The author of the Paleo Diet, Dr. Loren Cordain, draws on studies and experiments conducted by himself and his colleagues at the Health and Exercise department of the Colorado State University to identify problems with the modern day diet and reasons for diet related problems.
According to Cordain, human beings lived on the Paleolithic diet before the advent of agriculture. Grains became a part of our diet about 10,000 years ago when agriculture and settled living were introduced. However, in the 200 years following the industrial revolution, huge changes have taken place in our food habits. The introduction of processed foods, fast foods, artificial flavors and preservatives has had many ill effects on our health. This, according to the doctor, is the cause of obesity, diabetes, heart diseases, obesity and cancer.
The Paleo Diet: An overview
The Paleo Diet is based on Dr Cordain’s belief that the ancestral diet is the best diet for human beings. Thus, this program is based on eating foods that were available to humans at that time.
The diet is highly restrictive and many foods are taboo. Processed foods, junk foods, fast foods, legumes, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, salt and many varieties of potatoes are nixed. All complex carbs and high G.I (Glycemic Index) foods are abandoned.
Recommended foods include poultry, fish, eggs, mushrooms, fruits, nuts, dried fruits, natural oils and honey. Small amounts of vegetables are also allowed.
Exercise does not seem to play an important role in this scheme of things. In fact, exercises are discouraged in the first two weeks of the program. After that, the author has left it to personal preference.
The Paleo diet: A review
This diet seems to be an attempt to cash in on the penchant for cavemen diets by going overly primitive. Critics have pointed out a number of glaring mistakes in the writer’s perception of ancestral foods. For example, prehistoric men were known to have a penchant for fat and how the author thought they would trim fat from animals before consumption is unclear. Similarly, grains were found among the ashes of the most primitive men. Then, why the recommendation to avoid grains? So also, prehistoric men loved the flavor imparted by salt and made use of several substitutes to get the same.
However, the biggest shortcoming of the book is to base the diet on a lifestyle that was not all that healthy. Prehistoric men were overfed and lived comparatively short life spans.
But, it is true that the average prehistoric man was free of most of the chronic health conditions we see today.
Plaeo Diet Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Emphasizes a few healthy eating patterns
- Written in a professional manner
- Good for people with certain food allergies
- Does away with harmful foods like transfats, sugars and harmful carbs
- Advocates high intake of protein which is essential for building and repair of muscles
- Provides sample menu plans
- No calorie counting
- No supplements
- No exotic foods to be selected
Cons:
- Very restrictive
- Eliminates many essential vegetables
- Diet is not based on sound evidence
- Recommends the intake of diet sodas
- Deficient in nutrients like calcium and dietary fiber
- Cannot be followed by vegetarians or vegans
- Recommends the use of canola oil
- Advocates the inclusion of dangerously high levels of lean meat
- Not right for vegetarians
The Paleo diet may be a good way to melt a few excess pounds. But, it does not seem to be a healthy way of living and does not seem capable of bringing any lasting results because it is so restrictive. However, if you manage to stick to it for a good length of time, you will overcome most of the initial side effects which may include fatigue, irritability, and cravings.
