What’s Wrong With The Paleo Diet?
- April 19, 2017
The Paleo Diet, or Caveman diet, recommends a nutritional plan based on presumed eating patterns of our hunter-gatherer ancestors in Paleolithic period between 2.5 million and 10,000 years ago. The diet typically includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, roots, meat, and organ meat, while excluding foods such as dairy products, grains, sugar, legumes, processed oils, salt, and alcohol or coffee. Sounds inherently healthy, right?
The lifespan of the average Caveman was about 30 years old. Most likely suffered from numerous severe vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Imagine having a goiter the size of a baseball all your life from not getting enough iodine, provided to us today through iodized salt. That’s only one of many examples…
Fortification and enrichment technologies have enabled us to get the nutrients we need without even thinking about it. If you don’t compensate for the nutrients present in food groups like grains and dairy then you end up falling short of a nutritionally balanced diet, which has proven long-term health consequences. An 8-ounce glass of milk contains approximately 300 mg of calcium that your body easily absorbs. It’s almost practically impossible to get enough calcium in your diet without dairy (or a dairy substitute) unless you’re taking a dietary supplement. Calcium from veges just doesn’t cut it in the long run, and lack of this essential nutrient has been known to cause osteoporosis later in life.
Everyone needs carbs to be healthy! You might think they’re evil… and your likely right, since most of us don’t consume foods like white bread and sugar in moderation. The bottom line is that grains, particularly whole grains, provide a ton of vitamins and minerals to the diet. Completely cutting out carbs and/or grains completely will make you cranky and weak. Do yourself a favor and focus on consuming whole grain products!
The biggest mistake you can make on the Paleo Diet is eating all the “Paleo-Approved” treats like cookies with almond flour and honey. Even though a Paleo cookie has different ingredients its likely to still be high in calories, fat and sugar.
Humans have evolved over the last 10,000 years from a metabolism standpoint. Our national Dietary Guidelines for Americans are based on rigorous scientific research. If you’re on the Paleo Diet or thinking about starting, visit www.choosemyplate.gov and choose a healthy modern dietary pattern that’s suitable for you.
Tags: calories, chronic disease, dietary guidelines, healthy, lose weight, losing weight, paleo, paleo diet, weight loss
13 thoughts on “What’s Wrong With The Paleo Diet?”
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I’m Dr. Taylor Wallace, America’s Favorite Food Scientist. When you know more about the science behind food, good nutrition gets simpler—even traditional dishes become taste
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I have been following a diet of only (meat 25%, fruit, vegetable water and salt) for the past 4 years, I am 55 years old and never felt better in my life, not even a headhake.
used to vomit gastric acid, had arthritis and was diabetics, all gone.
Enjoyed your article.
The paleo diet has seen a surge in popularity with thousands of people extolling its benefits. Books on the subject such as The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf have become bestsellers. There is no denying that the paleo solution works and it is a healthy way of life.
I’m sorry but a dietary guidelines keep changing every few years. Every time they have to admit they were wrong and now you need to eat this. The 1992 dietary guidelines based on bread and pasta were nothing but a recipe for diabetes. You make it sound like milk is the only source of calcium when it is easily available by eating meat and cartilage.
I’m not saying the Paleo diet is perfect but given that the government seems to have the food industries best interest in mind rather than the general public’s and the fact that everyone seems to want to tell you they have the golden recipe for your health. Looking at the diet we had naturally as a species seems to be the best guideline to fall back to. It’s healthy, it makes sense and it work…
The Beginners Guide to the Paleo Diet
In an age when heart disease is the number one killer, many people are desperately searching for a
magic-bullet cure or a preventative measure to protect them.
One possibility for heart disease prevention and generally better health may be found by following the
Paleo Diet.
I HATE MY LIFE
I am glad that someone, (some professinal) finally connected the fact that this diet, used by “cavemen” had the effec tof shortening lives to approx. 30 years….Sure other factors caused death, weather, lack of food and, of course, many hungry animals.
All in all I enjoyed this article and intend start this way of eating. I am diabetic and I know it is best for me. I am 72 and will continue to take my Vit D and Calcium supplements. I hope to greatly reduce my use of insulin, which does cause weight gain as well as the food we eat!
I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve presented to your post.
They’re really convincing and can certainly work.
Still, the posts are very brief for novices. May just you please
lengthen them a bit from subsequent time?
Thanks for the post.
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a friend who had
been doing a little homework on this. And he
in fact ordered me lunch simply because I found it for him…
lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this issue here on your internet site.
Hunter gatherers also eat a wide variety of diets, depending upon the local food supply. The “Paleo” diet is inaccurate.
https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/real-paleo-diet-early-hominids-ate-just-about-everything/
https://blog.europeana.eu/2019/02/what-is-the-real-palaeo-diet-and-who-invented-bread/
Very informative article. Thanks to the writer as well as the blog owner for creating such a quality article. I didn’t know what Paleo was even. However, when I realized what it needed, my attitude to it changed dramatically. Although I’m not ready to jump in and become a complete vow Paleo Dieter (I had to give up my addiction to cheese, peanut butter, brownie, ice cream, and … candies), I feel like I want to myself Your body is more awake.
I enjoy your writing style really enjoying this internet site.
Fantastic article, I strongly agree with most what of you’ve said.
I’ve had decent results with samurai diet myself but when i combined it with detox and apetite control supplements i’ve easily lost about 40 pounds in just 3 months.
Not sure if i’m allowed to post links here but i used this one https://mub.me/zR2
Take care and stay healthy!