PRO AND CONS of the PALEO DIET

In the Paleolithic Era, the foods eaten by our ancestors were those that were easiest to gather or hunt at a specific locale, such as meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruit, berries, mushrooms etc. Today, eating in the paleo style means that you can eat exactly what the paleo man ate and it is actually a large variety of foods that can be included in your diet, no matter if you are more of a vegetarian or more of a meat lover.

The major foods that can be eaten on a Paleo Diet are:

• Meat – Our ancestors used to eat whatever they hunt, so meat is a good option for people following the paleo diet.
• Fruits – In the Paleolithic, fruits would have been tart and smaller, and you may need to limit modern fruit because of this.
• Fats, oil and fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6 – The major sources were meat, fruits, nuts, and, of course, wild caught fish.
• Salt – Paleo man did not have salt, so you should remove it from your diet.
• Water (spring water) – This is the only truly paleo beverage. For caffeine, the organic green tea is the most paleo. Another possible healthy beverage would be the coconut water.
• Sweeteners – Raw honey and coconut sugar can be used in limited amounts and only if it is absolutely necessary.

The Paleo diet forbids starches (grains, legumes, and potatoes), dairy products, sugars, salt and processed oils.

Food should be eaten when hungry – not at set times of the day.

The usual “customers” of the Paleo Diet are athletes that need to get the maximum athletic performance and the people who want to avoid foreign proteins and prevent diseases.

PRO PALEO DIET:

• Supporters of this diet say we are genetically programmed to eat like the paleo man, so this is the only way to fight obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
• The combination of lean proteins, fibers, and low-carbs seems to be a good way to prevent weight gain.
• Eliminating all grains, dairy, processed foods, sugar, and more will certainly lead to weight loss.
• Since is a diet high in proteins you will feel full longer and you will be able to reduce cravings.
• The Paleo diet encourages people to be physically active on a regular basis.

AGAINST the PALEO DIET

• In the contradiction with the opinion of the supporters of the Paleo Diet, some nutritionists believe that this eating style is based on artery-clogging saturated fats and cholesterol, and bone-damaging, acidic proteins from animal foods, which can be anything but not healthy.
• A diet high in animal protein can lead to “rabbit starvation”, which is a form of acute malnutrition caused by excess consumption of any lean meat coupled with a lack of other sources of nutrients.
• The elimination of entire food groups, like dairy and grains, can lead to nutritional deficiencies.

www.webmd.com

www.weightlossresources.co.uk

www.livestrong.com