Is it truly a Paleolithic diet plan – does it offer any advantages?

The name of the diet is derived from the Paleolithic period, also known as the older Stone Age, which lasted over 2.5 million years and ended only 11,000 years ago. During this epoch, pre-human forms evolved into humans. Our ancestors in that era were engaged in a hunting-gathering lifestyle, which was only ended by the Neolithic Revolution, which took place around 10,000 years ago and gave rise to agriculture and animal husbandry. The paleo diet is based on the idea of eating food that was available to our ancestors during the Paleolithic period. It is not a typical diet aimed at improving the figure in 10 weeks, it does not have special phases, time limits, or complex protocols. The paleo lifestyle simply involves making the right food choices, without even counting calories. On the way to the store, you should feel like a Paleolithic person searching the jungle for food, such as meat, fruits, nuts, unprocessed products.

The paleo diet has gained significant popularity, as it has attracted the attention of scientists who have tested its effectiveness in numerous publications and compared it with other diets. For example, a 2016 study led by Dr. Julia Otten. Participants in this experiment adhered to the principles of the paleo diet, that is, their diet was dominated by foods such as lean meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, and fruits. At the same time, they completely avoided products such as grains, dairy, legumes, processed fats, processed sugars, and salt. The study authors commissioned a group to perform a special training program three times a week. Although the study lasted only 12 weeks, the paleo diet combined with physical activity allowed participants to lose an average of 7.1 kg and 8 cm in waist circumference. Improvements in many markers were also observed, such as a decrease in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. One might think that the participants were on a diet, but the truth is quite different. They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted, as long as they adhered to the principles of the paleo diet. Supporters of the paleo diet emphasize that in the population living in the era of hunter-gatherers, diseases of the circulatory system, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer were rare. It is also interesting that studies of the bones of hominids who lived in the Late Paleolithic showed features typical of the bones of currently living top athletes.

– Complete removal of processed products; – high level of satiation and hunger suppression – this is most likely the result of a combination of large amounts of meat, fruit, and vegetable products, whereby the diet is rich in protein and fiber; – health of the circulatory system and cell membranes – this is the result of the large amount of healthy fats that are consumed, including in particular the omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fatty fish; – no need for calorie and macronutrient counting; – reduction of fat tissue and maintenance of muscle tissue, with these results being achieved to a large extent through regular physical activity, which is key in the Paleo diet.

The disadvantages of this dietary system are not related to nutritional value but to the ideology of the entire movement. In reality, we cannot be certain what the diet of our ancestors looked like. In fact, there is evidence that during the Paleolithic period, some areas of the world consumed up to 100 grams of fiber a day. The necessity to eliminate starches and potatoes seems unjustified. There is no direct evidence that these products negatively affect our health and the appearance of our bodies. Furthermore, the diet may be challenging to implement due to the exclusion of grain products, which according to the principles of rational nutrition should primarily be the main energy source, especially for the brain. In the case of the paleo diet, the majority of calories come from animal products, leading to the consumption of larger amounts of animal fats, especially saturated fatty acids. Another drawback of this diet is the exclusion of dairy products, which may lead to a deficiency in calcium or vitamin D. Numerous eliminations of products crucial for health result in the body not receiving adequate amounts of vitamins or minerals, making the diet unbalanced. The ranking prepared by the U. S. News & World Report online platform shows how highly experts rate popular diets. According to the analysis from 2017, the paleo diet was at the bottom of the list, which means it is considered the least healthy diet. Experts state that high-protein diets, such as the paleo diet, can suppress the feeling of hunger, but they also burden the kidneys and liver.