By now you have probably heard about the Paleo Diet – it seems to be all over the place these days. While there is no perfect diet for everyone, there are certainly many wrong ones which can compromise your health and performance. Is the Paleo Diet right for you? Here are some facts about the diet for you to consider.
The Paleo Diet is supposed to be eating the way our human ancestors ate. Studies have shown that early man was more of a vegetarian and not so much a meat eater. We are not cavemen – most of us do not hunt for our food because we have many food choices available.
Look at the list below and ask yourself if you like and can eat only these foods. Because the Paleo Diet recommends eating only:
– Lean meat, such as chicken, turkey, pork, lean beef, and bison
– Seafood
– Fresh fruit
– No starchy vegetables, such as lettuce, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and spinach
– Nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, and pistachios (no peanuts)
– Seeds like pumpkin and sunflower
– Eggs
– Plant-based oils, such as olive, walnut, grape seed, and coconut
What is off limits on the Paleo Diet:
– Grains, such as oats, wheat, barley, and rice. No cereal, bread, pasta, bagels, crackers, or granola bars
– Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn
– Potato chips, corn chips, tortillas, and popcorn
– Legumes or beans including peanuts or peanut butter
– No soy foods, such as soy milk, tofu, or edamame
– No hummus, black beans, or baked beans
– All dairy products — no milk, yogurt, cheese, or ice cream
– High-fat meats, such as salami, bologna, pepperoni, hot dogs, ground meat, rib roast, and ribs
– Sugar including soda drinks, honey, jam or jelly, syrup, candy, cakes, cookies, and sports drinks
– Processed foods or trans fats, such as doughnuts, french fries, or fruit snacks
– Salty foods, such as crackers, chips, pretzels, soy sauce
Basically on the Paleo Diet you are eating a clean diet. The list above is long and there may be many foods on this list that you enjoy eating. Can you give them up and live without them?
The Paleo Diet does not tell you to eat specific portions of foods. However, while eating a ton of cabbage will be okay calorie wise – eating a ton of nuts could really add up the calories. This diet is higher in protein, which is an important nutrient to build and maintain muscle. However, too much protein usually means too little carbohydrates, which is an energy source. While the diet does allow some carbs, it is fairly restrictive and it may be inadequate for athletes.
The benefits of the diet:
– You are eating clean without additives, preservatives, or chemicals.
– You will get the anti-inflammatory benefit from the plant nutrients in fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts, and seeds.
– You will be eating more iron through increased red meat intake.
– You will feel more full between meals, due to the higher intake of protein and fats.
– Most people will lose weight primarily due to the limited food choices.
The risks and disadvantages of this diet include:
– Your grocery list can be costly.
– You will not be eating any grains, whole or otherwise, which are good for health and energy.
– Consuming no dairy is not great for your bones.
– If you are a picky eater and won’t eat some of the foods without finding suitable replacements, you can create a nutrient imbalance.
– This is not a diet for vegetarians, especially since the diet excludes beans.
– Most athletes need between 3 to 6 grams of carbs per pound of their body weight, per day. This would be very hard to do with just fruits and vegetables.
If the Paleo Diet feels too restrictive for you, you can still get a healthy diet by following these tips:
– Include some protein at every meal and snack.
– Eat three meals a day.
– Include vegetables at every meal and for your snacks.
– Stick to whole grains in your cereals, breads, pastas and have brown rice.
– Include a little fat at each meal, such as nuts, butter, healthy oils.
– Avoid processed foods as much as possible.
