Obesity is one of the world’s fastest-growing and most troubling health issues today (1). Unless one acts fast to address the emotions behind his or her cravings, he or she can face long-term problems.
Someone who has a very high body mass index (BMI) will be at risk of many serious health conditions like hypertension, heart diseases, stroke, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder problems, apnea, asthma, chronic fatigue, and even some kinds of cancer (1).
Dealing with obesity and other similar weight-control problems are best addressed by fostering a healthier lifestyle. Many people would change their diet and activity patterns.
In the year 2013, the paleo diet became very popular. While many have embraced it as a healthy and reasonable, some professionals and nutrition organizations still think that it is downright harmful.
This article is a basic introduction to the paleo diet, providing essential information and meal plans.
What is the Paleo Diet?
This dietary plan is based on foods similar to what our ancestors might have eaten a million years ago.
The paleo diet promotes eating unprocessed and whole animal and plant foods such as eggs, fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, which can all be obtained by gathering and hunting. It limits processed foods, dairy, sugar, legumes, and grains.
A study shows that diets that focus on whole foods are better for weight loss and overall health. They are considered to be more filling, contain fewer calories, and restrict processed foods, which are common culprits to many diseases (2, 3, 4).
The main objective of the paleo diet is to bring back the early humans’ way of eating. It is believed that the human body is genetically mismatched to the modern diet that emerged with farming practices. The rapid and late change in the human diet, according to the discordance hypothesis, outpaced the body’s ability to adapt (5).
People would refer to the paleo diet in several other names like caveman diet, Stone Age diet, and hunter-gatherer diet.
How Is It Effective in Weight Loss?
The paleo diet can help you lose weight in several ways:
1. It Burns More Body Fat
The Paleo diet also includes a bit of intermittent fasting. The logic was, our ancestors ate sparingly and waited long hours, sometimes half a day, before the next meal. This has more to do with the fact that they likely ate a lot of food during the day because hunting and gathering food at night, back when only stars and the moon illuminated were the only light sources, wasn’t good advice.
As such, studies show intermittent fasting can lead to more fat loss (6).
2. It Reduces Belly Fat
Belly fat is very unhealthy and it can increase the risk of heart problems and diabetes (7).
One study on 10 healthy women showed that they experience a 3-inch reduction in waist circumference after following a paleo diet for 5 weeks. There is also an average 10-pound decrease in weight overall (8).
3. It Preserves More Muscle Mass
The Paleo diet wants you to focus on eating nutrient dense foods and lean proteins. What makes the muscles really grow is not the workout, but the recovery period. During recovery, the body is in a state of repair, fixing damaged muscle tissue and recovering lost nutrient stores by using the vitamins and minerals it gets from the food we eat.
By naturally eating foods high in nutrients, and not in preservatives, we are actually promoting muscle growth and preservation.
4. It Boosts Your Energy Levels
Most processed foods rely on sugar and hydrogenated fat, two things that give you a jolt of energy for a short time.
While we have nothing against companies that spray sugar or hydrogenated fat, it’s hard to deny the fact that the energy people get from foods with a lot of these ingredients often have to eat more frequently to be energized again. Eating frequently begets caloric surplus. This surplus leads to fat storage and therefore weight gain (9).
The Paleo diet wants you to dine on foods that are in their purest, untouched forms as much as possible. In their natural states, these foods offer a lot of nutrients and let you have sustained energy even with just one meal.
5. It Suppresses Appetite
Vegetables, meat, and fat are all known to help suppress appetite.
Vegetables offer a lot of fiber. This fiber can expand, absorb water, and make the stomach think it has more food than what it actually has.
Meat is largely made up of protein. Protein is a type of nutrient that takes a long time to digest. Longer digestion means you stay fuller for longer.
Fats are also known to promote satiety, especially since foods that contain a lot of fat are usually foods that are found in heavy meals.
6. It Increases Insulin Sensitivity and Reduces Blood Sugar
Insulin sensitivity describes how easily your cells can respond to insulin. Increasing it can be a good thing as it makes your body more efficient at removing sugar from your blood.
