PALEO DIET BENEFITS - Old school eating

PALEO DIET BENEFITS

A paleo diet is a diet plan based on foods similar to what might have been eaten during the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million years ago. A paleo diet includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. These foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. A paleo diet limits food that became common when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago and these foods include dairy products, legumes and grains. Todays nutrition is different to what we ate thousands of years ago but there many paleo diet benefits.

Paleo diets are based on the idea that human genes have not changed much since the Paleolithic era. It is also assumed that our modern understanding of prehistoric diets is accurate and that the foods available then are available now.

As it turns out, our bodies are best suited to eating different foods compared to the foods that we tend to most these days. The large amounts of sugar and processed foods that make up our diets just weren’t around when your Cave father ancestors were running around and throwing spears at sabre tooth tigers. They were eating much more natural foods – wild meat, fruits, vegetables and seed – combined with unplanned or fasts where food was simply scarce. while we’ve been eating processed grains since agriculture got started, our bodies never quite turned away from their caveman roots.

The paleo diet can improve your health by eliminating high-fat and processed foods that have little nutritional value and too many calories. This plan emphasizes loading up on fruits and vegetables that are bursting with healthy vitamins, minerals, and fibre, which fills you up faster so you eat less, helping curb weight gain. The paleo diet can provide a wide range of benefits for people which from eating real, natural foods and cutting out processed food.

The most standout benefit is weight loss, which may be achieved through lower carbohydrate and sugar intake on the diet. Other common benefits of the paleo diet include Increased insulin sensitivity, Improved heart health, More energy and less inflammation. Crafting a diet around the food our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten can be a major boost to your immune system and overall health.

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BENEFITS OF EATING PALEO

The paleo diet benefits are similar to the benefits of eating healthier foods on any diet plan. A person following the paleo eating diet will see benefits like more energy in the first few days, and then after a few weeks other benefits like weight loss and a leaner physique. Other benefits include;

• Balances Blood Glucose Levels - Because you’re avoiding refined sugar it’s easier to avoid spikes in your blood glucose levels, and also helps you avoid feelings of fatigue you get from sugar crashes.

• Leaner Muscles - Because this diet plan relies heavily on meat you’ll be getting a fair amount of protein to feed your muscles. This helps to promote a leaner physique, and can even help with muscle building if you do weightlifting while on it.

• Keeps You Feeling Fuller Longer - Most diets keep you in a constant state of hunger, but with a Paleo diet you’re focused on feeling full and feeling good, which means that it’s easier to follow, and has lower instances of diet crashes and cheating because you’re encouraged to eat when you feel hungry. It also contains a fair amount of healthy fats, helping you keep that full feeling and avoid food cravings.

• Avoids Processed Foods - When you cut out processed foods you’re cutting out a lot of synthetic chemicals that have just come about in the last century and that the body just hasn’t adapted to yet. You may be startled by just how many foods get the no-go because of the processing involved, and how much you used to rely on these foods on a day to day basis.

• Cuts Out Empty Carbs and Calories - Sodas and other sugary beverages are out when doing Paleo because there’s nothing prehistoric about them. All Stone Age man had was pure water and maybe some herbal teas so you’re going to have to cut out Pepsi, energy drinks, juices, and other beverages that are sugar laden and full of chemicals.

• Increases Your Intake of Fruits and Vegetables - If you’re like most people you struggle to meet your daily intake of fruits and veggies. This is not surprising since for most these are labeled as “health foods” and make it onto the dinner plate as an obligatory side dish to make a meal healthier. Paleo will have you including lots of fruits and veg.

• No Counting Required - Unlike a diet that has you watching points, or counting how many carbs you have in a day, the Paleo diet is intrinsically simple and easy to follow. The lack of rules and limitations on how much you can have each day makes it fun and easy to stick to the plan.

• Gives You More Energy - When you combine Paleo-approved foods in the right way, you’re getting a well balanced meal with a protein, carb, and vegetable, and you’re getting it from all-natural sources. This is the way to feel more energized and at the top of your game without having to resort to energy drinks, caffeinated beverages, and other means to get you through the day.

