The Paleo diet is a nutritional concept founded by a book written by nutritionist Dr. Loren Cordain. In 2010, the first edition was published in the United States. Since then, the Paleo principle has enjoyed steadily growing popularity and has now become a major trend in Europe as well.
What does the Paleo principle mean?
The word “Paleo” is short for Paleolithic, which means the age of the Old Stone Age. Therefore, this diet is often colloquially referred to as the Stone Age diet or Stone Age diet. The principle is simple: man should eat only those foods that were also consumed in the Stone Age. Everything that man could procure as a hunter-gatherer is thus allowed. According to the founder of the Paleo diet, our bodies are genetically adapted precisely to these foods. All products that came after and were processed mainly by human hands and industry are not suitable for nutrition. For orientation, the time of the introduction of agriculture and animal husbandry is mentioned about 10,000 years ago. From this time, man began to actively intervene in the production of his food.
How to get started
Radically changing the diet from one day to the next is not only difficult, but also confuses the body. For years he was trained to take up any amount of sugar and suddenly the new Paleo diet comes completely without any carbohydrates. It is therefore recommended that you start slowly with the change. Instead of eating only Paleo foods right away, certain carbohydrates can still be an exceptional part of meals during the first week: Root vegetables, sweet potatoes and plantains. This is because they contain much less sugar and thus help with the acclimatization process. In the initial phase, the body begins to build new enzymes for the dietary change and its energy balance. Among other things, this leads to a loss of excess water. Drinking plenty of fluids is therefore important. Occasionally, cravings for sweets may occur. Here, however, you have to stay strong. It is clear that later in everyday life a very strict implementation of the Paleo diet will be difficult. Just however in the initial phase and in the first 30 days should be lived consistently. The body can thus benefit from a pure diet for the first time and improved well-being sets in.
Which foods are allowed?
All foods that are unprocessed and therefore in their true state are allowed in the Stone Age diet. By the fact that they have preserved their original state, they are still nutrient-rich. Food quality and the issue of sustainability when buying products should be taken into account. The following foods are recommended by the Paleo diet:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Herbs
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Tea
- Butter
- Healthy fats and oils
The last point is controversial among Paleo followers. Indeed, oils are in most cases industrially processed and should therefore, by definition, not be part of the recommended foods. However, since oils and fats are essential components of many dishes, many get around the problem in the following way: they only consume oils produced from Stone Age plants. This means that olive, peanut and corn oil, for example, are not allowed. In the case of fruit, daily consumption should be kept in mind. Besides numerous vitamins, it contains lots of fructose. To illustrate the whole thing briefly, half an apple contains a heaping teaspoon of sugar.
What about stimulants?
Most stimulants that are consumed today were created after the introduction of agriculture and animal husbandry and thus belong to processed foods. Many of these foods contain so-called antinutrients. They are formed by plants and animals to avoid being eaten by others. When food is prepared, many of them are killed by heating, but some of these substances remain in the products. Examples are lectins in potatoes, phytic acid in cereals or trypsin inhibitors in legumes. Therefore, the following foods do not count as part of an appropriate Paleo diet:
- Grains
- Bread
- Pasta
- Legumes
- Dairy products (exception: butter)
- Sugar
- Artificial sweeteners
- Processed vegetable fats
- Artificial additives
- Sugary drinks
- Sweets (for example, chocolate)
- Artificially processed meat
For drinks, as with coffee and alcohol, there is also controversy about whether they are allowed. In any case, it is recommended to drastically reduce consumption and pay attention to the exact ingredients of the drinks. Of course, all of these drinks are industrially processed, but contain different ingredients. Beer and vodka have grain as their main ingredient, while rum is based on sugar cane. Many of the convenience foods available today and all varieties of fast food contain hidden sugar. These products should definitely be eliminated from the menu.
What are the risks of the Paleo diet?
Opponents of the Paleo diet like to emphasize the one-sided intake of nutrients. By the fact that certain products are excluded from the outset, the body does not get enough of the most diverse substances administered. In particular, the Paleo principle is characterized by a very high-fat and meat-rich diet. Again, other substances such as carbohydrates are completely banned from the menu. The body is added by the meat that amount of proteins, perhaps even more than is healthy. In addition, the enormous meat consumption harms the climate balance. Further a risk applies, which often occurs with parliamentary allowance: Who changes over only briefly to Paleo and then radically again to its old nourishing style returns, will have to fight possibly with a Jojo effect.
How does Paleo work in the long run?
Little research has been done on the long-term effects of the Stone Age diet. Most studies looked at a period of up to three months. Most of the findings therefore come from the users themselves. Often these report a strange feeling in the first days and weeks. The body seems confused, but soon these symptoms subside. Instead, positive phenomena become noticeable. The following side effects are frequently mentioned: calmer sleep, more energy in everyday life, increased well-being and better athletic performance. Many diseases of civilization in today’s society, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, obesity and cardiovascular disease, are caused by increased sugar intake. Many cancers are fed by poor nutrition and cancer cells love sugar. The new way of eating stabilizes blood sugar levels, which has an indirect effect on fewer cancers. Also, better dental health and clearer skin are yet to be mentioned. As with all new nutritional concepts, there are both proponents and critics. Whether the Paleo principle has the desired positive effects, only a self-experiment will be able to show. Who is ready to orient itself at the hunter-gatherers of the Stone Age, for it is called only: Hold out!
