You must have heard about the Paleo diet, a.k.a. Blueprint Diet, a couple of times before but it is possible that you are not still sure of what really is and how can you apply it in your own lifestyle. You might also wonder how can it actually benefit you - what is its edge over other diets out there? The answers to these questions will be elusive unless you find the answer to one simple question: What is the Paleo Diet?
The Paleo diet, also referred to as the hunter-gatherer diet or simply as the caveman diet, is one that recommends eating only those foods that was readily and naturally available to the humans that lived in the Paleolithic era. In this period, the humans hunted and gathered they food - they did not farm and they moved from one place to another. Typically, they would stay in a particular area until the food sources become scarce there.
As you would have already imagined, their diet was composed of meat from animals that can be hunted and killed with the use of their simple weapons, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that can be gathered from the fields and forests. Moreover, since they did not know how to grow and breed poultry on their own, the quantity of eggs is limited. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds were regular staples because of its abundant availability. Meat is a key part of the diet but since animals still need to be hunted, the men had to work hard just to bring back fresh meat to their families.
If you are interested in following the Blueprint diet, you should always remember three important principles or concepts:
- Humans during the Paleolithic era did not know how to farm. Thus, following the Paleo diet requires the reduction if not total elimination of carbohydrate intake especially if it comes from processed food sources (rice, grains, cereals, etc). This diet, to be successful, should only include fresh produces that can be eaten in its original or raw form.
- The cavemen did not have means of refrigerating or preserving their food. Thus, a Paleo dieter must consume fresh foods - no packaged and preserved ones.
- The concept of using fire for cooking is very basic at that period of time. When the cavemen used heat to cook their food, the cooking style was limited to slight grilling. As much as possible, it would be best to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and eggs in its raw form. Meanwhile, meat can be slightly cooked or grilled.
Although the Paleo diet seems to be different from other diets nowadays in more ways than one, you should consider how healthy and strong the cavemen were. Blueprint diet, combined with regular exercise (the cavemen walked, hunted and gathered back then - a great way to exercise), can really make for a strong and healthy body. Moreover, although the foods allowed in the Paleo diet is pretty limited, you can still enjoy great Paleo meals. What sets humans today apart from the cavemen during the Paleo era is the fact that they can already come up with great recipes even with limited ingredients. So, indulge yourself and try to learn more about the Paleo diet for you to reap its benefits.
