Our ancestors lived in severe and harsh conditions for nearly 200,000 years, where they had to hunt for their meat and forage for the vegetables and greens. They didn't plant seeds or eat grains and were hunter-gatherers in the truest sense of the word. They were healthy, physically fit, and energetic as a result of their diet, and were physically capable of achieving their everyday goals. So, what if we tell you that you could be smarter, stronger, and free of physical illness, by just instead of feeding on a modern diet, we ate the same diet as the "caveman" who benefited from a diet that was significantly different from ours.
What is Paleo Diet? – The true definition
The paleo diet – also known as the caveman or stone-age diet, is based on the basic principle that if the cavemen didn't eat it, neither should you. Saying goodbye to processed sugar, dairy, legumes, and grains (all the pre-agricultural revolution), and hello welcome to beef, fish, poultry, fruits, and vegetables. It helps in improving your health by cutting high-fat and processed foods with no nutritional value and excessive calories from your diet. This diet also stresses eating a variety of fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals, nutrients, and fibre – which fill you up faster and make you consume less, thus preventing weight gain.
Our ancients, who were genetically related to us in every way, manage to stay stronger and longer than us by following Paleo Diet. This is in striking comparison to our modern diet of refined foods, sugar, and trans fats, all of which are artificially made and did not exist hundreds of years ago. Our diet is the source of our current disease outbreaks like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, infertility, depression, and many more.
How to introduce the Paleo diet in our lives?
Lucky for us, we don't have to go all-in on a paleo-style diet. If you're just getting started, consider introducing a couple of these concepts into your daily routine to test the water:
- Saturated fats, such as coconut oil and butter or clarified butter can be consumed in large quantities.
- Rather than munching on a bowl of cereal, get a cheese-less veggie omelet for breakfast.
- Start eating a significant amount of animal protein including red meat, beef, pork, eggs, organs (like liver, kidney, etc.), wild captured fish, and shellfish.
- To make “wraps” out of sandwich meat for lunch, use lettuce instead of a tortilla.
- Fresh or frozen vegetables should be consumed in large quantities and eaten with fat.
- Nuts are a good snack, but not peanuts, which are generally legumes and are no-go on most paleo diet plans.
- Say bye-bye to any refined sugars, soft beverages, sweet snacks, and juices from your diet. As a thumb rule states – don't eat anything that comes in a box.
Can the Paleo diet help in losing weight?
High-protein diets can help you lose weight as protein intake can help curb appetite and leave you feeling satisfied and full for longer. However, you can also keep an eye on your average calorie consumption. You can melt some extra pounds if you introduce a "calorie deficit" into your Paleo diet, which involves consuming fewer calories than your daily recommended limit or burning off excess calories by working out.
If you don't like tracking calories, the paleo diet could be a smart option for you. It's essential to mention, however, that the paleo diet isn't for everybody. For example, many that struggle with food restriction can find it difficult to adjust to the paleo diet's lifestyle.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Paleo diet
The Paleo Diet has caused quite a stir, with certain foods being found both suitable and unsuitable for the diet. The Paleo Diet's pros and cons are listed below:
Pros of the Paleo Diet:
- You're more inclined to eat a healthy diet that's free of additives, preservatives, and chemicals.
- You can stay fuller for longer by the high intake of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.
- Losing weight and looking better are two big health benefits of a clean diet.
- Having stable blood sugar means a reduced chance of diabetes and heart disease.
- Vegetables, fruits, beneficial oils, nuts, and seeds have anti-inflammatory properties from the plant nutrients.
- Paleo is known to be a potassium-rich diet. Eating a lot of fruits and vegetables improves potassium levels, which is essential for blood pressure control as well as kidney and muscle function.
- Sleeping patterns are improved and stored weight is burned off by following the Paleo diet.
Cons of the Paleo Diet:
- Paleo means no grains, whole or otherwise because the body will be missing out on these healthy and energy-giving foods.
- You don't consume grains or dairy, which may be beneficial to your diet and energy levels.
- For vegetarians, this diet can be challenging, particularly because it excludes beans.
- People on the Paleo diet are often diagnosed with calcium and vitamin D deficiency.
- This diet plan can be expensive. It is likely to have other diets that exclude bad foods and are less costly.