Studies have found that the paleo diet can help increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar levels (10, 11).
7. It Is Rich in Protein
Protein is one of the most important nutrients for weight loss. It speeds up your metabolism, decreases your appetite, and controls different hormones that regulate body weight (12, 13).
This meal plan encourages followers to eat protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, and meat. In fact, an average paleo diet can provide between 25-35% calories from protein.
8. It Decreases Calorie Intake
In order to lose weight, you have to lessen your calorie intake. It is very important to pick foods that are filling, as they can help fend off hunger and make you eat less.
Studies proved that the paleo diet is more filling than other popular meal plans (14, 15).
Also, the paleo diet is more effective in increasing the levels of hormones that will keep you full after a meal like GIP, PYY, and GLP-1 (16).
9. It Makes You Eat Fewer Carbohydrates
Limiting your carb intake is one of the most effective ways to lose weight.
More than 23 studies revealed that a low-carb diet is better than traditional low-fat diets for weight reduction (17, 18).
This diet decreases your carb intake by removing common sources such as potatoes, bread, and rice.
10. It Removes Added Sugar
Eating excessive amounts of sugar can be destructive to your weight loss efforts and overall health.
It adds calories to foods and is low in nutrients. High intakes of added sugar may also cause diabetes and heart problems (19, 20).
The paleo diet removes added sugar altogether by promoting natural sources like vegetables and fruits. These contain natural sugars along with several other essential nutrients like water, vitamins, and fiber.
11. It Cuts Out Processed Foods
Obesity is being linked with the modern diet as it makes people eat processed foods packed with calories and low in nutrients. This is known to increase people’s risk of different diseases (21).
Studies have found that high intake of processed foods reflects the rise in obesity (22, 23).
Paleo diet cuts out processed foods. Instead, it asks its followers to eat lean sources of protein, fresh vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats, which have fewer calories and are high in nutrients.
Studies Supporting the Paleo Diet’s Claims for Weight Loss
Evidence shows that the paleo diet is effective for weight loss (24, 25, 26).
One study on 14 healthy medical students showed that following a paleo diet for 3 weeks have helped them lose an average of 2.3 kgs. Their waist circumference was also reduced by 1.5 cm (27).
Other studies compared the paleo diet and traditional low-fat diets. Research on 70 obese women aged 60 and above revealed that eating a paleo diet or a low-fat, high-fiber diet for 2 years can help lose 2.5 times more weight after 6 months and 2 times more weight after a year.
After 2 years, all had regained some weight, but those who took the paleo diet had still lost more weight overall (28).
Another research observed 13 people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They followed a paleo diet and then a diabetes diet for two consecutive 3-month periods.
Results showed that those who were on the paleo diet lost 3 kgs and 4 cm more from their waistlines (29).
These studies are fairly new. Therefore, there are less published studies on its long-term effects. While these studies suggest that the paleo diet is more superior, comparing it to more diets would further strengthen this argument.
What Can You Eat On A Paleo Diet?
There is actually no one “right” way to eat for everyone. Even the Paleolithic humans thrived on different diets, depending on what was available and where they lived.
Some had a low-carb diet high in animal foods, while others took a high-carb diet with plants.
The following tips below may serve as a guideline. You can adapt to what is suitable for your personal needs and preferences.
The basics would tell you to eat the following:
Meat and Seafood
Most meat and seafood fits on a paleo diet. Meat is a source of lean protein, and protein is the building block of all cells and tissues. Protein also helps keep you full. Watch out for pre-marinated and cured meats that may contain added sugar. Common meat and seafood choices include:
- Chicken
- Beef
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Pork
- Bacon
- Cod
- Turkey
Grass-fed meat is recommended on the paleo diet because it is leaner than meat from grain-fed animals and has more omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats that reduce inflammation in the body and protect your heart. A typical American diet is high in saturated and trans fats and lower in healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats, hence the paleo diet’s emphasis on grass-fed meats.
Look for chicken raised without antibiotics and try to source your meat from a local farm to learn more about how it was raised.
