Focus On: The Paleolithic Diet
Let’s get all caveman up in here….
and talk a little bit about the Paleo style of eating.
It’s gained a lot of popularity over the last few years and is huge among Crossfit devotees. When I first heard about it while we were living in Valdosta, GA, I diverted my attention as soon as I heard “no grains or goat cheese.”
Um, no thank you.
Here’s what the Paleo food pyramid looks like:
Entirely based on whole, organic foods but no grains, dairy, beans/legumes, sugar or salt.
So what is it: The Paleolithic style of eating is based on the foods that our ancestors, hunters and gatherers, used to ingest before the introduction of agriculture (10,000 years ago). The idea is that humans are intended to eat certain foods, and evolution hasn’t caught up to digest or utilize the highly processed foods we see today. The Paleo diet was first suggested by gastroenterologist Walter L. Voegtlin, who claimed that a carnivorous diet, high in fats and proteins and low in carbs, would improve health and prevent digestive problems. Since then, many doctors and nutritionists have jumped on the Paleo bandwagon and offer alternatives to the original plan which can include diary and starches.
Pros:
Paleo emphasizes whole foods, which is always a winner for me. I also think it’s great that many followers of this style of eating also pay close attention to the origins of their food and strive to buy organic products. Wayyyyy back in the day, when we had to hunt for our meat, it wasn’t pumped up with antibiotics and hormones, and fruits and veggies weren’t sprayed heavily with pesticides and chemicals.
Health benefits. No matter what style of eating you follow, eating whole foods will provide health benefits. Whole foods are higher in nutrient value and by avoiding processed foods, you’re also avoiding chemicals that make the foods more difficult for the body to recognize and digest.
Lower carb. I agree with the fact that society eats way too many starches and carbs as a whole, but don’t think they should be eliminated.
Cons:
Can be high in saturated fat. From what I understand, meat is pretty unlimited as far as Paleo goes. There a ton of lean options (chicken, turkey, bison, elk, etc), but also the potential to consume a lot of saturated fat, thus promoting health complications such as heart disease. Meat is extremely high in protein (a serving will give ya 20g or so) and too much of any macronutrient will be stored by the body as fat.
Activity level. One thing I’ve always wondered about the Paleo diet is that it’s a diet intended for our ancestors who lead an entirely different lifestyle than modern society. We sit at desks and computers all day, they were gathering food and battling mastodons. They had to work for their food, we get in a car and drive to the grocery store. They needed more fuel in general, which includes high fat and protein.
Here’s a video that explains Paleolithic food:
It’s obviously one-sided –many doctors will educate and emphasize whole foods and good nutrition- but breaks it down concisely.
My verdict?
Paleo isn’t something I’ve tried, but I don’t recommend it to my clients or to readers who email asking my thoughts on the diet.
I can totally see that it’s a method that works for many people –otherwise it wouldn’t be so popular- but don’t agree with eating styles that totally eliminate entire food groups. I do understand the beef with dairy, as I don’t consume cow’s dairy myself, but think that starches and grains are beneficial if used in moderation, especially if you’re active. Salt is also a beneficial in moderate amounts.
One of my friends, who is Paleo, told me that by eating so little carbs, you’re tricking the body to use fat as fuel instead. This isn’t something that I’ve heavily researched, so I can’t say whether I know if it’s true or not, but it seems a little unnecessary to me.
Paleo seems to be very hard to follow in everyday life, especially if you’re social and have and non-Paleo friends. I prefer to recommend diets based on whole foods, lean meats, veggies, fruits, whole grains and lowfat dairy if desired. Not only does it provide health benefits, it’s an easy and feasible plan follow.
Do you or would you follow a Paleo style of eating?
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LOLing at “the beef with milk”. it took me a minute. tremendous double entendre 😉
As a vegetarian, this diet is out of the question for me. Unless all I ate was eggs, produce and nuts. Um, no thank you! I do understand and can appreciate the premise, though. I know many people thrive on this plan.
I think finding a diet that makes you feel healthy on all levels–including the mentality behind the diet, as well as the fuel the foods provide–is what’s most important. Some people need this kind of structure; others are happy to just ‘watch their carbs’ and eat a varied diet. Hey, whatever works!
Me? I strike a happy balance between all food groups, from produce to Easter candy.
Ditto to this 100%. It’s just absolutely not designed for vegetarians, and that’s a-OK. I like the wide open playing field, and cutting out major groups like that would put me in a really restrictive mindset (hence why it’s not healthy for me to remain fully vegan, as much as I respect and admire the premise of it).
