The paleo diet also known as stone age diet and caveman diet
is based on what our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten during the
Paleolithic period, which was 10,000 to 2.5 million years ago. The paleo diet
seeks to limit the intake of processed foods and focuses on including a wide
variety of plant-based food sources – but only the ones that our ancient selves
would have likely come across in their hunter-gatherer days. Although it’s
impossible to know exactly what human ancestors ate in different parts of the
world, researchers believe their diets consisted of whole foods. By following a
whole food-based diet and leading physically active lives, hunter-gatherers
presumably had much lower rates of lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, diabetes
and heart disease.
The Paleo diet focuses on whole foods, raw fruits and vegetables in season and
plenty of meat. Anything that requires intensive farming is out, so that means
cutting out beans and legumes, cultivated grains and dairy. Alcohol is also out,
as it’s a grain-based product that’s high in carbohydrates. Thus meat, fish,
eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, healthy fats and oils are
allowed and processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, most dairy products,
legumes, artificial sweeteners, vegetable oils, margarine and trans fats are to
be avoided while following Paleo diet. Tea and coffee both are rich in
antioxidants and are allowed in this type of diet.
Paleo diet may provide some benefits These benefits may include:
• Weight loss
• Improved glucose tolerance
• Better blood pressure control
• Lower triglycerides
• Better appetite management
The paleo diet is considered a restrictive diet, and as such, can bring some
health risks. It may also be more difficult to stick with long term. One area of
concern is fiber. Because the diet eliminates grains, that can potentially lead
to a reduction in the amount of fiber and other important nutrients. Similarly
if someone adds lots of fatty cuts of meat to diet, that could actually increase
the riskof heart disease or certain types of cancer. So be sure to look for lean
meats that have been minimally processed if you’re switching to the paleo diet.