Choosing wild seafood over farm-caught may help boost your omega-3 intake too. That’s not always the case, but look for wild salmon and other sustainably-caught seafood when you’re eating paleo.
Fruits and Vegetables
There is little argument over the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. They are chock-full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. The only caveat for paleo dieters is that some vegetables are starchy like potatoes and some fruits are higher in sugar such as bananas. So, if you are trying to lose weight or watch your blood sugar levels, eat these in moderation. In fact, potatoes are banned from some strict versions of the diet.
Many paleo followers wonder if bananas are paleo, because of their higher sugar content. They are considered paleo. One medium banana has 100 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 25 grams of carbohydrate. Bananas are a good source of potassium and they are an unprocessed, whole food.
The key to remember with eating paleo is that you want your diet to contain unprocessed, whole foods so fruits and vegetables should make up a bulk of your diet. Frozen vegetables without added sauce are also allowed on a paleo diet.
Examples of produce to eat on a paleo diet:
Vegetables
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash
- Cabbage
- Spinach
Fruits
- Apples
- Blackberries, Blueberries and Strawberries
- Melon
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Citrus fruits
- Peaches
- Plums
Eggs
Eggs are allowed because they are high in protein, B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are also affordable and easy to prepare. Buy “organic” and “cage-free” eggs for a higher omega-3 content than eggs from chickens raised in cages.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are full of healthy fats, fiber and protein. Plus, they were foraged in prehistoric times, so you can load up your cart with them. Keep in mind that peanuts are not considered paleo because they are technically legumes. The healthiest nuts and seeds to eat are the following:
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Pistachios
- Walnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Pecans
- Hazelnuts
- Pine nuts
- Brazil nuts
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- Chia seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Flax seeds
Healthy Oils
Oils are trickier. The founder of The Paleo Diet Movement breaks down which oils are healthy on the paleo diet and these include olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado and coconut oils. These are all allowed because they were gathered directly from the plant. While our hunter-gatherer ancestors probably did not consume flaxseed oil, it is allowed because of its content of high alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid.
Foods You Should Avoid on the Paleo Diet
If you are following a strict paleo diet, you should avoid the following foods. These foods are not permitted on the paleo diet:
Grains
Say goodbye to cereal, crackers, rice, pasta, bread and beer. Yes, beer. All grains are forbidden on the paleo diet. Why? First, grains are a product of modern agriculture; cavemen didn’t nosh on bread. Second, grains are high in carbohydrates, which can spike your blood sugar.
Paleo critics point out that not all grains are created equal-whole grains do not spike your blood sugar as much as refined grains. Even so, paleo dieters still steer clear of grains because they contain different compounds and proteins like gluten, lectins and phytates, which they claim cause inflammation in the body and block other nutrients from being absorbed. Paleo critics say these compounds are not a problem unless you have an allergy or sensitivity.
But over the past few years, the paleo group has evolved a little bit. There are now several versions of this diet. Most would now allow some modern foods that science thinks are healthy. These would include gluten-free grains such as rice.
Legumes
Legumes are members of a large family of plants that have a seed or pod. This category includes all beans, peas, lentils, tofu and other soy foods, and peanuts. This also includes peanut butter and soy sauce. Legumes are not allowed on paleo because of their high content of lectins and phytic acid. Similar to grains, this is a point of controversy in the scientific community. In fact, lots of research supports eating legumes as part of a healthy diet because they are low in fat and high in fiber, protein and iron.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are full of the rest of the no-no’s on the paleo diet, including refined sugars, salt, refined vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners. Our ancestors didn’t eat these foods. Plus, there is little argument in the scientific community that refined sugars and excess salt contribute to obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease.
There is some disagreement, however, over vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners. The American Heart Association recommends consuming corn, safflower and canola oils, but paleo plans say these are “not allowed” because of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids and the way the oils are processed.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) condones artificial sweeteners as safe to consume, but they are not allowed on paleo since they are a man-made, processed food. Plus, although artificial sweeteners lower calories in food, research shows they can still cause us to crave sweets and that they can be harmful to our gut bacteria.
