New Year, New Diet? - Paleo (Part 2 of 3)

It’s hard to believe we’re almost through the month of January! Have you taken steps towards a healthier life?

In my last blog, I shared some information about the Keto Diet — and this time, I want to share one of the two diets that I have studied for many years and encourage my own patients to follow.

Let’s start with the Paleo Diet!

The Paleo Diet comes from the term “paleolithic”: meaning the era of early stone age and cavemen. Cavemen had no choice but to eat what they had access to, which for many, was heavy in protein — whereas, for others, it was predominantly plant-based. So, in the Paleo diet meat is in big time, including red meat.

What all is “ok’d” in the Paleo Diet? Grass-fed meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and healthy oils are the favored foods.

Processed foods, sugars (including sugary beverages), dairy, legumes and grains are off the table. 

Grass-fed meats and vegetables are always a win on the Paleo Diet.

A strong argument of the proponents of Paleo diet is that the human body was created for the challenges of the cavemen, so why shouldn’t we eat today what they ate then? A positive point of this diet is that, once you exclude sugars from your diet, you avoid insulin spikes and can lose weight without feeling hungry. I believe that cutting out legumes, whole grains and dairy is a rather weak point of Paleo diet as these foods contain fiber (legumes and whole grains), protein (legumes and milk), and antioxidants (all three). The concern that legumes contain anti-nutrients that block the absorption of other essential nutrients is more theoretical than real; one would have to eat extremely large quantities of the same legume to have a negative impact on their nutritional status. 

Finally, a better way to approach Paleo diet is to consider it as a part of a “Paleo lifestyle”: cavemen used to walk for 2-4 hours a day and seven days a week, jump, lift weights and climb trees. This diet makes it ideal for those who are extremely active.

Overall, eating whole foods, cutting out the sugars and eliminating processed foods are strong, positive points of the Paleo diet — while cutting off legumes, dairy and whole grains is controversial.

Do you eat Paleo? Would this be a way of eating that you would consider trying?

To your health,
Dr. Anthony