What Is the Paleo Diet Plan?

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What Is the Paleo Diet Plan?

If you keep up with the latest diet trends, then you may have heard of the Paleo diet. But what is the Paleo diet exactly? Click here to learn more.

Keyword(s): what is the paleo diet plan

What do Matthew McConaughey, Miley Cyrus, and Uma Thurman reportedly have in common? They are all said to credit the paleo diet for keeping them in shape and looking great. The paleo diet is so popular that it’s now the third most searched-for diet online, with 200,000 requests per month.

So the obvious question on everyone’s mind is, what is the paleo diet plan? We’ve created a comprehensive guide for you.

We’ll guide you through everything you need to know about this diet plan. We’ll show you how it delivers on its promises of great results while eating delicious, healthy foods.

What Is the Paleo Diet Plan? 

The word paleo is short for paleolithic and describes a time when people were believed to have been hunter-gatherers. The thinking is that at this time, people were in better shape and didn’t suffer from many diseases that are part of modern life. So eating paleo means trying to replicate what they may have eaten.

In short, this means sticking to whole foods such as:

  • Lean meat
  • Fish
  • Eggs
  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Certain oils, including olive, coconut, and almond oil

Sounds pretty good so far, huh? So here’s the kicker. It means cutting out lots of foods many of us enjoy on a regular basis, and lots of nutritionists advise us can be part of a healthy diet. 

This includes:

  • Grains – including old favorites such as wheat and oats
  • Dairy – no milk, cheese, or cream
  • Refined sugars
  • Legumes – that’s beans, peas, and pulses off the table
  • Artificial sweeteners – bye-bye diet sodas

What to Drink on Paleo

You may have to say goodbye to sweetened fruit juices and sodas, but you can still enjoy many tasty drinks on paleo. This includes the following:

  • Water
  • Black coffee 
  • Green tea

Keeping hydrated is important, with some sources recommending drinking up to 2 liters of water each day. However, you may also be able to get some of your water from fruits and vegetables if you focus on plant-based meals as part of a paleo lifestyle.

What Are the Benefits of Paleo?

Most people choose to follow a paleo diet because it may help them to lose weight. However, most people who follow it are also motivated by the other health benefits it may offer.

Proponents of the diet believe that our bodies do not cope well with the abundance of processed foods available to us today. They feel this results in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. They feel that cutting out processed foods may help to reduce our risk of obesity and related health problems.

What Studies Say

There have been several small-scale studies done on eating paleo, and some of the results are promising. However, most studies did not include many participants and did not last for a long time. 

A study published in 2007 in Diabetologia found improvements in:

  • Glucose tolerance
  • Waist circumference
  • Weight loss

Another study was published in 2009 on Cardiovascular Diabetology. It compared eating paleo with a typical diabetes diet over a three-month period. This study concluded that people on paleo:

  • Lost more weight (6.6 pounds more)
  • Lost more inches off their waistlines (1.6 inches)
  • Had lower three-month blood sugar levels

The bottom line is that there are strong indications that eating paleo can help some people to lose weight. It can also help them reduce their blood sugar and possibly reduce the risk of developing other serious health problems. However, further large-scale studies that track people for a longer period are needed.

Of course, everybody’s health is unique. So if you’re considering moving to a paleo diet, it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor first.

What to Eat on Paleo

With its emphasis on whole foods and plant-based meals, there is a whole world of healthy and delicious food waiting for you on this diet plan. However, first, you’ll probably need to make a few changes to your shopping list next time you hit the market.

Here are a few essentials every paleo dieter should have in their refrigerator or pantry:

  • A selection of lean meats, including both poultry and red meat
  • Fish
  • Eggs
  • Vegetables – try to include lots of variety for extra vitamins and minerals
  • Fruit
  • Nuts – apart from peanuts
  • Olive oil

Ideas for Paleo Meals

Armed with these essentials, you can whip up a range of satisfying meat-based and plant-based meals in minutes. Some go-tos could include:

  • Baked salmon with fennel
  • Spicy veggie shakshuka with sweet potatoes
  • Roasted chicken with ratatouille
  • Paleo meatloaf
  • Veggie chili
  • Chicken cacciatore

You’ll probably find that with a few simple tweaks, you can adapt many of your favorite meals to paleo.

Popular Carb Substitutes

One of the challenges can be finding substitutes for carbs, such as potatoes, rice, and pasta. Why not try including the following delicious veggies that are bursting with flavor and goodness:

  • Butternut squash
  • Acorn squash
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Plantains
  • Yams

It’s true that you can find recipes for making almost anything paleo online. Feel free to experiment with some of these ideas, but be warned. If you are trying to lose weight, paleo bread and cakes may not help you to reach your goals.

Sticking to Paleo Long-Term

As mentioned, there are few long-term studies showing the health effects of eating paleo for an extended period. One study looked specifically at the effect of following a paleo diet for a year on the gut microbiome. This study found:

  • Different gut microbiota
  • Increased TMAO – a metabolite associated with cardiovascular disease

On the other hand, the University of California Davis Health noted that it has the potential to be a healthy way of eating. Some benefits include being high in fiber, low in sugar, and high in antioxidants.

Also, if your current diet is very different from paleo, you may find it challenging to stick to it permanently. Any diet that restricts entire food groups could put you at risk of vitamin deficiencies and be tough to maintain.

Is Eating Paleo Right For You?

Now you can answer the question, “what is the paleo diet plan?” the question is, is it right for you?

The answer will be different for all of us. If you’re looking to break some bad habits and adopt some healthier ones, paleo could be a great first step. Some committed folks are able to stick to it long-term, but that can be challenging for most of us. Still, it could be a great way to lose some weight and kick those sugar cravings!

For more great hints and tips on how to feel your best, check out our other diet plan reviews today!