I agree with you, Gina. I think of it as a desirable guide for my diet, but I am not going to cut out grains or dairy since I have determined that my body handles both just fine. I have tried so many diets. When I started reading HEAB’s blog I was like, HALLELUJAH! This is going to work for me. Did it for three weeks, gained five pounds almost immediately– too much fat for me, not enough carbs to burn immediately as energy. The eating clean diet is good for me, but with a little healthy fat added; I suspect that the paleo diet would leave me feeling sluggish and exhausted, and unsatisfied after meals (I find I can actually eat fewer calories by satiating myself with whole grains in combination with veggies, fruit, lean protein, etc.). However, as always– MORE POWER to those who find that it works for them. Everyone is unique and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving new diets a try to see how they work for us as individuals.
Its really not that bad to eat out. I just get a salad with no cheese and a chicken breast, or fajitas…chipotle is the bomb too. Burrito bowl with lettuce, veggies, chicken, two salsa, and guacamole. I think it seems complicated at first but its been soooo much easier than following a low fat diet. I snack on pistachios, fruit, and veggies. I try to start every meal with a huge veggie base, and make the protein secondary to that.
I’m guessing you named your blog before you went paleo 🙂
haha yea 🙂
No carbs would lead to one sad low blood sugar Racheal. But, I agree with you on the whole foods focus! Always a good idea.
This diet reminds me somewhat of Adkins, which my dad does off and on. I always get so worried about him when I see him consuming large amount of saturated fats. Ugh!
its not like atkins in my opinion. Atkins induction uses 0-20g carbs, Paleo hovers from 75 to 150g of carbs, depending on your athleticism. Fruits, veggies, and nuts all contain lots of carbs. Its “low carb” when compared to the conventional American diet (i.e. 250-300g).
Agreed. It’s very different from Atkins. It’s a “moderate carb” diet. You will eat more than enough carbs by following the suggestions of the Paleo Diet.
Also, the Paleo Diet encourages lean proteins. Not greasy bacon cheeseburgers and other things that the Atkins Diet brings to mind. 🙂
I agree – this is not atkins. Atkins was basically no carbs at all, including fruits and vegetables. Paleo is about eating as naturally as possible. Grains and dairy are highly processed and therefore discouraged.
I wouldn’t survive without beans….the base of every meal
Nah, it reminds me of a dressed-up Atkins. As a veggie, I could never do it anyway, but I do not want to give up goat cheese, cookie dough breakfast cereal (thank you so much for that invention) and the occasional plate of kamut pasta.
I get enough carbs from the pounds of sweet potatoes I eat. I would say my diet has naturally become about 85-90% Paleo over the past year as I have really tried to focus on what upsets my Crohn’s disease. Only when I started crossfit (about 3 months ago) did I cut out the last little bit (oatmeal in the morning) and now I can’t explain how much better I feel. But I do enjoy a glass of wine and a cupcake every now and then, and I won’t deprive myself of them either, which is why I don’t technically call myself paleo.
I have crohn’s too and struggle to find what I can and can’t eat. I just started having green smoothie’s and surprised the spinach is not killing, it does when I eat it cooked so I guess raw is the way to go with that one.
The Paleo diet is something that I am still trying to figure out. My sister is on a paleo diet and learned about it through her crossfit group. She’s had great success with it but it just seems a little extreme to me. My biology friend told me that carbs fuel your body when working out and without them your body will resort to burning muscle. It’s an interesting concept. The body is an amazingly complicated thing.
I personally am “against” the Paleo diet but I also do 2 -3 hour bike rides and 2 hour runs every weekend and can’t imagine getting through those without my trusty carbs.
If you’re doing extended lengths of cardio, its very easy to get enough carbs on paleo. Sweet potatoes, dates, bananas, etc.
You did a really great job of explaining in detail what the Paleo diet entails. Recently, I thought about giving it a try after hearing a speech about it at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition conference in Long Beach. I also recently attended an event with Harley Pasternak, and a quote that stood out to me that he said was “If it’s not a diet you can sustain for the rest of your life, don’t do it.” I think Paleo is something that I’d do a month before my wedding or something, since cutting grains would cut down on the bloat a little, but it’s not something I could do for the rest of my life, so I decided against it.
Hi Gina,
I have been on a paleo-ish diet since Aug. (I still eat goat cheese!!) along with doing crossfit. As a former vegetarian I was very skeptical but thought I’d give it a shot and it has really worked out well for me. I finally got out of my weight loss plateau, I am building muscle faster, I have more energy, and most importantly I am no longer hypoglycemic or have issues with IBS. Mostly Paleo has helped me to cut sugar, diet soda, and processed carbs out of my diet completely. I think the hardest part is securing sustainable and organic meats and veggies that work with my food budget. I think it’s worth people trying-before paleo I was eating a lot of whole grains and vegetables and saw no improvement. So I think it depends-just like any other diet-if you can make it work for you.
I just did a post about my paleo experience. http://www.bodyofamother.com/2012/03/my-paleo-experience.html I did it for 5 months! But when I went back to grains and dairy my body went all crazy and I experienced bloating, discomfort etc. etc.. I agree a whole food diet is good for you, if you already eat well stick with it.
