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The Paleo diet, also known as the caveman diet or Paleolithic diet, works by allowing only foods that were available in the Stone Age.
Paleo comes from the word paleolithic. This diet focuses on foods that existed before the agricultural revolution. So, food that could be hunted or gathered. The thinking behind the diet is that our bodies haven’t evolved much since Paleolithic times, so we are not designed to eat many of the foods that exist now.
Similar to healthy eating, the diet excludes any food with modern toxins. This limits followers to natural ingredients and whole foods, such as meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, which are more filling and / or have fewer calories than processed foods.
Studies have shown that returning to the eating habits of our ancestors is a great way to lose weight and can reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
The Paleo diet is one Long-term consistent diet that works, so ideal if you’re looking for a lifestyle change, rather than a fast, extreme diet.
What is the Paleo diet?
The Paleo diet follows the eating habits of Paleolithic humans thousands of years ago.
Sophie Medlin, Consultant Dietitian and Director of Dietitian Cityexplains: “Typically, the Paleo diet will include foods that would have been hunted or gathered by our ancestors. This would include meat and fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. What we end up with is a diet low in carbohydrates and processed foods and high in meat, but also in fiber ”.
By avoiding processed foods, followers can dramatically reduce their intake of trans fat, salt, and sugar. Eliminating dairy and legumes may also help some followers with their digestion, as these types of foods can often cause bloating and stomach problems.
Sophie says: “Generally, anything processed is avoided, including ground grains. This means that bread, pasta and many other carbohydrates are excluded. Some proponents of the Paleo diet will also exclude foods like lentils, chickpeas, and rice that, of course, would have been consumed by our ancestors, but may not induce weight loss in the same way that a version of the very low carbohydrate diet. “
furthermore, the benefits of not drinking alcohol They are well documented and the Paleo plan also advises eliminating it from your diet.
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Researchers found that participants consumed fewer calories per day than those who followed a Mediterranean diet. Additionally, glucose tolerance, which is important in fighting type 2 diabetes, also improved.
Because the Paleo diet does not include processed foods, it is said to reduce the risk of obesity that investigate shows who are linked.
In this study In addition to losing weight, the participants saw a reduction in their liver fat, which can be a high risk factor for other diseases.
Paleo diet food list
The Paleo diet food list includes whole and unprocessed foods, ideally organic if possible. These are the foods you can eat:
- Fresh fruit – all non-dried fruits – included apples, oranges, pears, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, kiwis, avocados, etc.
- Fresh vegetables, all non-starchy, included sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, kale, pak choi, chard, peppers, aubergines, zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, etc.
- Fish – Salmon, cod, haddock, plaice, tuna, sea bass, white fish, trout, etc.
- Seafood: prawns, mussels, oysters, crab, lobster, scallops, etc.
- Grass-fed meat: beef and pork with no visible fat, but nothing processed
- Game meat: goose, wild boar, wild turkey, pheasant, quail, etc.
- Lean poultry: chicken or turkey breasts, skinless
- Free-range eggs – limited to 6 per week
- Nuts without salt and without sugar: Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, walnuts etc
- Seeds – Chia, hemp, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, poppy, etc.
- Healthy oils (use in moderation, less than 4 tablespoons a day): think olive, flaxseed, coconut, eextra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
- Honey
Foods to avoid on the paleo diet
Foods to avoid on the Paleo diet include everything that is processed. This includes:
- Processed foods (candy, chips, and other processed foods)
- Refined vegetable oils
- Dairy – All processed foods made from any dairy product, including butter, cheese, cream, yogurt, and milk.
- Fatty Meats: Bacon, Ribs, Chicken Thighs / Thighs / Wings / Skin, Pork / Lamb Chops, etc.
- Grains and cereals: bread, pasta, rice, oats, barley, rye, spelled, wheat, corn, etc.
- Legumes: beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils, peanuts, soy products, etc.
- Refined sugars: chocolate, sweets, soft drinks, fruit juices, ice creams, etc.
- Starchy vegetables: potatoes and all potato products, cassava root, tapioca pudding, yams
- Overly salty foods: salad dressings, condiments, ham, olives, processed meats, hot dogs, smoked / dried / salty meat, canned meats and fish, French fries, pickled foods
- Sunflower oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, etc.
- Fruit juice
- Drinks without alcohol
- Alcohol
What is a typical Paleo day like?
Due to its strict nature, the Paleo diet encourages gradual adjustment, so a typical day changes as time passes.
