In this article, I'll describe to you exactly what the Paleolithic (or "Caveman") Diet is, and 5 reasons why you should give it a try!
So, What is a "Paleo" Diet? The modern paleo diet is based on the assumed diet of our ancestors several thousand years ago. Back then, before agriculture, diets consisted of meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. There was no access to dairy products, processed fats, oils, or sugars, or mass farmed grains like wheat.
Some nutritionists believe that the human body evolved over thousands of years to process and digest these kinds of foods, and that the rapid expansion of agriculture in comparatively recent years has left the human body trying to digest unfamiliar foods. Reverting to a Paleo diet is supposed to model more accurately what the body had evolved to digest, and provide a number of health benefits.
Why Try a Paleolithic Diet?
Here are my top 5 reasons:
1 - Studies have shown that the diet is more filling per calorie than other diets. Even healthy "Mediterranean diets" tend to make you consume more calories before feeling full. So, as part of a calorie controlled diet, the Paleo diet could help you to lose weight more efficiently.
2 - Early studies suggest that eating a Paleo Diet can lower blood pressure safely, and reduce the amount of CRP in the blood. This helps to control the bodies inflammation response, which may lower the risk of certain types of cancer.
3 - The Paleo Diet is very high in fibre, which helps maintain a healthy digestive system, reduce cholesterol, and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
4 - It reduces diabetes risk. More than 70% of the total daily energy consumed people in the United States comes from dairy products, cereals, refined sugars, refined vegetable oils and alcohol, all of which have high Glycemic Index values. In contrast, the Paleo diet has very low GI values, helping to maintain a stable blood sugar level, and reduce the risk of diabetes.
5 - Fewer adverse reactions. Huge numbers of people in the world are intolerant to dairy, gluten, or nuts. Some people are mildly intolerant, and may not even realise it. This continued consumption of foods your body rejects causes you to feel tired, bloated, or generally a bit "down". The paleo diet has none of these food groups. The very fact that these most common allergies are not part of the paleo diet lends weight to the theory that our bodies are ill-adapted to the modern diet. Trying the paleo diet for a few days might just make you feel more energetic, brighter, and more healthy.
Some people might be scared of trying a new "faddy" diet, but you really shouldn't be. I've reviewed a number of cookbooks which have plenty of delicious (and normal) recipes that help you find your feet when starting out. Try it out for 14 days, and see if you can't tell the difference!
So, now you have no excuse. You know what the Modern Paleo Diet is, and 5 excellent health benefits to persuade you to try it out. And you can find plenty of cookbooks to guide you, so there's nothing stopping you from finding out whether it makes you feel healthier and full of get-up-and-go!