“If it isn’t broke don’t fix it”
Paleo is a diet that really intrigues me especially, as I am getting more into CrossFit. Paleo on it’s own does seem extreme- like you said to eliminate whole groups of food is tough. I also wonder how feasible it is to maintain with kids. I want to look more into primal and the paleo/zone diets as well.
I have a friend who thrives on the paleo diet. She loves it, it works for her, and that’s fabulous. It wouldn’t be the diet my body would thrive on, but different strokes for different folks. I liked your breakdown and recap of it. Thanks, Gina!
Gina I think you make a very good point I had not thought about in terms the difference between our ancestors lifestyle and ours.
Great post, girl!! I’m doing it pretty much right now as grains have effed up my skin…lol!! This has been the only diet to clear up my adult acne, finally!! I think I was just eating too high foods that converted to sugars, so I’ve limited a lot of grains, fruit, etc for the time being and my body is toning right up too!!
xxoo
One of my better friends is Paleo and like you I can see some benefits (yay more whole foods and less processed !), but would never switch to entirely Paleo myself, because I, like you, don’t see the point in eliminating entire food groups, etc.
I’ve never tried Paleo and I don’t think I could, but I think everyone needs to figure out what works for their body. Some people do better with very low carb intake, others need to carefully monitor their fat. No matter what though, I support eating whole foods!
The more I know about nutrition, the easier it is for me to make good choices because I make the connection between food and fuel. My nutrition pet peeve is when people just read the tag line on the cover of the latest eating craze but don’t actually do the research to understand how our bodies function.
I’ve been following the paleo diet for the past 5 weeks and love how I’ve felt. I’ve eaten more chicken and fish because I’m a “quasi-vegetarian”, but I can’t get over how great I feel… All the time! I’m sold!
I make Paleo dishes for my family, mostly at dinner time, but I don’t follow it strictly. I follow a clean diet, and I do appreciate that Paleo dishes are clean. My husband and I are also CrossFitting now, hence the semi-Paleo way of eating. But I can’t give up cheese. Life is too short to not have cheese. 🙂
I have always been a chubby girl (5’4” starting weight 206) and could never push through to “onderland”. Since eating a strict Paleo diet, I broke through to 195 in about 3 months. Since then looking at and reevaluting foods I am realizing that the fuzzy feeling I had all my life from bread grains and sugars is completely eliminated. I prefer to eat veggies, meats, nuts, and healthy fats with occasional treats. But those truly are occasional. I feel that Paleo is the only lifestyle that is helping my body get to a healthy-er state and once I reach a place of health, I would love to revaluate oatmeal and true WHOLE grains. Some people have said they could never do it, but that’s okay. Its about what works well for you and finding the point of health that is your balance.
Love your blog, Gina!
I agree with your balanced approach to a healthful, everyday diet. As an RD I find it challenging to explain that some processed foods have actually made it a lot easier/convenient for society as a whole to prevent disease. Specifically, iron and folate fortified whole-grain cereals and whole grain breads to reduce the risk of spina bifida in newborns.
Here are more tips from RD411.com about the Paleo diet and why it isn’t recommended by registered dietitians (some you mentioned in your post!):
Resources: Producing 1 pound (lb) of meat takes about 10 times the resources it takes to make 1 lb of grain.
Disease prevention: Many of the diseases that were mentioned that could benefit from this diet are better treated by scientifically proven dietary approaches, such as the carbohydrate counting diet for diabetes or calorie restriction and physical activity for obesity. In general, eating a wide variety of foods in moderation has proven itself, again and again, to prevent many health ills. The strict regimen of the Paleo Diet seems unnecessary. In addition, skeptics point out that our ancestors generally did not live long enough to develop many of the diseases that we develop later in life.
Medical conditions: This diet could harm people with certain medical conditions, including liver disease and kidney disease, because the diet is too high in protein.
High-carbohydrate diets: Many cultures, including the Asian population, consume a high-carbohydrate diet and are some of the healthiest people on Earth, unless they move to America and adopt our protein- and fat-rich diets.
Weight loss: It is also important to consider that people in the Paleolithic era were not trying to lose weight. They were trying to gain weight and survive. Furthermore, they likely did not eat meat every day. Hunting animals in the wild was not an easy feat.
Saturated fat: Depending on what types of meat you choose, it is possible that this diet will contain high levels of saturated fat.
Diet compliance: Any strict diet is difficult to follow for a long period of time. The Paleo Diet is one of the strictest plans currently popular.
Raw meat and milk: Consuming raw meat and milk is not safe—ever.
Beans and whole grains: While most everyone agrees that limiting or avoiding refined starches is sensible, avoiding beans and whole grains, such as quinoa or whole wheat, is not a good idea. These foods are good for us—extremely rich in nutrients, fiber, and phytochemicals.