Dr. Loren Cordain is the author of The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Stay Healthy by Eating the Foods You Are Designed to Eat is a highly rated book on the subject. The book looks at how cavemen feeding rituals can be incorporated into everyday life.
To ease the transition, Dr. Cordain has developed 3 stages to help the body adjust, giving you an idea of what your days might look like.
Stage 1 – Entry level
Dr. Cordain explains that, on average, we eat 20 meals a week, so to start the Paleo diet he suggests leaving 3 of the meals “open.” In other words, you can eat whatever you want. Open meals, he says, provide a good opportunity to sample some of the foods you may miss the most. This also helps the body adjust to gradually eliminating the main food groups.
Also, during this stage you may still have salad dressings, sauces, coffee, alcohol, and sugar-free sodas. Start using them in moderation to help with the transition.
Stay at this stage until you are comfortable with the adjustments and then continue.
Stage 2 – Maintenance level
For the second stage, the “open” meals are reduced to 2 per week. At this level, you should restrict all transition foods to these 2 meals.
Stage 3 – Maximum level of weight loss
This stage leaves only 1 meal ‘open’ per week. Dr Cordain says: “ This is the highest level, designed for true Paleo dieters who want to maximize health and wellness, or for people with true obesity or high levels of chronic disease who need to maximize the effects. diet therapies ”.
Once you know what you can and cannot eat on a Paleo diet, you can make your own meals. Below, Dr. Cordain has given an example of what a full day of meals would look like on the Paleo diet.
Paleo diet eating plan
A Paleo diet meal plan should include plenty of good quality, fresh food. By replacing processed foods with lots of fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish, as well as nuts, seeds, and eggs, you should feel full after meals. Here’s a suggestion for a seven-day Paleo diet eating plan:
Monday
Breakfast – Poached egg and spinach
Lunch – Smoked salmon and avocado salad.
Snack – Crispy Kale (baked with salt and pepper)
Dinner – Steak tartare with green salad.
Tuesday
Breakfast – Green smoothie (made with coconut milk)
Lunch – Tortilla with red onion and cherry tomatoes
Snack – Apple / Pear
Dinner – Fish and broccoli baking sheet
Wednesday
Breakfast: oatmeal porridge without oats with banana
Lunch – Roasted pumpkin soup
Snack: mixed berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or cherries
Dinner – Rustic Baked Garlic Chicken Tray
Thursday
Breakfast – Chia pot (mix chia seeds with almond milk and flaked almonds and leave in the fridge overnight)
Lunch – Thick English Garden Salad
Snack – Mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds
Dinner: beef burger without bread with sweet potato slices
Friday
Breakfast – Scrambled eggs and mushrooms
Lunch – Honey Mustard Chicken Wrap (made with coconut flour)
Snack – Cucumber and carrot sticks
Dinner – Spiralized Zucchini with Cheeseless Pesto
Saturday
Breakfast: pancakes (replace flour with almond / coconut flour) with blueberries and pure maple syrup
Lunch – Broccoli Salad
Snack – Mixed nuts
Dinner – Fried salmon fillet with mashed new potatoes and sprouts
Sunday
Breakfast – Red berry smoothie
Lunch – Scrambled eggs with avocado, tomatoes and chives
Snack: red pepper and celery sticks
Dinner – Lamb with roasted radishes and leeks
Is The Paleo Diet Right For Everyone?
The Paleo diet has been shown to work and may be suitable for people who feel that eat too much sugar or processed foods. Going back to basics may help you get back to eating. However, while it has its benefits, the Paleo diet may not be right for everyone.
Critics The plan states that it eliminates entire food groups. This can mean that it may be difficult to get adequate amounts of certain vitamins and nutrients, such as fiber, calcium, and vitamin D.
Hayley Field, owner of a health coaching business Food ninja, He says: “As with all diets, Paleo works due to its calorie deficit, which is unavoidable when cutting out processed foods. For any diet to work, it must be sustainable, and for that reason, it is not suitable for everyone. “
Also, the diet’s focus on meat raises concerns about the amount of saturated fat consumed by dieters. Saturated fat has been displayed to increase the risk of heart disease.
As a result of the restrictions, some people find the Paleo diet quite limited. For example, it can be difficult for vegetarians to follow as it excludes some of its main food groups, such as grains and legumes.
The Paleo diet can also be expensive, as it recommends buying the best possible quality meat and excludes cheaper staples such as cereals.
Sophie also advises: “Anyone with diabetes or taking a glucose-lowering medication should not follow this diet without the advice of their doctor or dietitian. ”
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