The Paleolithic diet, or Paleo diet as it is commonly referred to, is a diet that contains only natural foods that aim to help you achieve great health. The diet is also called the 'Stone Age' diet and it is a nutritional plan based on the assumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that were consumed by humans during the Paleolithic era. The diet mostly consists of meat and eggs as the key components. The animals from which the meat and eggs come from should have been fed on a completely natural or organic diet. For example, an egg should be from a fowl that is fed on greens, insects, grains, etc. Cattle should have been fed on green pastures and fish must be wild and not bred in human-run fish colonies. The Paleo diet is not just a diet but also a lifestyle that encourages natural living that is in harmony with the environment.
The Paleo diet was popularized by a gastroenterologist named Walter L. Vorgtlin in the 1970s, and was named so because it includes food that was most available during the Paleolithic era. This diet is not just based on copying what humans ate in the Paleolithic era, but also on real non-partisan science and evidence. The food that our ancestors consumed made them stronger, slimmer, taller and faster than we are. The Paleolithic diet contains all the major dietary components that is proteins, fats, vitamins, carbohydrates and antioxidants. The diet insists that all vegetables should be eaten raw. The Paleo diet eliminates potatoes, starchy tuber beans and other legumes as they can not be eaten raw. A paleolithic diet allows all fruits and their juices but in small quantities especially for those who want to lose weight.
All nuts and seeds except peanuts are allowed in the 'Stone Age' diet. The reason why peanuts are not allowed is because they are legumes. Unsweetened almond milk and coconut milk are used in the diet to substitute dairy products. Oils extracted from plants such as olive oil, nut oils and flax seed oils are also allowed into the diet. You can also include fish oil supplements in the diet. Organ meats and bone marrow are also acceptable in this diet. Consumption of grass-fed meats is not restricted. The grass-fed meat is required to provide the right Omega-3 balance from the plants. In the Paleo diet, Omega-6 is generally obtained from seeds. As a general rule the Paleo diet does not allow adding salt to food. Spring water and coconut water is recommended as the best beverage but if you want caffeine, organic green tea is allowed.
The only sweetener that is considered paleolithic is raw honey which should be consumed in limited quantities. You could also use coconut palm sugar but if you are able to avoid all sweets, the better. Food should only be eaten when hunger pangs strikes. This is based on the argument that our ancestors hunted and gathered food only when they were hungry. Proponents of the paleolithic diet argue that people who feed on traditional diets that are very similar to those of the Stone Age, are free of lifestyle diseases. This diet has been criticised on the basis that it can not be adopted globally. This is a valid argument, however it does not stop each individual from adopting the Paleo diet themselves and gaining the health benefits from it.