References and recommended readings:
http://www.rd411.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1443:paleo-diet&catid=89:allergies,-intolerances-and-special-diets&Itemid=383
WebMD. Eating like a caveman: Flintstone diet. Available at: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/eating-like-caveman. Accessed June 23, 2010.
Wiss D. Paleo diet summary introduction. Available at: http://paleodiet.com/definition.htm. Accessed June 23, 2010.
Great Post!!
I think you bring up an interesting point:
“High-carbohydrate diets: Many cultures, including the Asian population, consume a high-carbohydrate diet and are some of the healthiest people on Earth, unless they move to America and adopt our protein- and fat-rich diets.”
But you left out an essential part. “unless they move to America and adopt our protein- and fat-rich diets” including grains and sugar.
The key here is the sugar and grains. High carb diets in Asian tend to be low on gluten and low on sugar. Although they do eat rice, it seems that the detrimental combination is saturated fat with high sugar/grain.
That’s why Paleo and vegan people tend to have similar results in improving heart health – that combination of saturated fat with sugar/gluten is not there. At least that is my theory.
The assertion that 1 pound of meat = 10 pounds of grain is reputed in Simon Fairlie’s book ‘Meat: A Benign Extravagence’. Also, meat is an ambiguous phrase. I assume beef. But there are many, many less intensive meats that people eat: lamb, goat, pig, fish…It depends on how they’re produced and what is done with their externalities. Another interesting way to look at raising cattle and meat *for* the environment is Dan Dagget’s Gardeners of Eden.
Also, saying that hunter-gather’s didn’t live long enough to develop diseases is true, in once sense: they died deaths due to trauma or lack of resources. But their skeletons are stronger and taller than those of agrarian societies. Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs and Steel talks about that here: http://www.ditext.com/diamond/mistake.html
This has been mentioned before, but Paleo/Primal is not necessarily low carb. Look at Richard Nikoley’s Free the Animal, Stephen Guyanet’s Whole Health Source or Kurt Harris’ Archevore blogs for more information. Also, Melissa McEwen at Hunt, Gather, Love is very high carb. These are influential people in the paleo/primal online-sphere.
As far as the necessity of grains–there isn’t anything in grain that people can’t get from meat, vegetables or fruit. Also, grains contain anti-nutrients such as phytates, lectins and gluten.
It’s been said before, but I think it’s important to understanding “Paleo”–it’s a *template*. It’s not one set, standardized diet. It’s a lot of people experimenting with whole, unprocessed foods while cutting out harmful, processed sugars, grains and wheat.
Lastly, I haven’t seen this on here–but this is Terry Wahl’s doing a Ted talk about curing her MS with a nutrition-oriented Paleo regimen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLjgBLwH3Wc
I’m in school for clinical nutrition and I disagree with everything you assert. Raw milk from grass-fed cows is MUCH safer than even pasteurized milk, and is much healthier. Raw milk is full of good bacteria, which even if it comes in contact with E. Coli or Salmonella, the active bacteria in the raw milk will destroy these strains. Pastuerized milk is a dead food. I’ve been drinking raw milk since I was 21, so about 3 years, from a trusted source. And have been primal since about that time as well. If you’re going to state things as facts, you should distinguish a little better. As grass-fed meat is infinitely healthier, and better for the environment (and grass-fed is what the primal/paleo community supports). If you’re interested, you can read The Vegetarian Myth, grass-fed farming builds top soil, while grain and mono cropping destroys it and requires fossil fuels.
Regarding whole grains and legumes, they CAN be good for you if prepared traditionally, aka soaked, sprouted or fermented (which a lot of paleo peeps agree with, but who’s going through all that trouble?).
Additionally, some of the healthiest cultures on earth that are untouched by modern/degenerative diseases have diets extremely similar to a paleo diet: the Inuit, the Masai, Eskimos, etc.
Ya know, and I mean this respectfully, just because you learned it in school or because it’s “convention wisdom” does not make it true.
I’ve followed Paleo on and off for a few years now. When I stay with the diet about 80-90% of the time (allowing room occasionally for greek yogurt, whole grains and umm, ice cream!), I’ve found that I feel amazing. I think it really helped me realize that certain foods and I don’t agree – not that I’m allergic, but simply that I feel better not eating them, such as pasta, bread, and milk. But I will agree though that staying with the diet at near 100% is really too difficult for me to do, so that’s why I try to keep at least most of my meals during a week Paleo and allow a little wiggle room.
