The Paleolithic Diet as we know it today, has its origin when in 1985, researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine analyzed the diet in the Paleolithic era (stone age). From then on, other scientists researched and wrote more articles and books about it. It is in 2008 when, thanks to the boom in internet searches and the emergence of training programs such as Crossfit, the Paleo Diet became popular around the world, due to the aesthetic and health benefits obtained by following this type of diet; as described by Dr. Loren Cordain in his book The Paleo Diet.
This diet includes mostly animal protein, vegetables, fruits, seeds. Eating processed foods is avoided; complex carbohydrates (grains, legumes); and dairy. You should avoid canning and sausages, preferring food bought in markets or organic. In essence, it is a low-carb, high-fat diet, which has been shown to help:
Reduce risks of type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases.
– Lose weight.
– Severely decrease symptoms of auto-immune diseases.
– Improve cholesterol levels.
Analyzing this diet, it has a lot to do with the La Zona system, several fundamentals are the same; only that paleo is more strict and has become very popular especially in the crossfit community, as it is their primary food guide. As for the runners, when following this diet, it has been proven -in some cases- that by reducing the consumption of sugars and refined flours: they build muscle faster; prevent excessive post-race fatigue; optimize immunity; and lose fat weight.
What you can eat:
- Organic meat preferably. The viscera are prioritized.
- Seafood fish
- Fresh fruits
- Vegetables
- Eggs
- Tubers: potato, sweet potato, sweet potatoes, turnips
- Nuts and seeds
- Healthy oils: olive, coconut, walnut, macadamia, flaxseed, avocado
- Natural sweeteners: honey, date, maple syrup
- Coconut, such as oil, water, flour, etc.
- Coconut oil for cooking
What you should not eat:
- Cereals and grains (to avoid gluten)
- Legumes (beans, lentils, lima beans)
- Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, cream)
- Refined sugars, high fructose cereals, pastries
- Trans fats: fried or breaded foods
- Artificial sweeteners
- Processed, canned, industrialized foods
- Salt
- Industrialized vegetable oils
- Alcohol
Modified PALEO DIET, to make it more bearable, you can include:
- Gluten-free grains like rice, corn, or quinoa
- Could you give yourself a glass or two of wine?
- Dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
- You can drink coffee or tea, for the antioxidants, especially green tea.
