The paleo diet - hit or miss?

How did people eat during the Paleolithic period? It turns out very healthy. They didn't know what processed foods, genetically modified vegetables or fast food were. Their food has not been subjected to endless cooking, they have not deep-fried anything, and they have not microwaved anything. Dr. Loren Cordain says that we are genetically programmed to do this kind of food - raw, as little processed as possible. Based on this theory, the paleo diet was developed.

Hunters and gatherers

According to Dr. Cordain, modern man, like his ancestors, is sufficient for a proper diet: meat, vegetables, fruits and everything that can be harvested by yourself, without processing. However, you should avoid starchy vegetables. Therefore, those who want to switch to a caveman diet, have to say goodbye to potatoes once and for all. The creator of the paleo theory claims that it is a way of eating for life, but Internet users praise the diet primarily because you can lose a lot of kilograms on it in a short time.

Paleo is definitely not a vegetarian or vegan diet as its primary ingredient is meat. Beef, fish, poultry, veal, seafood - should be on your plate every day. Why? Since the dawn of time, man has been a hunter and a gatherer. He ate what he hunted or harvested. Meat has been the staple of his diet for almost 3 million years! That's why Dr. Cordain says that this diet is simply programmed into the genes. Moreover, according to Cordain, the evolution of human digestion is millions of times slower than the progress of civilization. That is why, in fact, our body is completely unprepared to consume generally available products in stores. And this is what is supposed to be the cause of a huge amount of disease, allergy to various nutrients and obesity.

Paleo diet - rules

As mentioned before, the basis of the paleo diet is unprocessed meat. So there are no sausages or kabanos sausages. Paleo relies heavily on proteins, reducing carbohydrates to a minimum. This method is probably known to everyone who was even slightly interested in Dukan's diet. In addition, a lot of vegetables and fruits. It is also recommended to eat plenty of nuts, which are rich in magnesium and good fats. You can also eat eggs (maximum 12 a week) and drink water without restrictions.

More important, however, is what should be avoided. These are among others:

• processed and finished products - they contain preservatives, unhealthy fats and loads of chemicals.

• dairy products - unfortunately, milk and cheese are very fatty,

• legumes - they acidify the body and contain little protein.

• cereal products - most of them are made from refined flour.

• sweets - has anyone seen a caveman with a candy bar?

The paleo diet - healthy or not?

It is worth paying attention to the fact that every now and then a completely new diet appears in the world, which is to revolutionize the way we eat and lose weight without effort. For hundreds of years, people have not wanted to grasp that it is impossible to lose weight healthily without exercise. Until a few years ago, everyone was on the Dukan diet, now it is known that this way of eating depletes the body and causes the yo-yo effect. Likewise, the paleo diet has met with much criticism. Mostly because it is not properly balanced. According to nutritionists, no diet that excludes any of the ingredients in the food pyramid is healthy.

An additional argument is that, yes, cavemen were thin - but their lifestyle was completely different. They were constantly on the move, hunted animals, and were often on the move. They lived under stress and their life expectancy did not exceed 30 years. And we are talking about hunters, because women in the Paleolithic did not look like Kate Moss at all. This is evidenced by a statue from the Paleolithic period depicting an ideal woman - presenting truly Rubensian shapes.

Proponents, on the other hand, defend paleo saying that since they started eating according to its rules, their health problems are gone, and they have never felt better. Therefore, it is impossible to say unequivocally whether the paleo diet will be right for you. However, we recommend that you exercise common sense and restraint.