Food and Drinks That You Can Occasionally Take On A Paleo Diet
Dairy
A strict paleo diet does not allow dairy products because hunter-gatherers did not milk cows. This includes milk, butter, yogurt, sour cream, and cheese. However, some paleo dieters say dairy is acceptable, especially if it is grass-fed because grass-fed butter, for example, has more omega-3s.
Fermented dairy products like kefir are also fine for some paleo eaters because they have a lower content of lactose and casein, the two concerns paleo dieters have with dairy. If you prefer to avoid dairy on the paleo diet, you can substitute non-dairy products made with coconut milk, almond milk, and cashew milk.
Starchy Vegetables & High-Sugar Fruits
This is a gray area. Sugary fruits and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, squash, and beets can spike your blood sugar more than berries and spinach. That’s why these are OK in moderation and are best to minimize if you are trying to lose weight, according to paleo experts.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a no-no if you are a strict paleo. Beer is made from grains, and liquor also contains traces of gluten. But, good news for cider-lovers because most hard ciders are gluten-free, so they are allowed. Check the label to be sure.
Red wine is more accepted in the paleo community because it is high in antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients. Unfortunately, for chardonnay lovers, white wine is technically not allowed.
If you are thirsty, water should be your go-to-drink. However, most people think that tea and coffee are also good alternatives because they are loaded with antioxidants.
According to experts, dark chocolates with 70% or higher cocoa content are nutritious too and can be taken occasionally when on a paleo diet (30).
Sample Paleo Menus You Can Easily Follow
These sample menus contain a balanced amount of healthy ingredients. You can make some adjustments based on your own needs and preferences.
Set 1
Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables sautéed in coconut oil and one piece of fresh fruit
Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil and nuts
Dinner: Burgers fried in butter without a bun plus vegetables and some salsa
Set 2
Breakfast: Bacon and eggs with a one piece of fresh fruit
Lunch: Burgers
Dinner: Salmon fried in butter with vegetables
Set 3
Breakfast: Meat with vegetables
Lunch: Meat sandwich in lettuce and fresh vegetables
Dinner: Stir-fried ground beef vegetables and berries
Healthy Paleo Snacks
There is no need to eat more than 3 times daily, but if you get hungry, you can munch on these healthy paleo snacks:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- One piece of fruit
- Baby carrots
- Apple slices with almond butter
- A bowl of berries with coconut cream
- A handful of nuts
Who Is This Diet For?
Naturally, the Paleo diet can be one of the most notoriously difficult diets to follow largely due to food choices. However, much of the community has become more or less tolerant in accepting other foods that, while not exactly Paleo, are really good for you. This tolerance has allowed the Paleo community to grow and become one of the largest diet communities in the world.
However, even with its much more accepting community, the Paleo diet is still quite strict and there’s a good chance you might not thrive in it. If that is the case, there are other diets you can try. It’s all a matter of finding the shoe that fits.
Key Takeaway
While there is no one way to follow a strict paleo diet, the main concept is to avoid processed foods and focus on healthy, whole foods.
Know which one to take and those that must be avoided. You can also add a few modern foods that are proven to be healthy.
If you have worries about switching to a paleo diet, talk to your doctor or a dietitian to determine what’s best for your body.
References:
(1) https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/obesity
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2897733/
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2988700/
(4) https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo201081
(5) https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182
(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5803575/
(7) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2006.277
(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23414424
(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26468490
(10) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19209185
(11) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25828624
(12) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18469287
(13) https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-11-53
(14) https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-12-105
(15) https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-7-85
(16) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25661189
(17) https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/landia/PIIS2213-8587(15)00367-8.pdf
(18) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3530364/
(19) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24652725
(20) https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1819573
(21) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22221213
(22) https://www.nature.com/articles/0803616
(23) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25804833
(24) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17522610
(25) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24473459
(26) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17583796
(27) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17522610
(28) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24473459
(29) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19604407
(30) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/paleo-diet-meal-plan-and-menu#section5
