You still don’t know if you should choose the Paleo diet? Well, you are in the right place. We will tell you everything you need to know about it, like what is the paleo diet, paleo diet foods, pros, and cons, paleo diet rules, and supplements you need on the paleo diet, etc.
What is Paleo Diet?
Paleo diet – a rejection of “modern” food and the transition to traditional food. The name “paleo” refers to the Paleolithic period, which lasted 2.5 million years and ended 13 thousand years BC. In fact, this diet makes an attempt to eat like a caveman.
The Paleo diet is based on the fact that most of the usual food products have appeared literally in the last hundred years. At the same time, scientific studies confirm that a diet rich in simple carbohydrates disrupts metabolism, leading to weight gain.
So, paleo is an effective diet for losing weight and maintaining stable body weight. Since the paleo must abandon any cereal (wheat, rye, oats, rice). Also, it is a carbohydrate-free keto diet. So, a diet involves the rejection of gluten, lactose, and casein (1).
Short about Paleo Diet Rules:
- Rejection of modern food
- You have to switch to traditional food
- It is suitable for you if you have allergies most of the time
Paleo Diet Rules
Strictly speaking, paleo is not a diet, but a way of life, and it does not have a clear time frame. Nevertheless, the desired effect is observed after a couple of weeks, and here it is important to adhere to the paleo-dietary principles of nutrition for as long as possible.
Classifying a paleo diet, we can say that this is the principle of nutrition with high protein content and a small number of carbohydrates. If we talk about proportions, then on a paleo diet, the diet consists, tentatively, of 40% protein, 40% fat, and 20% carbohydrates.
To decide how comfortable a paleo diet rules are for you, try to stick to it for about 30 days.
Paleo Diet Foods
The paleo diet allows any meat, eggs, and seafood – beef, pork, lamb, chicken, sea and river fish, shrimp, and so on. It is required to refuse only from meat semi-finished products (pastes, sausages, crab sticks, and so on).
Also, we note that as to whether it is possible to eat fish, the opinions of paleo experts differ. Only wild fish is allowed – but not salmon grown on fish farms for example. In this case, the fish could eat corn, which is forbidden on the paleo.
Shortly, you can eat:
- fish, poultry, meat
- the eggs
- vegetables
- fruits and dried fruits
- mushrooms and nuts
More Details About Paleo Diet Foods
As with any diet, diversity is important in paleo. No matter how useful and healthy the products are, you can get tired of the monotonous menu day after day and lose interest.
Here is a list of some of the most popular foods you can eat on a paleo diet. They are easy to find in most stores, and they offer great opportunities for culinary experiments.
MEAT, POULTRY, AND SUB-PRODUCTS –There are no restrictions in this section, except that it is preferable to choose fish and animals raised without GMO’s and better to be naturally fed.
FISH, MOLLUSKS, AND SEAFOOD – Cod, tuna, mackerel, haddock, tilapia, herring, salmon (wild), pike perch, trout, anchovy, perch, sea bass, halibut, mussels, shrimp and other marine reptiles.
EGGS – Chicken, quail eggs, and duck eggs. For those who like experimentation, ostriches eggs are also suitable. Basically, all the eggs are suitable if you can eat them.
VEGETABLES, ROOTS, AND MUSHROOMS – If something went wrong in hunting and fishing, the Paleolithic man had to apply gathering skills. Wild vegetables are unlikely today, so we choose organics in the store and on the market.
FRUITS – Apples, pineapples, berries (blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries), oranges, bananas, grapefruit, figs, mangoes, kiwi, coconut, pears, dates, peaches, apricots, nectarines, watermelon, cherries, plums, papaya, lemon, persimmon, pomegranate, grapes, passion fruit, mandarin, and melon.
Also remember that sweet fruits and paleo desserts are permissible only sometimes, as an exception. Eating them in large quantities on a daily basis is not recommended.
FAT, NUTS, AND SEEDS – One of the important aspects of the paleo diet is that we do not avoid the so-called “healthy fats”.
Olive oil, coconut oil, peanut butter, avocado oil, lard, and animal fat, ghee. Sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds, pecans, hazelnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, and also cashew nuts.
SPICES AND HERBS – Almost everything, without restrictions.
Necessary Supplements on Paleo Diet:
Well, the paleo diet has some benefits, but it still not perfect and you need to get some minerals and nutrients. As you possibly know from our other articles, it is not enough to eat healthily in the current time. So, here is the one you possibly need:
OMEGA-3 (Fish or Krill oil)
So, Omega-3 has been proven to provide a wide range of benefits. It can reduce your bad cholesterol levels, reduce the risk for cancer, reduce your risk of joint pain, etc. You can check for more details on our post about best omega 3 supplements
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D receptor is expressed on immune cells like B cells, T cells, and antigen-presenting cells. It also has the capability to drastically increase your immune system if you are taking it permanently Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as increased susceptibility to infection. Also, Vitamin D has an important role in the effects on calcium and bone homeostasis (2).
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium has been known to assist with the prevention of blood clots, headaches. Also, it helps to avoid cramps and helps for better sleep quality. If you are working out this supplement is must be!
Pros & Cons
- Eating clean
- More iron fi you eat more red meat
- Weight los and maintanance
- You may see improved satiety
- It can get expensive
- You can't eat any grains or dairy
- This diet can be difficult for vegetarians because you need to avoid beans
- Not suitable for mass gaining
Some Recipies for Your First Week:
Monday
Breakfast: fried eggs with tomatoes and bacon
Lunch: beef bone broth with spices and herbs, tuna salad with cucumber seasoned with olive oil
Afternoon snack: green apple and almond urbec
Dinner: baked chicken breast with broccoli garnish, a salad of your choice topped with olive oil
Tuesday
Breakfast: omelet with coconut milk
Lunch: roast beef
Afternoon snack: green apple or banana
Dinner: light vegetable soup
Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with champignons and green onions
Lunch: chicken liver pancakes, vegetable salad to your taste, seasoned with olive oil
Snack: any fruit and nut
Dinner: light vegetable soup
Thursday
Breakfast: paleo coconut pancakes
Lunch: chicken broth with egg, spices and herbs, shrimp and avocado salad
Snack: sweet potato chips with rosemary
Dinner: cod baked with cauliflower
Friday
Breakfast: egg with smoked salmon
Lunch: broth with egg or vegetable soup, pork and beef cutlets, with a side dish of Brussels sprouts
Snack: sweet potato chips with rosemary
Dinner: pork ribs in mustard sauce and mashed cauliflower
Saturday
Breakfast: paleo almond meal pancakes
Lunch: pumpkin cream soup with bacon, vegetable salad with avocado and sun-dried tomatoes
Snack: paleo muffin with raspberries
Dinner: chicken baked with green apples
Sunday
Breakfast: fried eggs with broccoli, cherry tomatoes and salmon
Lunch: marbled beef burger, vegetable salad
Dinner: chicken with a string of green beans and lemon-garlic sauce
Bottom Line:
Well, in the end, you possibly know everything you need for the paleo diet. Also, it is a good diet, just check with your doctor if you can stick to eat. It can help you to maintain or even lose weight, but it is really difficult to gain mass with this lifestyle. And did you try to use the Paleo diet already?
