Eat like a Neanderthal? It doesn't sound appealing on first read, but the so-called Paleo diet — supposedly influenced by the way our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate — has become increasingly popular over the past few years.
There are a lot of misconceptions about the diet, and some variations among those who follow it, but at its core it's a diet based on healthy animal protein, nuts, and vegetables, with no or restricted grains and legumes and high-sugar fruits and vegetables.
If you're wondering if the paleo diet might be right for you, here are 13 things you should know.
1. It's Not Just Plates Full Of Bacon: Yes, the paleo diet involves eating meat, but it doesn't mean that you'll just be eating bacon and eggs for every meal. Protein is important but your diet needs to include healthy carbohydrates and fats as well.
2. It Can Be Easier On The Digestive System: Many people feel an improvement of digestive symptoms once they switch to a paleo-influenced diet, perhaps because it involves the cutting dairy and grains. People report that persistent bloating, gassiness, and general discomfort clears up, thanks to the elimination of grains, legumes, and dairy, which for many people have a negative impact on digestive health.
3. It's More Than Just A Diet: it's a lifestyle. And fitness and physical activity are encouraged. There is a focus on energy and getting quality sleep to ensure optimum health. And stress management is another area where work is done. Paleo has a lot to do with what you eat, but it also looks at improving or removing all of the unhealthy aspects of our culture.
4. It Might Help With Autoimmune Disorders: when people looking at holistic ways to treat multiple sclerosis, they'd had success that shows up in their scans. There is some evidence that a paleo-focused diet can help with other autoimmune disorders as well.
5. You Don't Have To Join A CrossFit Gym: A lot of people instantly think of CrossFit, the intense exercise program that focuses on strength, endurance and flexibility, when they think of the paleo diet, and vice versa. But while many CrossFitters do eat paleo, you don't have to fling tires around to give the diet a try.
6. It Can Help With Your Energy: When you cut out sugar and refined carbs, your metabolism and blood sugar can become more stable, which means you'll have a more constant supply of energy. For that reason, going Paleo can help you fight that 3 p.m. crash.
7. Paleo Can Help You Fight Sugar Cravings: Always looking for a chocolate bar? Because it eliminates sugar and encourages you to eat in a way that keeps blood sugar stable, the paleo diet can cut that "hangry" feeling and reduce sugar cravings.
8. You Can Give It A Shot: Consider switching to a paleo-influenced regime for 30 days, then see what your results are and decide on going forward from there.
9. The Fats You Eat Are Healthy: Yes, there are fats in some of the foods more common on the paleo diet, for example, in avocados, olive oil and salmon. But the point is to get healthy fats from a healthy source.
10. You Should Add In Fermented Foods: Fermented foods are a great addition to any diet, including the paleo diet. Choices like kimchi and sauerkraut are full of healthy bacteria that will help with digestion and may improve your immune functioning.
11. You'll Want Quality Sources Of Protein: Don't just run to the supermarket for the cheapest cuts you can find. Because animal fat can store unhealthy additives like the hormones that may have been used to raise animals, you'll want protein from as clean and high-quality a source as you can get.
12. It's Not Necessarily Low Carb: Yes, paleo involves cutting out grains and legumes, which are sources of carbs. But that doesn't mean you'll have no carbohydrates in your diet — or that you should, for that matter. Root veggies like taro have carbs, as do other vegetables like broccoli and fruits like berries.
13. It's Friendly For The Gluten Intolerant: Because paleo diets cut out carbs like wheat and barley, which both contain gluten, it can be a good diet for those who need or wish to avoid gluten. It's also a way to see how your body responds if you remove gluten from your diet for 14-30 days - then reintroduce it and see how you feel.
~Thanks to Terri Coles
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