The Paleo Diet Plan – Sound Nutrition or Lunatic Fringe?
The Paleo diet, also known as "the caveman's diet," has been a hot topic lately. With it featured on many websites, discussed by scientists and doctors, and vouched for by many bodybuilders and exercise enthusiasts, it can be hard to sort through the whirlwind of opinions on paleo. But if you’re serious about getting fit and healthy, you might be looking for a new diet to supplement your goals, and you might be wondering about paleo. Here’s a quick guide to the ins and outs of this sometimes-controversial diet plan.
What is the Paleo Diet?
First of all, paleo is not a “diet” per se. It’s not a temporary plan of action for losing weight. Rather, it’s an eating lifestyle. The Paleo diet is based on the notion that humans should go back to the way they “used to eat” by eating “real” foods (i.e. whole, unprocessed foods). Paleo’s mascot is its “caveman” label, which harkens back to the idea that humans have biologically adapted best to whole foods: plants, meat, and seafood, because these are what ancient humans first ate.
According to the paleo perspective, agriculture is a relatively new phenomenon in terms of human existence – just a tiny fraction of human evolutionary history. Humans, paleo enthusiasts allege, have not yet adapted to eating modern, “neolithic” foods like wheat, sugar, chemically processed vegetable, seed, and other oils. Many people dismiss paleo as the crazy caveman plan and certainly some hardcore paleo followers approach their diet this way, but the vast majority simply prefer eating "non-industrialized" food. The idea is not to replicate the caveman's diet, but to eliminate processed, unhealthy foods from one’s own diet.
What Can You Eat on a Paleo Diet?
The Paleo tent is a large one. There isn’t one definitive “Paleo diet." You can mix and match to suit your needs, but here are the basic tenets of what you can and can’t eat.
- Should Eat • Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, nuts and seeds, healthy fats
- Shouldn’t Eat • Dairy, grains, processed foods and sugars, legumes, starches, alcohol
This might seem limiting, but there are actually many, many recipes you can enjoy under such restrictions. Plus, it won’t kill you to enjoy a slice of cake or some garlic bread now and again. These are general guidelines that can be modified to your daily life and preferences. In general, you should prioritize eating whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense and nourishing foods. Put an emphasis on lean protein with vegetables as a “side.” Fruits, nuts, and seeds can also be enjoyed, but in moderation. The paleo diet encourages you to avoid anything that’s prepackaged, whether it be in plastic or in a can. Anything that can stay on a shelf or in the fridge for months on end is, understandably, suspect.
The Scientific Reasoning Behind the Paleo Diet
There is a lot to be said for the paleo lifestyle – the "looser" version, anyway. According to most nutritionists, paleo has many good concepts but a hardcore paleo plan isn’t advisable. Everything in moderation. Doctors, for example, don’t recommend totally cutting out carbs from your diet, but instead focusing on complex carbs such as multigrain breads and whole-wheat foods.
What Are the Benefits of Eating Paleo?
Lean proteins support strong muscles, healthy bones, and optimal immune function. Protein keeps you fuller longer and gives you more energy in the long term – versus carbs or sugars which give you a temporary energy boost but result in a crash later.
Almost all diet plans agree that fruits and veggies are good for you. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and have been shown to decrease the likelihood of a variety of diseases. They have also been shown to increase mental sharpness, energy, and concentration.
It seems that every kind of “fat” has a negative connotation these days but some fats, in moderation, are actually good for you. Studies have found that monounsaturated and omega-3 fats have very positive effects in terms of brain function and prevention of obesity, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. These kinds of beneficial fats can be found in nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish, and grass-fed meat.
Should You Go on a Paleo Diet?
There are many critics of the paleo diet, including those who denounce the “caveman diet” as ridiculous and extreme. There are also many who point out the environmental downside to a paleo food regime, something we have not touched on here. Most nutritionists agree, however, that many of the principles of the diet are solid ones and nutritionally wise. However, they caution against going to the extremes of the hardcore Paleo diet.
Focusing on lean meats and fish and fruits and vegetables and eliminating as much processed food as possible from your diet is likely to bring positive change. One common-sense strategy is the so-called 80/20 rule. If 80% of your diet is nutritious and follows Paleo principles, there’s wiggle room for the rest.
Before you make any drastic change to your diet or exercise regime, do plenty of research into the pros and cons. Talk to your physician or a nutritionist to let them know what you're considering. Once you've done your due diligence, you can make a truly informed decision to improve your health and fitness.
Additional Resources:
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