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FOODS TO EAT ON A PALEO DIET

You want to be eating a diet rich in Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts and Seeds, Lean meats, especially grass-fed animals or wild game, Fish especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna). As you can see, the foods that you can eat on Paleo are rich in fats and fibrous carbohydrates. What this means is that the food you eat will generally feature a low Glycaemic Index (GI) which will provide you with long-lasting energy, unlike simple carbohydrates like sugar that are only good for a quick burst. Additionally, foods that are rich in omega 3 fats are good for heart health and cholesterol absorption.

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FOODS TO AVOID ON A PALEO DIET

When eating a paleo diet try and avoid foods like Grains (wheat, oats and barley), Legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts and peas), Salt, Potatoes, Refined sugar, Dairy products and Highly processed foods. Avoiding processed foods is a good idea, whether you are choosing to go Paleo or not. if it comes in a box, package, pop-top can or fast-food wrapper, it probably includes additives, preservatives, sugars, processed oils, or any number of things that add useless carbs and health-robbing ingredients to your diet. Think wholesome fresh food and steer clear of pretty much everything else.

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WEEKLY PALEO MEAL PLAN

Monday

Breakfast: Almonds and berries with coconut milk.

Snack: Large banana with 1tbsp almond butter Lunch: Paleo super salad. Toss a large handful of baby spinach leaves with a small handful of walnuts, 10-12 strawberries, 2 hard-boiled eggs, and a shake of balsamic vinegar. Snack: Handful of almonds Dinner: Chicken, mushroom and cauliflower purée

Tuesday

Breakfast: Turkey sausage scramble. Chop 60g turkey sausage, 1 sweet potato, and 90g of brussels sprouts into chunks. Scramble it all with 3 eggs until the sausage is cooked throughout.

Snack: Banana

Lunch: Chicken lettuce fajitas Snack: Handful of almonds Dinner: Chicken, mushroom and cauliflower

Wednesday

Breakfast: Almonds and berries with coconut milk.

Snack: Beef jerky

Lunch: Avocado tuna salad with tomato. 80g of tinned tuna with ½ an avocado and add to baby spinach leaves and tomatoes.

Snack: Apple and 1tbsp almond butter

Dinner: Tomato and artichoke chicken

Thursday

Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables cooked in coconut oil and a piece of fruit. Snack: Banana, blueberry, pineapple and kale smoothie. Lunch: Beef, mushroom & kale stir fry Snack: Cucumber sticks with hummus Dinner: Garlic and herb pork chop with sweet potato mash.

Friday

Breakfast: Bacon, eggs, and fruit.

Snack: Banana

Lunch: Leftover steak and vegetables.

Snack: almonds

Dinner: Baked salmon, vegetables, and avocado.

Saturday

Breakfast: Paleo granola

Snack: boiled egg

Lunch: Leftover steak and vegetables.

Snack: banana

Dinner: Mediterranean-inspired salmon in parchment paper with sun-dried tomatoes, dill, capers, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives.

Sunday

Breakfast: Almonds and berries with coconut milk.

Snack: Large banana with 1tbsp almond butter

Lunch: Turkey meatballs with herbs

Snack: Handful of almonds

Dinner: Lemon rosemary chicken

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BOTTOM LINE

The paleo diet is modeled on the diets hunter-gatherers are likely to have followed thousands of years ago. While there is no one way to follow the paleo diet, the basic idea is to avoid processed foods and focus instead on healthy, whole foods. Paleo-friendly foods include meat, fish, eggs, seeds, nuts, fruits and veggies, along with healthy fats and oils. Avoid processed foods, grains and sugar.

The paleo diet benefits may help you lose weight or maintain your weight as well as having other beneficial health effects. Research shows that paleo-style eating improves the symptoms and status of many chronic diseases and illness. The emphasis on whole, unprocessed foods is a major improvement over the traditional Western diet, which is high in carbs, fried foods, sugar, and preservatives. It’s important to take time to consider what we’re eating, pay attention to our food and be conscious of how often we choose processed meals, fast foods and snacks over healthy foods.

Another part of a healthy paleo diet is Keeping hydrated, hydration is a major part of any diet or just part of keeping healthy so When it comes to hydration, water should be your go-to beverage.

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