My officemate at work (where I am now, being all addicted to your blog and taking a break from my work hehe) is paleo. She’s also a crossfit obsessee. We’ve had many discussions on it and varying other diets since she’s started on it in January. I’ve decided I have a couple issues with it. First, like you said, we do a lot LESS work to get our food – therefore all of those saturated fats just hang out inside of us while we sit at our desks. Second, it doesn’t seem to be truly a lifestyle. The running joke, so I hear, of paleo diet followers is “100% paleo, 80% of the time”. To me, your diet should be a lifestyle, and something that comes naturally to you; NOT a diet you follow most of the time, and when its most convenient. But I guess to each their own! My officemate seems to like her paleo diet (when she’s following it..). I also have issue with the lack of research – I’ve read a few websites of theirs and I couldn’t find many sources to back some of the more outrageous claims some paleo pushers make. Anyway, the long and short of it — no paleo for me! Thanks for the post – love your blog 🙂
If you are interested in reading more about Paleo- with the research and sources to back the topics, I suggest looking at http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
My husband is a more recent convert to the Paleo diet and he’s lost almost 70 lbs since August 2011. He has tried MULTIPLE times to get me on to the diet but I agree with you that I don’t want to eliminate dairy and starches. He’s the cook in the house so Dinner is very much Paleo but I have the option to add some carbs if I cook it myself. When I’m on my own I eat whatever moves me. Sometimes its a paleo meal and sometimes its very much not (Philly cheese steak with fries for example).
I’ve been Paleo for over 2 years and I can’t imagine eating any other way. I love it.
There is a LOT of bad hype out there that Paleo is meat crazy and while meat and eggs are emphasized, it’s really vegetables that are the foundation of the diet. I eat an enormous amount of fresh vegetables every day and yes, I do eat meat (bacon included), I don’t think it’s supposed to be a giant meat fest at every meal.
Like the commenter above said, I too had adult acne until I started eating Paleo and now I haven’t had a flare up in over 2 years. I am ecstatic.
I’m also a holistic health coach and I do recommend Paleo for my clients. And if they’re not able or interested in going full on Paleo with zero grains or dairy, I do recommend a modified version of it and have found that many of my clients have seen great success with weight loss, better control of Type-2 diabetes, better skin, stronger workout performance, and general all-around feeling great.
Good post, Gina! There is SOOOOOOOOO much more to Paleo than just eating loads and loads of meat. And check out emerging research on why saturated fat might not be all that bad. Not all the answers are known yet but it’s pretty compelling.
Food for thought on the debate: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/saturated-fat-healthy/#axzz1pCmcycf4
Many people don’t understand that we get carbs from many different foods – not just grains and sugar. The Paleo diet is popular not only in the Crossfit world (where I learned to follow it) but also in the medical world. As a nurse in the operating room I was able to work with doctors from MANY specialities and was really excited and intrigued to find that the Paleo diet is used to treat many chronic diseases. An anesthesiologist who was a pain specialist said he recommended and taught the Paleolithic style of eating to many of his patients with Lupus and Crohns – the decrease in inflammation and pain are mind blowing (he said.) Since beginning to eat this way (I consider myself 80% as I treat myself twice a week to some sugary goodness) I have never felt or slept better. I used to take Zantac and Ambien but have no need for either any more. Even my mood is improved and my workouts have absolutely improved. I would tell anyone to try a 30 Day Challenge just to experience the diet before counting it out.
I agree! And it’s awesome that you got such great results!
Thank you! Carbs are not the only bread out there!
The thing that annoys me with Paleo is that everyone I know who eats that way spend all their time on facebook bragging about how manly they are for eating SOOO MUCH MEEAAAT and microwaving bacon for breakfast (yes, that is surely exactly what a caveman would do). Maybe they belong to a particularly cultish Crossfit box, or maybe I just need new friends. ;^)
That being said, I appreciate the focus on vegetables and unrefined foods.
I teach nutrition and I generally tell people that there is no one right way to eat. As you know, certain foods work better and worse for different people (i.e. cow’s milk). It’s unfortunate that our society has been trained to think in absolute ways — “good” and “bad” foods. When I teach a course, I present as many different approaches and theories as I can (and the science) and I don’t tell anyone which way is “right.” I tell my students that learning and trying new things is the most likely way to find out what works best for yourself (or clients)—be your own science project. Some people will find that grains are unnecessary, and others won’t find the same thing.
As soon as we label something (like: Paleo, Vegan, Atkins, whatever…), we’re losing sight of the really important part: What works for us?
My two cents is that if we can all learn from everything we’re presented with and pick out what works from each “label” or system, test it on ourselves…then we’ll eventually figure it all out and be able to make our best personal nutrition choices.
Like!
Totally agree !!
Totally agree! The key is that we are all different. I have a friend who had mild gastro issues and was put on a Paleo-like diet by his doctor – has never felt better and maintains his weight so much easier. And yes, it is about veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds AND meat – not all meat all day LOL
I have another friend who loves Kathy Freston’s Veganist and has been “leaning in to” being vegan and has also never felt better.
So who is right? Both IMO! Do what works for you and stay open to possibilities as we learn from each other.
