Paleo diet: advantages, disadvantages and list of recommended foods!

Have you heard the term paleo diet, paleolithic diet or hunter-gatherer diet? Would you like to know what is eaten on such a diet, how it works and for whom it is suitable? We've put together not only the foods that are eaten on the Paleo diet, but also everything about it that you might be interested in or need if you decide to try it.

What is the Paleo diet?

The very name paleo diet tells us what to make of this type of diet. It is a diet that is meant to be as close as possible to what prehistoric humans ate roughly 10,000 years ago, before the first agriculture began to develop. So you can eat meat, ideally lean, fish, vegetables and fruit, nuts and various seeds. What you won't find in this diet compared to others is whole grains, legumes or dairy products.
With the Paleo diet, you may come across the term hypothesized discordance. It means that our bodies are not naturally accustomed to and capable of eating modern, industrially processed foods. It is so-called genetically discordant. Therefore, it is based purely on foods that were previously available to wild game hunters and gatherers of available vegetables, fruits, seeds or nuts.
It was only with the development of agriculture that the consumption of dairy products, pulses or cereals came about. This was previously unknown to the people. However, this development is said to be faster than our body's adaptation. This, then, is why we have various diseases today, whether heart disease, obesity or diabetes. Today, however, industrially processed food is a much bigger problem. The moment you decide to go on a Paleo diet, you will also be thinking about eating really healthy foods, ideally from farmers and from homewith a minimum of "E's" and other added ingredients that our bodies don't always take well.

Who is the paleo diet suitable for?

The Paleo diet is especially great for those of us who don't have much time to cookand prefer to eat a varied diet. It is not only suitable as an option for healthy eating, but of course also for those who want to lose weight. However, if you want to eat really well, this type of diet can get a bit expensive.
The Paleo diet is not only suitable for those who want to eat really healthy and reduce their intake ofbut especially for those of us who want to lose weight. Find out how the paleo diet works and why it's great if you decide to lose weight below.
The Paleo diet has its supporters, but also its detractors. This is the case with most diets and eating programs. With this diet, it is mainly the lack of long-term research and forecasts on how this type of diet will affect us. Not only are the long-term benefits not confirmed, but neither are the potential negatives. And because even the Paleo diet restricts us from eating certain foods that are good for our bodies - e.g. dairy, legumes, etc., there may be negative results in the future.

Positives of the Paleo diet

• You eat less each day - just one or two meals a day and you feel full
• Fast and effective weight loss due to high protein intake and minimal carbohydrates
• Less cravings for sweets
• You eat almost no semi-processed food, only fresh food
• High protein intake has a positive effect on muscle building
• The eating style is very simple
• Easy to eat without much preparation outside the home

Negatives of the Paleo diet

• The transition to the Paleo diet may not be easy - the body may take longer to adjust
• You'll be eating mostly animal foods, which may not always be good for your body
• Your body will have a harder time getting used to a high protein intake
• You can't eat dairy, cereals or pulses
• You need to supplement calcium from other sources - e.g. supplements
• People may look down on you socially and you may not find food at social events

How does the Paleo diet work?

According to surveys, about 1% of our population eats a paleo diet. That's not a lot, but the more well-known it is, the more interest there will be in it. Especially people who focus on organic food and who are really looking for a healthy diet will find it appealing. Plus, the Paleo diet is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. Just like the keto diet, it reduces carbohydrate intake, sugars, increases protein intake, plus if you choose the right foods, you'll feel satiated without eating much. This will reduce your calorie intake and further weight loss is assured.
This diet is mainly based on foods that provide our body with enough protein. The latter is the most important ingredient for weight loss because it reduces appetite, speeds up metabolism and even helps control hormones that affect our weight. You will consume about 25 to 35% of your calories from protein daily on the Paleo diet.
Because the Paleo diet does not include foods that are high in carbohydrates (e.g. potatoes, bread, or rice), it is clear that you will be taking in the minimum amount of carbohydrates. And by reducing carbohydrates, you will again significantly boost your weight loss. For this reason too, success in terms of weight loss is somewhat a foregone conclusion.
The big advantage of the paleo diet is that you eat foods that fill you up well. Therefore, you consume less each day and still feel satiated. With less food, you also take in fewer calories into your body. And this is another reason why this diet is good for weight loss. Another positive is the elimination of sweets, sugary drinks and with them, fast sugars and unhealthy carbohydrates. This, too, will then improve your health as a result and, of course, help weight and volume reduction.

What foods are allowed on the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet is based primarily on food that Paleolithic people were able to hunt or gather. This clearly includes meat and fish, nuts, vegetables and fruits, but also some oils or herbs. We will now take a closer look at the foods allowed in the Paleo diet. At the same time, we'll also look at what we shouldn't eat. To help you get your bearings, we've again put together a table that shows the basic foods.

The Paleo diet aims to consume only minimally processed foods that are primarily fresh, lean and healthy. It is based on nine basic foods, which we will now look at in more detail.

Allowed foods on the Paleo diet

The foundation of the Paleo diet, like many others, is meat. In this case, primarily fresh meat, preferably from home-grown animals. In the past, of course, it was game that people could hunt. Today this includes lamb, beef or goat meat, venison, poultry such as chicken, duck, goose, etc.
In addition to meat, fish is also a staple, whether salmon, tuna, mackerel, trout, cod, catfish or various seafoods. These are not only very healthy, but also rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are very important for our bodies and organism and, among other things, support our immunity. You can also include eggs in the Paleo diet, of which both the yolks and the whites are allowed. Fruits include mainly apples, plums, oranges and tangerines, grapes and grapes.but also melons, peaches and various fruits that can be grown in the garden or picked in the woods, such as blueberries or raspberries.
For vegetables you can go for the classic peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, but also cauliflower, broccoli, kale, courgettes, spinach and lettuce, onions, garlic and other vegetables. In this case, there are no limits. The nine staple foods also include seeds and nuts, especially cashews, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, but also walnuts and almonds. We probably don't need to name seeds, but you can practically reach for the ones that haveyou like, or combine them - pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, etc.
Although fats probably weren't that common in prehistoric times, and people probably used to cover them up by eating certain foods - e.g. In the Paleo diet you can use virgin oils, such as olive, pumpkin, flax, coconut, palm and others. And you don't have to do without herbs either. Even prehistoric people certainly didn't give them up once they discovered they were tasty and harmless. You can flavour your food with oregano, basil, pepper, cumin, rosemary, turmeric, ginger and other spices. If your spices and herbs are fresh, whether in a pot in the window or in your garden, it's all the better.

Foods not allowed on the Paleo diet

To avoid making mistakes on the Paleo diet, we've also prepared a list of foods that are not allowed or definitely don't belong on this diet. Now we are not referring to industrially processed food and foods, sweets, sugary sodas, fast food and the like. That really doesn't belong here. But neither should you eat legumes, which include beans, lentils, chickpeas and beware - peanuts too! Nor do dairy products, which can be quite lacking on this type of diet, especially if you are used to them. So forget yoghurt, cheese, cream, milk and other dairy products.
You should also avoid cereals, i.e. barley, rye, buckwheat, quinoa, but not products made from them, i.e. bread, pasta, etc. Potatoes and foods made from them are also not part of the Paleo diet.
Oils can be included in the Paleo diet, but avoid refined oils such as canola, soybean, cottonseed, grapeseed, etc. And while some types of diets allow you to consume artificial sweeteners, in this case, forget about them. Again, of course, these are industrially processed foods that don't belong on the Paleo diet.