Paleo Diet
Our Western diet has contributed to an epidemic of ill health. By looking back to when humans were at their most healthy, we can get clues to what our diet should contain. The ‘Paleo Diet’, also known as the ‘cave man diet’, is a diet based on the foods we would have eaten during the Palaeolithic era brought within the realms of what is available to us in modern society.
The Paleo diet is backed up by modern science and a growing army of followers will testify to the incredible results of improved health and maintenance of a healthy body weight.
Health Benefits of a Paleo Diet
- Less likely to be consuming potentially harmful substances like additives, preservatives or chemicals.
- Studies suggest there are anti-inflammatory benefits in eating fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts and seeds.
- You’re likely to consume more iron by eating higher amounts of red meat.
- You may feel more full between meals, this is due to higher consumption of protein and fats.
- Many people lose weight on this diet, this is due to the limited food options.
What to Eat on a Paleo Diet
- Meat: Beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, pork.
- Fish: Salmon, trout, haddock, shrimp, shellfish. Always select wild-caught and sustainable fish.
- Eggs: Choose free-range, pastured or omega-3 enriched eggs.
- Vegetables: Broccoli, kale, peppers, onions, carrots, tomatoes and more.
- Fruits: Apples, bananas, oranges, pears, avocados, strawberries, blueberries and more.
- Tubers: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, turnips.
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
- Healthy fats and oils: Extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil.
- Salt and spices: Sea salt, garlic, turmeric, rosemary.
You should always try to select grass-fed, pasture-raised and organic foods.
Foods to avoid on a Paleo Diet
- Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup: Soft drinks, fruit juices, table sugar, candy, pastries, ice cream and many others.
- Grains: Includes breads and pastas, wheat, spelt, rye, barley, etc.
Legumes: Beans, lentils and many more. - Dairy: Avoid most dairy, especially low-fat (some versions of paleo do include full-fat dairy like butter and cheese).
- Some vegetable oils: Soybean oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil, safflower oil and others.
- Trans fats: Found in margarine and various processed foods. Usually referred to as “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils.
- Artificial sweeteners: Aspartame, sucralose, cyclamates, saccharin, acesulfame potassium. Use natural sweeteners instead.
- Highly processed foods: Everything labeled “diet” or “low-fat” or that has many additives. Includes artificial meal replacements.
Want to give the Paleo Diet a go?
Lessons from our Ancestors
Our ancestors evolved over millions of years eating the diet we now refer to as the Paleo diet and living in harmony with nature. The massive changes we have seen in the last few thousand year happened too quickly for our Human Genome to adapt. We now have a body unable to cope with a western diet. Evidence suggests that our hunter-gatherer ancestors were in fact much healthier than we are now.
In the pre-agricultural era on 10,000 year ago (and removing the influence of modern medicine), there is little evidence of diseases such as:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cancer
- Autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.)
- Osteoporosis
- Acne
- Myopia (nearsightedness), macular degeneration, glaucoma
- Varicose veins, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, gastric reflux
- Gout
The short average life span of our Palaeolithic friends was due to death in childbirth, infant mortality, extreme weather & exposure and trauma from hunting.
Want to do more research on the Paleo Diet?
Watch this video by Robb Wolf, a leading Paleo expert, to gain a deeper understanding of the Paleo solution.
Here are some of the kay Paleo Diet authors and websites:
http://chriskresser.com