I totally agree with this as well. Everyone’s body chemistry is different, and no two people should expect to react the same way to the same diet. I love strawberries, shellfish and eggs. Another person might be deathly allergic to all three. For every person who has a great success story with Paleo, there is another who thrives as a Vegan… and so forth.
I know that there are people who try Paleo just for kicks, but there are also many who try these diets to try to combat illness, fatigue, digestive issues etc. If you have a pre-existing intolerance for wheat and/or dairy, and you adopt a new diet that’s free of both, then of course you’re going to see huge benefits (less bloat, more energy, better skin etc). A person who never had trouble with those foods probably isn’t going to see the same results.
As a dietitian I can’t stand the Paleo diet. I hate that they completely exclude dairy, and then actually discourage any kind of calcium supplement! But the boatloads of fish oil supplements are okay? Because our cavemen ancestors had access to those, right? 🙂 I’m glad you don’t recommend it either!
As a dietitian, you probably already know that it’s not about how much calcium we take in but how much calcium we retain. You also probably already know that there is nothing magic about the calcium in dairy, there are plenty of other foods that one can eat that provide calcium. If you don’t know any of this, start here: http://balancedbites.com/2011/10/faqs-paleo-diet-calcium.html and do some research before declaring that you “can’t stand” something. It just makes you sound uninformed about your chosen profession.
Like.
There are a lot of misconceptions about the paleo way of eating. It is very different from Atkins and it is NOT low carb (but it CAN be, if adapted in that way). I encourage everyone to do more research before jumping to conclusions. I’m biased, as I am a huge advocate of paleo, but I didn’t turn to paleo because it’s the newest diet trend – I spent a lot of time learning about what it is and why it works, and ultimately decided to give it 30 days because it simply made sense to me. I never turned back. I had gotten so used to feeling sub-par on the standard American diet and I had no idea how truly AMAZING I could feel by eating paleo. Like AMAZING. Problems that I had been experiencing for years disappeared and things that I didn’t even know where abnormal and problematic (because I was so used to them) disappeared as well.
Also, to the person commenting above about the lack of research supporting paleo, I respectfully disagree and encourage you to see that is not the case. There is a TON in medical journals that supports the paleo way of eating and actually proves that major elements of the standard American (mainly gluten, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other processed foods) are extremely detrimental to health.
Some excellent resources to learn more:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com
http://www.paleohacks.com
http://www.robbwolf.com
Rachel – I’m so with you. I had no idea how good I could feel! Paleo has been one of the best lifestyle changes I could have done for myself. Plus, I love that it does have the science to back it up.
just wondering why is the Paleo diet so big with the CrossFit World.? Every time I look into the CrossFit, it pops up too. What does it do for them?
My boyfriend and I are currently trying to maintain more healthy lifestyles (and lose a few pounds) by eating right and exercising. We’ve looked into the Paleo diet a lot, but giving up cheese is not really appealing to me. Plus, we just made our first loaf of homemade bread. There’s really no going back after that! Anyway, I think we found a good compromise in which most nights of the week, we try to have a Paleo-inspired dinner. That way I still eat carbs at breakfast and dairy throughout the day, just not at EVERY meal. We both feel great!
I respectfully disagree. I’m a clinical nutritionist and I am paleo/primal, and have never felt better. Saturated fat has been vilified (vilified by Ansel Keys, a man who purposely excluded research supporting saturated fats, much like the China Study, if you’re interested in looking it up), but is actually good for you. Saturated fats, high protein consumption and veggies allowed us to evolve, how could that be flawed, you know? I agree that it’s different for everybody, but only to a certain degree. We are all still human, this is the diet that our ancestors ate and flourished from. And in regards to saturated fat, some of the healthiest cultures on earth that are untouched by modern and degenerative diseases eat some of the highest amounts of saturated fat (and no grains or processed foods). Additionally, lots of paleo (actually most I’ve encountered) still support dairy (though preferably raw dairy, which is what I consume). But those who do exclude dairy get plenty of calcium from other animal sources. The only way I support grains, beans or legumes is if they’re prepared traditionally, like sprouted, soaked or fermented. Which is how they used to be eaten exclusively. Otherwise they’re high in phytic acid, a nutrient blocker. As always, love the spirit of discussion on your blog.
I don’t follow the Paleo diet myself, but in a way I suppose I eat similarly because my grain intake is probably lower than most and my dairy intake is limited to Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and egg whites. (I know there’s no dairy on that pyramid but I eat pretty small amounts of it.) I love that you highlighted that our needs are different to those of our ancestors – we’re sitting at desks, not hunting all day! That’s such a great point that needs to be considered when looking at dietary needs. I think the Paleo diet can help people to get results, but mainly due to the fact that it emphasizes whole foods. For some people that eat 90% processed foods, I’m sure that even incorporating a few whole ones would lead to improvements.
