Have you tried the Paleo Diet?

On this page

1. 01The origins of the Paleo Diet
2. 02Our dietary evolution
3. 03How to eat Paleo
4. 04What are some other reasons to consider the Paleo Diet?
5. 05What are the risks?

The origins of the Paleo Diet

A common question we get asked is “What is this Paleo Diet that I keep hearing about”?Controversial for some, and a way of life for others, “Paleolithic Nutrition” was a term first coined by anthropologists Eaton & Konner in 1985, to describe the dietary habits of humans in the Paleolithic Era.

Our dietary evolution

The Paleolithic era began over 2 million years ago and spanned up until about 10,000 years ago. During this period, hominids then modern humans followed a hunter gather diet, consisting of foods from wild animals (ie lean meats, internal organs, bone marrow – but no dairy) and uncultivated plant sourced foods (ie fruits, vegetables, nuts seeds but no cereal grains or legumes).

Then about 10,000 years ago, we changed from a nomadic lifestyle, to a settled life style. Agriculture and farming began, and the first crops developed of grains and cereals.The Egyptians recognised the value of grains, especially wheat, and used them for trade, and to make beer.

Put into an historical and evolutionary context, our eating habits have only changed dramatically very recently.Our genome has had only a small amount of time (1% of our evolutionary timeline) of exposure to foods introduced in the agricultural era.Our genome was created for us to do lots of physical movement, and to survive during food scarcity.This short time period has been proposed to explain that humans have not yet evolved the capacity to effectively process foods such as dairy, grains and legumes. It’s been proposed that there is a discord between our modern diets and our physiology, which has included the increased levels of obesity, cardiovascular disease, mental illness and other chronic illnesses.

How to eat Paleo

The Paleo Diet advocates us to eat the types of foods our ancestors ate, without the processed foods that we have created, (through agriculture and food modern manufacturing), for ourselves.

But of course, this is largely impossible, as most of the animals and plants they ate are no longer around.And we seldom go out hunting for ourselves these days, (the only time many of us may hunt now would be if we went fishing).But the ‘modern’ paleo diet is fashioned on the idea of eating unprocessed foods, no grains/dairy/legumes, and plenty of fruit and vegetables.

If done in this fashion, it would have the following nutritional breakdown;

• 65% fruits & veges and 35% animal protein
• High protein intake, up to 2-3 g/kg of body weight
• More fats from fish, nuts and seeds
• Mostly low glycaemic load carbohydrates
• More potassium than sodium
• Plenty of vitamins and minerals from whole foods.

What are some other reasons to consider the Paleo Diet?

1. Based on unprocessed, whole foods – fewer additives, unhealthy trans fats, less hidden sugars or salt
2. Low in salt and rich in potassium
3. High in fruits and veges – can meet the Aust Dietary Guidelines of 2 and 5 serves per day
4. Lower in saturated fat, with more fats from fish, nuts and seeds
5. Rich in protein and fibre – fuller for longer
6. Gluten free
7. Mostly low-GI carbohydrates
8. Rich in plant foods and the phytochemicals they contain

What are the risks?

As with any dietary pattern that involves the exclusion of food groups, such as grains, there is a risk that a person may not be eating all of the nutrients that their body needs. And this is often the largest criticism that gets levelled at the Paleo Diet, by groups such as the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA). Whilst this is a legitimate concern, it is also the same concern which needs to be considered by vegetarians and vegans. And these diets ARE endorsed as ok by the DAA and other Paleo critics. The take away message is that, if managed correctly, the nutrient profile of the Paleo Diet can be large and diverse, and in many areas trumps that of the standard modern diets easily. But if you want to explore these options further, speaking to a qualified nutritionist may help to give you an insight into these areas, and greatly enhance the nutrient density of your diet. And then hopefully your chronic disease risk will be reduced, and you will be full of energy, youth and vitality! Not a bad set of health goals to aim for.

For more information about the Paleo Diet, or any other health information, please contact us or call 0411 772 500.

We don’t diagnose or treat cardiovascular disease, mental illness or other medical conditions; that stays with your doctor. Our part is the nutritional, herbal and lifestyle work that sits alongside their care.

General information only, not individual medical advice. Always discuss supplements and herbal medicines with your treating practitioner.