The paleolithic (or paleo) diet is based on the food that is believed to be similar to the daily diet of cave people. (2024)

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The paleolithic (or paleo) diet is based on the food that is believed to be similar to the daily diet of cave people.

The theory is that the food cavemen and cavewomen survived on is good for health because it was what the human body was meant to eat.

Paleolithic diets are thought to be especially useful for people with diabetes, with possible benefits including weight loss, increased insulin sensitivity and improved heart health

You should speak to your doctor or dietitian if are you considering going paleo to evaluate whether the diet would be suitable for you.

What is a Paleo diet?

A well-formulated paleo diet typically resembles a low-carb diet The focus is on eating fresh foods and removing processed foods including dairy, starches and refined sugar.

A paleo diet will usually be:

  • Lower in carbohydrate
  • Higher in protein
  • Moderate or higher in fat

Paleo diets are categorised into two groups of food: in and out. Pre-agricultural/animal foods such as red meat and fish are i, but Neolithic era foods such as grains and dairy are not. This cuts out a lot of the bad aspects of a Western diet.

Alcohol, dairy and coffee are generally rejected on the diet, but some people may choose to modify their diet to allow these foods on occasion. It depends how strict you wish to be.

A good intake of non-starchy vegetables is recommended when following the diet.

Read more about foods to eat on a paleo diet

Why would someone eat a Paleo diet?

Many people who eat paleolithic diets are looking to return to their roots and eat more healthily

Advocates argue that humans were able to live and thrive on the diet for 40,000 years and that modern lifestyle diseases could be prevented by returning to paleo foods.

People with diabetes can attain several benefits from the paleo diet, improving their health and reducing the risk of developing health complications in later life.

How does a paleo diet work?

How does a paleo diet work? Because most foods and ingredients on the diet are low in carbohydrate, the need for insulin is reduced within the body. This can help to prevent insulin resistance and reduce the risk of developing health problems such as high blood glucose levels and heart disease.

There are no fixed macronutrient ratios on a paleo diet, but paleo diet sources tend to agree that macros should be are around 20% carbs, 30% protein and 50% fat.

There is less need for strict portion control with paleo foods than there is for low-fat diets. However, be mindful not to over-indulge on foods such as fruit, nuts or excessive meat.

Benefits of a paleo diet

Weight loss is the most discernible early benefit of the paleo diet, which derives from eating low-carb, cutting out processed food and eating lots of vegetables.

Reduced body fat and increased muscle mass are other possible benefits of the diet as it is low-carb and relatively high protein.

Additional benefits include greater energy levels, improved heart health and less inflammation.

Read more about the benefits of a paleo diet.

Paleo diet side effects

Because you have to exclude certain food groups on the paleo diet your body can take time to adapt. Some side effects can occur as a result, but these are not the same for everyone; some can experience no side effects at all.

Low-carb flu is a common side effect, which results due to lower carb intake. Initially some people can also experience fatigue and a lack of energy. This tends to disappear within a few days.

Read more about the side effects of a paleo diet.

The paleolithic (or paleo) diet is based on the food that is believed to be similar to the daily diet of cave people. (2024)

FAQs

The paleolithic (or paleo) diet is based on the food that is believed to be similar to the daily diet of cave people.? ›

A paleo diet is an eating plan based on foods humans might have eaten during the Paleolithic Era. The Paleolithic Era dates from around 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. A modern paleo diet includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds.

Is caveman diet and paleo diet the same? ›

The popular Paleolithic diet, or paleo diet, centers on the idea that eating like our ancestors aligns with our genetics and promotes good health. It's also known as the caveman, Stone Age, or steak and bacon diet.

What does the Paleolithic diet consist of? ›

The Paleo diet, also referred to as the caveman or Stone-Age diet, includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Proponents of the diet emphasize choosing low-glycemic fruits and vegetables.

What was the diet of a caveman? ›

Plants - These included tubers, seeds, nuts, wild-grown barley that was pounded into flour, legumes, and flowers. Since they had discovered fire and stone tools, it is believed that they were able to process and cook these foods.

What does the paleo mean in Paleolithic times? ›

In Greek, lithos means “stone” and “Paleo” is old. Thus, Paleolithic means “Old Stone” or “Old Stone Age”.

Is paleo diet similar to keto diet? ›

Differences between Keto and Paleo

While keto supports a high-fat and low-carb diet, paleo centers on meal plans based in whole and unprocessed foods. Although both diets avoid grains, beans, and sugars, there are distinct restrictions that each diet exclusively follow that the other does not.

Is paleo diet like clean eating? ›

Paleo recipes can almost always be used as clean eating recipes because the paleo diet focuses on similar standards for ingredients. However, clean eating recipes cannot always be used for paleo because they may have grains, legumes, and dairy.

Where did the Paleolithic diet come from? ›

Historians can trace the ideas behind the diet to "primitive" diets advocated in 19th century. In the 1970s, Walter L. Voegtlin popularized a meat-centric "Stone Age" diet; in the 21st century, the best-selling books of Loren Cordain popularized the Paleo diet.

What does the Paleolithic diet promise? ›

Also called the Caveman Diet or the Stone Age diet, it's basically a high-protein, high-fiber eating plan that promises you can lose weight without cutting calories.

What cannot be eaten on the paleo diet? ›

The diet excludes cereal grains, legumes, dairy, processed oils, refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats. Some paleo-friendly foods include lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

How many times a day did cavemen eat? ›

Most cavemen ate once a day. They would rise up early and hunt/prepare the prey. This would take most of the day. They would eat nuts and fruits throughout the day as snacks.

Did cavemen have diabetes? ›

Cavemen didn't have flat feet or type 2 diabetes. They didn't need orthodontia or get impacted wisdom teeth.

Did cavemen look like us? ›

Ancient humans looked a lot like us. That is, if you were to meet hom*o erectus, hom*o naledi, hom*o neanderthalensis or any of the many species and lineages of archaic hominin you would recognize them immediately as your evolutionary cousin. That said, there were a few notable differences between ancient humans and us.

What happened in the Paleolithic Age? ›

In the Paleolithic period (roughly 2.5 million years ago to 10,000 B.C.), early humans lived in caves or simple huts or tepees and were hunters and gatherers. They used basic stone and bone tools, as well as crude stone axes, for hunting birds and wild animals.

What are the three main characteristics of the Paleolithic Age? ›

The three main characteristics of the Paleolithic Age include the early use of basic stone tools, including hand axes and flake tools; the use of controlled fire for warmth, protection, and cooking; and small bands of nomadic hunter-gatherers hunting megafauna (large animals like the mammoth).

What is another name for the caveman diet? ›

Other names for a paleo diet include Paleolithic diet, Stone Age diet, hunter-gatherer diet and cave man diet.

What are the other names for the paleo diet? ›

Synonyms for Paleo diet
  • paleolithic diet.
  • caveman diet.
  • stone-age diet.
  • diet of cavemen.
  • diet of paleolithic humans.
  • paleodiet. n.
  • paleodietary. n.
  • paleolithic nutrition.

What is the difference between the paleo diet and the ancestral diet? ›

As the name suggests, a paleo diet promotes foods that were available to hunter-gatherers in prehistoric, Palaeolithic times. On the other hand, an ancestral diet promotes foods consumed by our direct ancestors before the industrialisation of the food chain (approximately 200-500 years ago).

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