Thank you for this post!! Paleo is catching like wildfire and I have been wondering what it’s all about. I considered doing it briefly but then I realized that since I don’t eat eggs or fish I would be pretty limited when it came to options- and although I’m not vegetarian, I do limit chicken/meat intake so it just wouldn’t work out very well. I’m sure it works for some people but I guess this just seems like a whole foods version of a low-carb diet? I much prefer balance than restrictive eating but it does seem to work really well for some people! I did just make paleo friendly muffins but really they were just GF so they worked in my book!
No grains ? No thank you!
I don’t think I could follow a paleo type of eating style. I get a lot of my protein from beans and legumes and am not a big fan of meat. I don’t consume a lot of dairy because if upsets my stomach, but I do occasionally eat cheese on pizza, and add yogurt to smoothies etc..
Also, I love my carbs and don’t think I could/would give them up.
I agree with eating non-processed foods and going the locally sourced route as much as possible.
I don’t think I would ever do it- but I am a vegetarian so it would mean a whole lot of eggs for me! Like any diet craze- I’m sure it works for some people, especially if they eat the standard american diet. However, everyone and every body is different and it is so important to proceed with caution with these types of elimination diets.. I agree that its great to highlight whole foods, and organics but there can definitely be balance with dairy and whole grains in there.
I follow a paleo diet including dairy – and cheese! – so perhaps it isn’t 100% paleo but it is what works for me. And like others, I feel great on it. And even better than that, I have never slept so well. I am noticing exciting definition in my arms and legs from lifting weights, something that never happened before, perhaps because I wasn’t eating enough protein. I still eat bread in moderation, ie. about two slices a week when I am feeling lazy about preparing breakfast, and I will never cut these things out entirely, but following a semi-strict paleo diet has made me feel better and less bloated than ever before. So even though I cannot be hardcore on it all the time because eliminating things doesn’t work for me, the benefits I’ve found from focusing on the things that paleo lifestyle-ers focus on have been tremendous!
Not to mention it could get expensive buying all that meat! A paleo woman comes to my work buying $500 in groceries a week and a few times a year will order $1000 worth of frozen meats to stock up on. I asked her if she has an army to feed and it’s only for her and her two kids! She buys a lot of nonsense stuff like coconut aminos to replace soy sauce and date sugar instead of real sugar. That doesn’t make any sense to me. And I always wonder about quinoa because isn’t it called the ancient grain?
My grocery bill has actually gone down since going paleo. Yay! 🙂
I think the meat industry is looooving the paleo craze after the downfall of Atkins. I think Paleo will eventually go the same route for the reasons you mention, that it eliminates entire food groups. Also I argue against the very premise that all our ancestors everywhere across the globe ate this diet. There simply isn’t the science to back that up.
I think most health professionals cannot argue with a diet that is high in whole plant foods, low on animal products. This isn’t Paleo, it’s not vegan, it’s just common sense.
Oh also, red meat will increase your mortality. Just saying.
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-red-meat-20120313,0,565423.story
Sarah, that study is nonsense, here is why: http://garytaubes.com/2012/03/science-pseudoscience-nutritional-epidemiology-and-meat. Don’t believe the propaganda, take the time to keep an open mind and do your own research.
Hey Gina, how come my earlier reply to this comment with a link de-bunking this study was removed? Either remove both the link to the study and the link de-bunking it or leave both of them up so that anyone who reads your blog and comments can read both sides of the argument and form their own opinion. I also noted that my other reply to the comment right below this one regarding life expectancy was removed as well. Why? It was respectful, informative and presented the other side to the paleo argument. It wasn’t rude or derogatory in any way and not disrespective or vulgar. Should your posts be an opportunity for informed discussion and not one-sided presentation to back up your own viewpoints?
Both of the posts that you’re referring to are showing up for me (the link to balanced bites and the reference to life expectancy), and I saw them a few hours ago when I first clicked on the story as well. In a year of reading the blog, I’ve never seen a reason to suspect that conflicting viewpoints are removed or edited to support her beliefs, and I’ve seen some that WERE disrespectful.
JennP, you’re right! I owe Gina an enormous apology! For some reason my posts showed up initially and then disappeared but reappeared when I re-started my browser and re-freshed the post. I jumped to an incorrect conclusion in haste. I have been following this blog for years and was very surprised when my comments “disappeared” since I know this is not Gina’s practice. I sincerely apologize for jumping to conclusions.
you’re exactly right. i rarely delete comments, and usually just delete ones that are mean-spirited, inappropriate or attacks against fellow readers
Wasn’t life expectancy 2 million years ago like age 30? Just food for thought!
How long would YOU survive out in the wilderness on your own? Life expectancy 2 million years ago had nothing to do with their diet and everything to do with high infant mortality rates and death from causes other than “modern” diseases.
That was addressed somewhat in the video. Yes, cavemen lived much shorter lives. They also didn’t live in houses, have modern doctors/technology, and were hunted by predators, etc.
