The Paleo diet has taken the internet by storm since it gained popularity two years ago. The 'cave man' diet entails mimicking the eating habits of the Paleolithic people thousands of years ago. However, there are still confusions about how to go about with the diet. Here are some of the most asked questions regarding Paleo.
1. What is Paleo Diet?
The Paleo diet is a nutritional diet that tries to replicate the diet of cavemen in the ancient Paleolithic era. They survived through hunting and gathering of food and depended on lean proteins such as fish, poultry, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
2. What kinds of food are included in the list of the Paleo diet?
The food consumed in the Paleo diet mainly includes vegetables, fruits and more on fish and meat like pork, beef and chicken. It also includes seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and mushrooms. The meat to be consumed must be free from food additives and seasonings. Modern foods that are not consumed during the prehistoric era must be excluded in the diet.
3. In the modern world, foods are available mostly in grocery stores. Do I need to buy at a whole foods store or can I still buy from the local grocery store?
The Paleo diet requires fresh foods without preservatives and other chemicals. If those are available in the local grocery store then you can purchase them. Groceries offer fruits and vegetables that are fresh from different farms. They also offer meat and seafood that are freshly caught.
4. How does it work?
Many claim that the Paleo diet is the most compatible diet to human genetics yet they seldom explain why. The Paleo diet actually works by normalizing the body's insulin levels. This will make the body reach optimal body composition, health and energy.
Long term dependence on insulin may make it difficult for the body to lose fats. Grains are unhealthy because they contain lectin, which can lead to intestinal damage, inflammation and other diseases. Also, it contains phytic acid which is stripping off many vitamins and nutrients in food.
According to studies, homosapiens are designed because of evolution to consume the diet our ancestors during the prehistoric times. Our bodies are actually programmed to be fit to the diet they once ate like more of meat and vegetables or fruits. The hunter-gatherer diet does not include most of the food we eat today including grains and wheat.
5. Why are carbohydrates and grains not a healthy option?
The Paleo diet isn't about having a low carbohydrate diet; it is in fact eliminating all bad carbohydrates in the diet. There is a big difference with eating a sandwich made of white bread and a sandwich made with whole wheat bread. That goes the same as eating French fries versus a salad of vegetables and fruits.
Good carbohydrates are full of fiber like vegetables and even some fruits. Good carbohydrates with fiber are good for the health because it slows down the absorption of other nutrients in the same meal like carbohydrates. Hence, when there is slowing down of absorption of food, spikes in blood sugar will be controlled and reduced. This will reduce the risk for Diabetes Type 2.
Moreover, fiber can lower blood cholesterol and it makes you feel full.