WHAT IS THE PALEO DIET? The Paleolithic Diet (also known as the “Paleo Diet”) is based on the diet concept of our hunting and gathering ancestors who lived during the Paleolithic time period. The diet follows the idea that ancestor’s primarily ate non-processed high-protein foods with little grains, and were overall healthier than today’s average American; eating foods that were not only healthier, but easily processed within the human body. So, we have to ask ourselves, why not go back to our hunting and gathering ways?

IS THE PALEO-DIET A LOW CARB DIET? Yes, but the Paleo-Diet is not simply another low-carb diet. Instead of being based simply on carbohydrate consumption, it stems more from a historical perspective. For millions of years our ancestors ate substantially fewer carbs, grains, refined sugars, starches, and bread than in the modern, western diet. In fact, they ate virtually none of the above foods before our most recent agricultural revolution. These foods have proven to be disastrous to our bodies, which have gone unchanged since the Stone Age and are ideally adapted for a diet of lean meats, fresh fruits, and veggies.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS: Recent studies have uncovered that our ancestors ate fewer carbohydrates in their diet than previously thought. Although the ratio of animal/plant consumption varied between cultures, it generally shows that the average caloric distribution was about two-thirds animal foods (meat and fish), and only about one-third was being derived from plant foods. The switch to mass agriculture brought with it a huge shift in the human diet, and wit it a series of nutritionally related diseases that were virtually unknown to our hunter-gather ancestors.

HOW TO START?

1) Eliminate those foods that contain high amounts of processed sugars and starches.

2) Include high amounts of unprocessed protein, including items such as organic grass-fed beef.

3) Limit your consumption of grains, breads, and other carbohydrates.

4) Choose fresh produce; including naturally grown fruits and vegetables.

5) In summary: No grains, no beans, no boxes!

Resources: Cordain, Loren Ph.D., The Late Role of Grains and Legumes in the Human Diet, and Biochemical Evidence of their Evolutionary Discordance, “Cereal grains: humanity’s double-edged sword.” (1999) World Review of Nutrition and Dietics, vol. 84, pp. 19-73 http://www.thepaleodiet.com