I do not follow a paleo diet. I was curious about it but then read numerous studies about how it could be dangerous/ unhealthy to follow and I decided it wasn’t for me.
I tried paleo. I do believe what your friend said about it altering your body to use fat as fuel. I am a pre-med biochemistry student and have looked into this. It sounds like a reasonable hypothesis to me. However, I cannot maintain my weight on paleo. I’m 5’6 1/2 and dropped down to 105 lbs on paleo, and I’m very muscular. That weight was wayyy too low for me and unhealthy. I now eat a paleo lunch (salad and eggs/salmon) and afternoon snack (fruit and nuts), but my breakfast and dinner always have some kind of oats/oat brain, quinoa, millet etc. And obvi I eat goat cheese…duh 😉
I’ve never been drawn to a paleo way of eating and I think that food pyramid saying meat rather than veggies should be the biggest part of one’s diet is troublesome- especially in light of the Harvard study that came out this week linking red meat to an increased risk of premature death. I will say that when I need to lose weight one of the first things I do is switch out my beloved bread and pasta for less processed carbs like squash or quinoa- but I also make a point to eat much less meat and to get my fats from plants (coconut, avocado, nut butters) instead of from animals.
I am quasi-paleo and totally agree. I went raw for two weeks and besides having some yeast problems felt fantastic. So I decided to add a bit of meat back into my diet to balance out the sugars I was eating (when I was raw I ate soooo much fruit!). Took out most of the fruit (my body hated all the sugar) and supplemented with some cooked veggies. The diet I ended up with is fuelled mostly by veggies, some meat at every meal (not copious amounts but a good serving) and fat coming from coconut oil, nuts and avocado primarily. The best I have ever felt, hands down. But this is what works for me. I advocate for people to test what feels right for them. I still will put a little quinoa on a salad or have a gluten free snack occasionally, it doesn’t break the deal for me but, largely I follow when my body is happy. 😉 Thanks Gina for this great post and everyone for their replies!
I have a major, major problem with Paleo. From a weight perspective, I understand why people like it (cut out processed foods and sugar and of course you’ll drop weight). Same goes for energy. And that’s all great.
But from a health perspective, it’s horrendous. There are huge bodies of research that support how dangerous high levels of animal sourced saturated fat consumption is. The research overwhelmingly supports the health promoting benefits of plant-based diets, particularly in relation to cardiovascular health and cancer, and it makes my blood boil to see proponents of Paleo presenting it as if it’s a healthy option. The truth is, high levels of meat and egg consumption (i.e. saturated fat and cholesterol) are just NOT good for you. The research shows it time and time again. Furthermore, populations that consume grains often have the highest life expectancy- Japan, areas near the Mediterranean, etc. That people are told to needlessly cut out grains and beans is unnecessary and harmful. I HATE PALEO.
Okay, rant over! 🙂
I’ve been eating paleo for 5 weeks now (as part of a challenge at my CrossFit box). It took me a while to be okay with eating so much fat, but I’ve learned adding healthy fat to every meal really does keep me much more full. I’ve almost completely cut out snacking because I just am not hungry. Some Paleo followers are very strict about fruit consumption, but I eat at least 2 servings per day, so am not exactly low carb. Another part of their (Paleo guru’s) agrument against grain is there is nothing nutritionally found in it we can’t obtain through eating meat, vegetables, and fruit. The biggest thing I’ve learned through the challenge is how judgemental people are about diet! Everyone thinks their way is best and is not open to other things…it’s almost as bad as talking religion or politics! I think people have to find a diet that is right for their tastes and their body, of course consisting of minimal processed foods.
As a vegan, I really couldn’t, but as a normal human, no beans would kill me. I really think beans are healthy and I don’t see the logic behind removing them from a diet. I also think greens should be the key focus in all diets.
I find the whole paleo topic hard sometimes. I’m vegan so obviously there’s a lot I don’t agree with, but like what you said Gina, the whole foods is the part that matters! I really doubt our ancestors ate this specific way for over the hundreds of thousands of years the paleolithic period existed, so that’s one issue. And another thing is our ancestors were more gatherer-hunters than they were hunter-gatherers, which goes against the whole “meat” as the foundation of the pyramid. Also, we’re not going out there and killing our own animals like our ancestors did, so in all honesty, are you really paleo?! I get the concept, but that’s just it, a concept! You can’t pretend to imitate a lifestyle that clearly does not exist anymore.
All I’m saying is eat your veggies, and really, no beans?! I think it’s obscured that eating animals is ok, but beans (which aren’t living things in case you didn’t know ;)) isn’t ok? If anything, that doesn’t make the most sense to me about this whole diet – which is just that, a ‘diet,’ so it too, will pass.
But, honestly, thanks for doing this focus on post, Gina!!!