The Paleo Diet – A Short Guide

It seems like every day, new health tips arise from the most bizarre sources. You see articles on teeth-whitening ‘activated’ charcoal, drinking urine as a measure for weight loss; and it seems like there’s no end in sight to how far people will go to “keep healthy”.

We at TW have also done our own research on less than orthodox ways to join the fit-fam train and what we’ve found will be most exciting for meat lovers everywhere. Yes – meat! (No urine was harmed in the making of this article)

The paleo diet is a dietary plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.

The aim of a paleo diet is to return to a way of eating that’s more like what early humans ate. The diet’s reasoning is that the human body is genetically mismatched to the modern diet that emerged with farming practices. It typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds — foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering.

A paleo diet limits food that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago. These foods include dairy products, legumes, and grains. Recommendations vary among commercial paleo diets, and some diet plans have stricter guidelines than others. In general, paleo diets follow these guidelines.

 

What to eat

-Lean meats, especially grass-fed animals or wild game

-Fish, especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna

-Fruits

-Vegetables

-Nuts and seeds

-Oils from fruits and nuts, such as olive oil or walnut oil

 

What to avoid

-Grains, such as wheat, oats, and barley

-Legumes, such as beans, lentils, peanuts and peas

-Dairy products

-Refined sugar

-Salt

-Potatoes

-Highly processed foods in general

 

Pros

-You are more likely to eat a clean diet without additives, preservatives, or chemicals.

-If you are eating more red meat, you will get more iron.

-You may see improved satiety — a feeling of fullness between meals, due to the higher intake of protein and fats.

-There are anti-inflammatory benefits from the plant nutrients in fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts, and seeds.

– You may experience weight loss as many people lose weight primarily due to the limited food choices.

 

Cons

-It can get expensive.

-You don’t eat any grains or dairy which can be good for health and energy.

-This diet can be difficult for vegetarians, especially since it excludes beans.

-Most people need between 225 to 325 grams of carbs per day. This would be very hard to do with just fruits and vegetables.

 

Alternatives

A healthy diet is always a good idea. If the paleo diet doesn’t seem like ‘the one’, simple alternatives such as eating three meals a day, including some protein at every meal and snack, foods with colour, grains (e.g. cereal, whole grain bread, rice, or pasta), and fats (e.g. nuts, butter, salad dressing, oil) can be adopted.