Since there are many healthy diets, the Palaeolithic diet focuses on eating foods that are similar to those consumed by the stone age ancestors. This diet is well-known as the paleo diet recommends foods that were consumed and available in the Palaeolithic era. However, if you are curious about how to begin with a Paleo diet then this blog is just for you. This celebrated diet which is well-known as the paleo diet plan recommends foods eaten and available in the Palaeolithic era.
What is the Paleo Diet?
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors inspired the Paleo diet. This diet emphasizes vegetables, nuts, seeds and meats and skips processed foods, dairy and gains that became staple just after the advent of agriculture. However, the paleo diet promoted better health by eradicating modern processed foods that might contribute to the chronic diseases.
Benefits of the Paleo Diet
The Paleo Diet benefits health in many ways. By eliminating high-fat and processed foods from your diet that is generally good for you is upping your vegetable and fruit consumption. The paleo diet will allow you to remain focused on eating whole foods with nutritional value and healthy fats. Also it promotes healthy eating which makes it an option even the healthcare providers can get behind relying on the circumstances. While individual results may vary, so here are some ways that it can help:
- It improves blood sugar levels by focusing on whole food consumption.
- It will support weight management by cutting out processed sugar and foods.
- It will enhance digestive health and reduces bloating by eradicating processed grains and foods.
- It will enhance nutrient consumption through an increased intake of minerals, vitamins and antioxidant-rich foods.
Why Paleo Diet is Important to be Included?
The basic paleo diet plan is a restrictive eating style which is founded on the theory that humans operate best when only eating foods that they “need”- the whole foods that our hunter-gatherer ancestors which is consumed by us. This specific diet do not just include macronutrient ratios or calorie limits, however it do not eliminate any food that was not around in the Paleolithic era-which means no gains, legumes, dairy products, artificial sweeteners. With such a short list of permittable paleo foods, those following the diet today should be diligent about meeting the nutrition needs.
Moreover, studies have analyzed the risks of micronutrient deficiency for those following a paleo eating style. Researchers have also found that people might be at a high risk of Vitamin D and E deficiency when following the paleo diet. In other studies that are found that carbohydrate-restricted diets such as paleo diet might cause a decrease in vital nutrients such as folate, thiamine, calcium and iodine. So, when choosing low-carb paleo recipes, it’s imperative to include foods that will offer these minerals, vitamins and trace elements to prevent deficiencies. A healthcare provider will help you to assess the potential risks that are related with paleo diet and determine that if it’s appropriate for you.
What Can You Eat on a Paleo Meal Plan?
The Paleo meal plan do not dictate the amount of food which you eat or the timing of your meals, however it does limit your intake of certain foods. Also, it encourages plenty of protein from the meat, fish and eggs that are limited to the fresh fruits, herbs, spices and healthy fats. To fit in the diet’s guidelines, paleo snacks should be dairy-free and gluten-free. A paleo meal plan will allow food like:
- Herbs and spices
- Seeds (such as Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower seeds)
- Fresh veggies
- Fresh Fruits
- Healthy Fats like Avocado oil, olive oil.
Paleo supporters often turn to the substitutions for the foods that are not allowed on the diet. However, many people also add coconut milk yogurt to the shopping lists instead of regular yogurt. Also, those who require to put a paleo-friendly spin on a rice dish opt for cauliflower rice. Those who want to whip up a pasta dish without the grain-based noodles can use zucchini spaghetti in the place.
What to Avoid in Paleo Diet
Similarly, any foods that are not easily available to Paleolithic humans are sort off-limits in this diet which means processed foods and many of which has added margarine, sugar and added butter should not be the part of paleo diet. This goes same for dairy and which may not have been accessible to Paleolithic humans and legumes that many proponents of the diet believe that are not easily digestible by the body.
Foods to Avoid:
- Cereal grains like wheat, rice, rye and barley.
- All dairy products which includes cheese, yogurt and butter.
- Legumes such as wheat, rice, rye and barley.
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Sugary fruit juices and soft drinks.
If You Have Diabetes, Is Paleo a Good Choice for Blood Sugar Management?
If you are a diabetic patient, research suggests that the paleo nutrition plan should focus on whole foods foods might help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar, lower their blood pressure. Critics argue that the unlimited amount of red meat that the paleo diet will allow and might have an adverse effect on cardiovascular health in people with diabetes since the research links eating red meat in the excess to the poor heart health. However, if you have diabetes and don’t moderate your consumption of red meat, this can be a big problem as people with diabetes are twice likely to die to cardiovascular health. Essentially, there are not enough encouraging study results for experts to make a formal recommendation for the people with diabetes to try the Palaeo diet. However, if you want to try the plan with an aim of managing your blood sugar levels, be sure to clear it with your healthcare provider.
Is the Paleo Diet Good for Heart Health?
With type 2 diabetes, the palaeo diet might or might not be good for your heart. However, it comes down to how you follow the eating approach. If you were to eat an unlimited amount of red meat which the paleo diet that technically allows you would most likely see your health suffer. While experts applaud the omission of processed foods such as cookies, cakes, chips and candy that are well known to be bad for your ticker since they are not crazy about the fact that paleo do not allow you to consume whole grains, legumes and most dairy. Whole grains in particular have been linked with better cholesterol levels as well as a reduced risk of obesity, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Wrapping It Up
Either the paleo diet is right for you relies on various factors which includes personal preference, dietary restrictions and personal health. Also this diet plan will provide wide variety of health benefits, as it requires strict adherence to reap said benefits. However if you try the paleo diet then it might lead to the host of benefits such as weight loss and maintenance and improved blood pressure and cholesterol. Moreover, some individuals might find that the paleo diet is difficult to stick with due to its exclusion of particular foods such as grains and dairy.
The restriction of particular food groups will cause deficiencies in nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and Vitamin B over the long term will lead to the health concerns such as osteoporosis and bone fractures. Due to this, individuals who will fllow this kind of diet that might want to consider by consuming a multivitamin. In addition, since paleo diet emphasizes eating fresh food individuals also find that they might find the need to commit more time in preparing the meal which might be difficult for those who live in busy lifestyles and are unfamiliar with cooking.
