Paleo diet aims to revive us to the idea our forefathers ate. The Paleo diet, according to proponents, enhances health and fitness more than any other diet, owing to its lack of manufactured foods. Other names for the diet include the Stone Age diet, the caveman diet and the hunter-gatherer diet.
What foods are allowed to eat on the Paleo diet?
These Paleo eating recommendations appear to be the most popular and commonly followed:
Do consume: meats, fish, seafood, eggs, healthy oils (olive, coconut, and avocado oils), fruit, vegetables, seeds, and nuts
Dairy products, beans, legumes, cereals, sugar (excluding fruit), sauces, condiments, grains, certain vegetable oils (mixed, canola, soybean, grapeseed, cottonseed), artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and processed foods are all things you should avoid.
When it comes to beverages, water should be your initial choice. Avoid sugary beverages like soda and artificially sweetened beverages like sports drinks. Although coffee and tea aren’t paleo by real Paleolithic standards, most people consume them nonetheless; just don’t add cream or sugar to remain on track with the Paleo diet.
Advantages of Paleo Diet:
• Proteins are the building blocks of bones, muscles, skin, and hair, among other things. There’s chicken, fish, and eggs on the menu. You are encouraged to opt for lean cuts of meat that are comparatively low in fat
• More fiber: Fiber from fresh fruits, berries, and vegetables would make up the majority of your diet. Dietary fiber is important for digestion, and you don’t have to limit yourself to whole grains. In addition, non-starchy veggies have eight times the fiber of grains. Antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables protect you against infections, bacteria and viruses.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, which may be found in fish, seafood, nuts, and oilseeds.
• Healthy oils such as olive, walnut, flaxseed, coconut, or avocado
• And, finally much less saturated fat, sodium and carbs from processed foods. It’s difficult since it eliminates sweets, dairy, wheat, legumes, processed oils, carbohydrates, and alcohol, all of which are common in today’s diet. The goal is to eliminate wit.
What are the major drawbacks of the Paleo Diet?
The diet prohibits the use of legumes, which are abundant in magnesium, selenium, and manganese and are highly beneficial to gut health.
Humans today are not genetically similar to Paleolithic predecessors, as the paleo diet claims. To adapt to our changing surroundings, we have developed.
The diet does not account for the vast variety of foods accessible throughout the Palaeolithic period, and there is insufficient data to determine the precise number and quantities of foods eaten during that time period.
Who should follow a Paleo Diet?
The Paleo Diet isn’t for everyone, but neither is any other diet. Paleo may be a suitable diet for you if you have numerous dietary intolerances, such as gluten intolerance, lactose sensitivity, or FODMAP intolerance. Paleo is likewise a wonderful option for those who feel better physically and psychologically when they avoid processed meals.
Before beginning the Paleo diet, people at risk of nutrient deficiencies, specifically calcium and vitamin D, should consult a nutritionist or physician. Eliminating dairy products could increase your chances of nutritional deficiencies.
Consult with your doctor to see whether a paleo diet plan would benefit your health or if an alternative diet will be a better fit.
