Fad Diets: The Do’s and Don’ts of Paleo
Welcome to the wonderful world of Fad Diets! Okay, Fad Diets have a bad rep, but really they’re not a bad thing. They’re called Fad Diets because they often explode in popularity and then cycle back into the dark just to be pulled out again 10 years later. And honestly there are plenty of people who practice these “fad diets” consistently, so I felt it was a good tribute to these people to explain some of them and why they are beneficial. First of which, as you can tell, I’m going to review the paleo diet.
What is it?
A paleo diet is based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. Other names you might have heard for the paleo diet include Paleolithic diet, Stone Age diet, hunter-gatherer diet and caveman diet. All mean the same thing with the same goals.
A paleo diet typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds — foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. A paleo diet limits foods that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago. These foods include dairy products, legumes and grains.
Why?
A good reason to pick up this diet is if you have a gluten or dairy allergy. Since the cavemen didn’t know how to make cheese or bread, your body is safe from these dangers. Interestingly enough, a decent number of people have some degree of lactose intolerance. Some just have it much more severe, and some push through intestinal discomfort for a solid slab of cheese.
Another reason to go on this diet is that there is a lot of source material for good recipes! If you search “paleo recipes” in Google or Pinterest you’ll find a treasure trove of recipes to try. This is another benefit if you’ve just been diagnosed with having a gluten or dairy allergy because it can be REALLY difficult to switch up your diet without direction. Luckily there are wonderful food bloggers who are happy to share their Paleo recipes with you!
Do:
- Balance your diet: you don’t want to find yourself only eating nuts all day because you don’t feel like cooking some meat and veggies. Focus on more high fat, moderate animal protein, lower on the carbs.
- Eat fruits and nuts in moderation: fruits and nuts can have a lot of sugar, focus on the ones that don’t like berries. Hit up the high omega-3 nuts like macadamia. At the end of the day, vegetables are your friend.
- Take vitamins and supplements: by switching to this new diet, you’re losing multiple sources of vitamins that you were once getting before, like calcium from your dairy or fiber and vitamin B from grains.
Don’t:
- Count calories: obviously don’t go crazy, but eat until you’re full and then stop. Don’t worry about what you’re taking in, because on this diet it would be pretty hard to eat more than the recommended daily calorie amount anyway. Especially if you’re eating lean meats and vegetables for dinner!
- Eat things from a box: just don’t do it, it’s too much work trying to figure out if it would be alright or not. I mean we know that the cavemen didn’t have prepackaged meat and vegetables they could buy at a store, but at least they could get those things. I highly doubt cavemen could get crackers.
- Force meals/snacks: only eat when you’re hungry. That’s the main thing, which makes sense to me even though I’m almost constantly hungry (I should be drinking more water I guess).
Summary
Paleo is a great option for those who really want to eliminate processed foods, gluten, dairy, anything that you think is harming you. While dairy products, grain, and legumes have great health benefits not every body is made the same. The most important thing to consider is balance! Whatever that means to you, find it and eat in the way that makes you feel the best.
Did any of this information pique your interest? IF it did, here are some great resources on how to transition into a paleo diet as well as sick food bloggers who help you plan your brand new paleo diet!
Sources
https://paleoleap.com/paleo-101/
https://www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/blog/5-hidden-dangers-of-the-paleo-diet/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/paleo-diet/what-are-risks-benefits-paleo-diet/
Paleo Bloggers:
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