Paleo Diet: What Is It And Why Is It So Popular?

The other type of diet that I am a big fan of is Paleo (aka The Paleolithic diet). If you are new to the Paleo diet or already a fan, it is a diet that proves there is an easy way to treat the root cause of modern diseases. Our food becomes our medicine.

A 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. Other names for a paleo diet include Paleolithic diet, Stone Age diet, hunter-gatherer diet and caveman diet.

In essence, this diet involves sticking strictly to consuming only the foods our hunter-gatherer precursors ate: fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and nuts. So, say goodbye to grains, dairy, and sugar.

Our Pre-agricultural Ancestors

Archaeologists have recently discovered that our pre-agricultural ancestors were actually far healthier than cultures who developed agriculture.

They were stronger, hardier, and less susceptible to disease. They did not suffer from heart disease, osteoporosis, and other muscular-skeletal ailments.

Their diets were made up of foraged food. Wild animals, fish, shellfish, seaweed, berries, nuts, insects, plants, and fungi. Fat was a large part of their diet and kept their hearts healthy.

Lesson From Ancient Egypt

On the other hand, let's look at ancient Egypt. With their vast wealth, the Egyptians were well fed and lived off a mixture of fish, animals, corn, and other grains, beer, wine, sugar, honey, and dairy.

Children were weaned on corn, which leads to issues with bone development as they grew. Their diets were similar to our modern diet, and the Egyptians suffered from heart disease and many of them died young.

Paleo Diet: What Is It Then?

According to Wikipedia, the Palaeolithic diet (aka Paleo diet, Caveman diet, or Stone-age diet) is a modern fad diet requiring the sole or predominant consumption of foods presumed to have been the only foods available to or consumed by humans during the Palaeolithic era.

The diet typically includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, roots, mushroom, honey, eggs, and meat or game and usually excludes foods such as dairy products, grains, sugar, legumes, starches, processed oils, processed food, salt, and alcohol.

What's In It For You?

Any health benefits? For most people, the fact the Paleo diet delivers the best results is all they need. Improved blood lipids, weight loss, and reduced pain from autoimmunity are proof enough. Many people, however, are not satisfied with blindly following any recommendations. Be they nutrition or exercise related.

With a very simple shift, we not only remove the foods that are at odds with our health (grains, legumes, and dairy) but we also increase our consumption of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Excited? If yes, then dig deeper and read more about the diet benefits at websites Robb Wolf and Mark's Daily Apple by Mark Sisson. Click here for the definitive Paleo diet food list.

The Bottom Line

We are not meant to eat the type of diet that has been engineered over the last 30+ years, which is why we are now seeing an increase in 'modern' ailments. By emulating the Paleo diet, we can prevent and even reverse the damage caused by our modern diet.

In case you're interested in the Paleo diet plan and keen to start yet would prefer to think you not to be so exacting and strict. You don't need to be win big or bust with this diet. Consider embracing some eating examples from Paleo and avoiding the ones that don't work for you.

Like what you read? Be sociable, comment and share it! Thanks.