The paleo diet is as simple as a caveman, which is why it is also known as the caveman diet among other names (hunter-gatherer diet, stone age diet, etc.).
It is easy to follow this regimen in theory because there are no crazy rules to abide to or food-category exceptions that you can keep eating.
Eating like cavemen used to is the only rule. In other words, the diet consists of meat (wild game and grass-fed lean meat), seafood (even though it is technically meat – preferably fish rich in omega 3), fruits, vegetables, healthy fats (olive and coconut oil, nuts and seeds), and eggs. That translates into no dairy products, no processed food, and nothing farm-grown.
The theory behind this diet goes like the following: there was a swift shift in our dietetic habits with the transition from being hunters and gatherers into farmers and settlers. As nomads, our ancestors used to live off whatever nature provided with little to no alteration (raw meat, raw fruit, raw vegetables, raw seeds, then came fire and we got roasted meat, but that was it). Since we stopped having that lifestyle, we changed our diet and our metabolism haven’t quite adapted to the shift yet.
Benefits
The Paleo diet wasn’t considered as a weight-loss diet, but it is, when the amount of consumed fat is controlled.
Consuming lots of fruit and vegetables rewards the body with the necessary fiber (which is also known for satiating the hunger faster) and the necessary minerals and vitamins.
Consuming lots of protein (coming from the meat, seafood, and eggs) also helps with the feeling of fullness since protein is known for filling up the stomach faster than carbs.
Disadvantages
It’s unfortunate to say but the Paleo diet wouldn’t work for vegans or vegetarians since consuming meat, fish, and eggs is essential, otherwise it wouldn’t be a paleo diet.
The evidence that supports the health benefits claim is anecdotal and the studies that are out there were conducted on a small scale (not enough participants to build a solid case or to get solid findings). Some of researchers claimed their study to be “underpowered”.
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