Paleo Diet: Why Is It So Popular?

The Paleo diet, commonly referred to as the caveman or stone-age diet, is a trendy eating plan that calls for consuming only or primarily foods that were thought to be available to humans during the Paleolithic era. What does that signify, though?

The human diet is continually evolving, and our bodies might be unable to keep up with it. This is the guiding principle of the popular weight-loss plan known as the paleo diet, which advocates a return to the purported diet of our Paleolithic ancestors. Learn how to eat paleo way.

What is Paleo Diet?

A paleo diet attempts to recreate the eating habits of hunter-gatherers thousands of years ago. Paleo dieters consume significant amounts of meat, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds while avoiding grains, legumes, and dairy products. It's more of a rediscovered eating style than a genuinely new one.

The so-called caveman manner of eating has increased recently. People are abandoning processed meals and dairy in favor of only foods obtained through hunting and gathering, even though they are not doing the actual hunting and gathering.

Paleo Foods List

Commercial paleo diets differ in their recommendations. Some have harsher rules than others. Paleo diets often adhere to these rules.

Eating habits:

Fruits
Vegetables
seeds and nuts
Lean meats, particularly that from grass-fed livestock or wild wildlife
Fish, especially omega-3 fatty acid-rich varieties, including albacore tuna, mackerel, and salmon
Fruit and nut oils, such as olive oil and walnut oil

Benefits of Paleo Diet

Paleo diet benefits. (Image via Freepik)

Most people will experience an increase in their intake of vegetables and dietary fiber intake when they move to a Paleo diet, which is beneficial for their digestive systems and reduces inflammation in general.

Along with numerous anecdotal accounts of people reporting increased health and well-being, early research on this diet has shown promising benefits in blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

However, further studies are required to fully comprehend the Paleo diet and lifestyle suggestions because these studies only used small sample sizes.

Risks Involved

Why is paleo diet unhealthy? (Image via Freepik)

Studies over a long period haven't revealed much about the effects of this diet on health. The diet could, however, lead to a healthy eating pattern. Vegetables, fruits, and naturally grown meat and fish are the main components of the regular paleo diet. It encourages staying away from grains and dairy items.

If you follow this diet, you run the danger of not getting enough calcium and vitamin D, essential for strong bones. Due to eating so much meat, you might also be consuming saturated fat and protein over what is advised. An increased risk of kidney, heart and other types of cancer can result from this.

Most people find it very challenging to maintain any overly restrictive diet in terms of one or more food groups. This diet is, therefore, ineffective for maintaining weight loss.

Lack of calcium raises the risk of rickets, osteoporosis, and bone fractures. A persistent low-carbohydrate diet may result in ketosis when too much fat is used as fuel.

If you want to follow this diet, it is advised to consult your doctor or a trained dietitian, especially if you have heart, kidney, fatty liver disease, or pancreatic illnesses. If you're interested in trying the paleo diet's highly low-carb variation, you should consult a doctor or nutritionist.

Make the paleo diet your foundation for a balanced meal. Include legumes, nuts, whole grains, low- or no-fat dairy, and calcium-rich foods like tofu, dark leafy greens, and soy or almond milk. Select lean protein sources with care, emphasizing quality over quantity.

However, like with any diet, different people may see different results from the same items. Being Paleo might not be the best choice if you have severe dietary limitations, specific vitamin shortages, or a requirement for increased sodium in your diet.