One of the best known and most followed diets that exist today is the Paleo Diet. It is a revolutionary method that is based on eating as our ancestors used to eat during the Paleolithic era, hence the name of the diet. Therefore, we are facing a diet that is based mainly on eating meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, that is, everything that was obtained from hunting and agriculture.
In this article we want to discover what the Paleo Diet is, its benefits and the cons of this revolutionary eating method. A planning that has many followers, but that also has a large number of detractors due to its dietary limitations. Here we tell you!
What is the Paleo Diet
Proponents of the paleo diet indicate that this method of eating is based on the needs that our body really has. That is, our ancestors were strong and healthy consuming what they obtained directly from the earth, they did not have to process anything to eat well. And that is precisely what this diet is based on: you eat everything that comes directly from nature and that has not been treated by humans: fruits, vegetables, meat (not processed) and fish.
In this diet, therefore, the consumption of dairy products, cereals and processed products that are not natural and that have been treated by human intervention is eliminated. This Stone Age diet defends that we do not need more than natural ingredients to have a nutritious, varied and beneficial diet for health. Sugars, cereals, dairy products and legumes are eliminated.
Benefits of the Paleo Diet
Currently, there are many people who follow the paleo diet because they defend that it is a natural eating method and more than enough for our health. Evolution has meant that advances in the industry will also affect our food and, therefore, they are betting on a return to the origins to avoid including unnecessary toxins or chemicals in our body.
The main benefits of the Paleo Diet are as follows:
- Blood sugar reduction and better balance.
- An energy balance is achieved throughout the day.
- Reduction of saturated fat consumption by eliminating processed foods.
- It is an ideal diet for athletes, since protein is a great ally for muscles and joints.
- Helps lose weight by reducing the consumption of sugars and fats.
Vegetables and fruits are rich in fiber, making it a satisfying diet.
Cons of the Paleo Diet
But despite being a very popular diet today, there are many people who are against this method of eating. And, as in the past with the Dukan diet, the Paleo Diet completely eliminates the intake of carbohydrates and legumes, two food groups that are very beneficial for our health. The main cons of this diet are:
• Increased cardiac risk due to the high consumption of proteins that the diet defends.
• Increase in bad cholesterol from abusing animal proteins.
• More risk of kidney problems because the kidneys have to work harder due to the high protein intake.
• Fatigue and excessive tiredness due to lack of energy derived from the omission of carbohydrates.
• Risk of hypothyroidism since the body can reduce the function of the thyroid to save energy, due to the lack of hydrates.