Video Credit: Criticalbench  via Youtube

Image Credit: https://www.everydayhealth.com/ / Edited with Photoshop

Critics of the paleo diet claim that it is just a fad diet without scientific basis backing it up. Whether it is a fad diet or not, the fact remains that it is highly effective. There are also no tricks involved with paleo. It just simply aims to supply the body with enough nutrition in order to stay healthy.  

✤ What is Paleo Diet?  ✤

Image Credit: http://www.justscience.in/

Paleo diet is a type of dietary plan based on foods that are similar to what may have been eaten during the Paleolithic era which was approximately between 2.5 million and 10,000 years ago. This is why it's also called the Paleolithic diet, hunter-gatherer diet, caveman diet, and Stone Age diet. A paleo diet normally consists of foods which can be obtained through hunting and gathering such as fish, lean meats, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts. 

Paleo diet aims to mimic what early humans used to eat that's why it limits the foods you can eat. You can't eat foods that have been introduced 10,000 years ago and onwards which includes legumes, dairy, and grains. This is because experts believe that the human body is genetically incompatible with the present-day diet brought about by modern farming practices.  This idea is also known as the discordance hypothesis. 

According to this idea, modern farming established new food sources such as grains, dairy, and legumes which drastically changed the way people ate. The change, however, was too abrupt that it outpaced the human body's ability to adapt which is also believed to be the cause of many illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, and heart diseases. 

Image Credit: LillyCantabile via Pixabay

Most people go on a paleo diet to lose excess fats or to maintain a healthy weight. Others do it simply because they need help planning their meals. Whatever their reasons may be, they all want to live a healthier lifestyle by starting with their diet.

✤ What Does a Paleo Diet Meal Plan Look Like?  ✤

 

Image Credit: https://www.johnnyfd.com/

There are many variations of the paleo diet. Some have stricter guidelines than others. In general, paleo diet follows these guidelines on the foods allowed.

 ✤  Foods to eat

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Lean meats (preferably grass-fed animals or wild game)
• Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. salmon, albacore tuna, and mackerel)
• Fruit and nut oil (e.g. walnut or olive oil)

✤  Foods to avoid

• Grains (e.g. oats, barley, and wheat)
• Legumes (e.g. beans, peanuts, lentils, peas, and peanuts)
• Dairy products
• Refined sugar
• Potatoes
• Salt
• Junk foods
• All highly processed foods

✤  Sample meal plan

Image Credit: http://www.dietplanlist.com/

• Breakfast. Broiled salmon and cantaloupe.
• Lunch. Broiled lean pork and salad ( carrot, romaine, cucumber, walnuts, tomatoes, and lemon juice dressing).
• Snack. Carrot sticks, celery sticks, or an orange.
• Dinner. Lean beef sirloin tip roast, steamed broccoli, salad (tomatoes, mixed greens, onions. avocado, almonds, and lemon juice dressing), and fruits like strawberries for dessert. 

Aside from limiting the allowed foods, paleo also emphasizes the importance of keeping hydrated and physically active every day.

✤  Pros and Cons of the Paleo Diet  ✤

 

Image Credit: https://indianexpress.com/

Several clinical trials done randomly have compared the paleo diet to other diet plans like the Diabetes Diet or the Mediterranean Diet. The results of these trials suggest that the paleo diet offers more benefits than other diets based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, legumes, and low-fat dairy products.

✤ The benefits of the paleo diet

• Better glucose tolerance
• More weight loss
• Improved blood pressure control
• Lower triglycerides
• Enhanced appetite management

✤ Other benefits

• Eating a cleaner diet free of preservatives, additives, and other chemicals.
• Higher intake of fats and protein mean you feel fuller between meals.
• Fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and seeds all have anti-inflammatory benefits.

✤ Possible disadvantages of the paleo diet

• This diet can be a little expensive.
• You are limiting yourself from other food sources that may be good for your health such as grains and dairy.
• Vegetarians may find this diet harder to follow because it excludes beans.
• This type of diet may not be ideal for athletes because they need about 3 to 6 grams of carbohydrates, which may be very hard to achieve with just vegetables and fruits

Video Credit: PictureFit via Youtube

✤  Some Concerns about the Paleo Diet  ✤

The paleo diet has been proven to be safe and effective. However, just like every other diet plans out there, there are still some concerns to take into consideration. It may also not be suitable for everyone. For example, paleo is a high protein low carb diet plan. While protein is an essential nutrient in building and maintaining muscle mass, the body still needs carbohydrates as its energy source. That's why it may not be able to supply the right amount of carbohydrates needed by athletes for them to keep up with their active lifestyle. 

Additionally, the paleo diet does not specify how much you should eat. And since it limits your food choices a little too much, there is a tendency for you to overeat some of the allowed foods. There's no harm done if you suddenly start munching on lettuce. However, the problems lie if you've set your mind on eating pounds after pounds of nuts.

Image Credit: heecehil via Pixabay

One last thing. Although research suggests that the paleo diet may actually help stabilize blood sugar to a healthy level by restricting carb intake, people with type 2 diabetes should still exercise caution when following this type of diet. Making any radical changes to their carb intake must be consulted with a doctor as it can have serious repercussions. This is especially true for those taking insulin because it could wreck their blood sugar levels if they don't make changes to their medications, as well.  

✤  Final Thoughts  ✤

If you want to lose excess weight or simply to maintain your current weight, following the paleo diet can surely help. Aside from that, it also offers some beneficial health effects. However, you should also understand that there are still no long-term clinical studies about its benefits and potential health risks. You may still be able to achieve the same benefits offered by paleo diet by eating a healthy and balanced meal--one that has lots of vegetables and fruits, as well as enough exercise. 

Before you go, here's a Querlo chat survey for you. Please do take time to answer.

 

~oO0Oo~~oO0Oo~~oO0Oo~~

Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day ahead of you and keep smiling. :)

Written by Chineyes for bitLanders

For more quality blog posts, you may visit my page

Not yet on bitLanders? Sign up now and be rewarded for sharing ideas, photos, and videos!