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Paleo Diet Plan is basically a high protein and fiber eating plan that promises the loss of weight without cutting calories and with major improvements in health. It’s based on emulating our ancestor’s diet.
According to Loren Cordain, Ph.D., who wrote the book on The Paleo Diet, Eating like prehistoric ancestors cause people to be leaner and less likely to suffer from diabetes, cancer, heart disorders, and other health problems.
The plan is motivated by the fact that our ancestors were genetically not different from modern human beings. They thrived by eating whole, nutrient-dense, unprocessed and nourishing food, and they were free from diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity.
A plan is a guideline, not written on stones that people can adapt.
Food to eat on the Paleo diet plan
Meat: beef, chicken, pork, turkey, lamb, and others
Eggs: pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs, choose free-range
Vegetables: Kale, Broccoli onions, pepper, carrots tomatoes, and others.
Fruits: Apples, oranges, bananas, avocados, strawberries, pears, blueberries, and others
Tubers: Sweet potatoes, yams, turnips, potatoes
Nuts and seeds: Walnuts Hazelnuts, sunflowers seeds, almonds, macadamia nuts, pumpkins seeds, and more.
Healthy Fats and Oil: Coconut oil, olive oil, lard, tallow, avocado oil, and others
Salt and spices: Himalayan salt, sea salt, garlic, rosemary, and turmeric. These salts have a low level of sodium thus they help in controlling the level of sodium in the body.
Paleo Diet Plan Foods to avoid
Sugar and high fructose Corn syrup: Fruit juice, soft drinks, table sugar candy, pastries and others
Dairy: Avoid low-fat dairy
Grains: Bread, pasta wheat, Spelt, barley .rye and others
Trans Fat: These are found in margarine and many processed foods. They are referred to as partially hydrogenated oils or hydrogenated oils.
Legumes: Lentils, beans and more.
Vegetable oil: corn oil Soybean oil sunflower oil, safflowers oil and cottonseed oil
Artificial sweeteners: Sucrose, saccharin, Aspartame and more.
Highly processed foods: avoid everything that is labeled diet or low fat.
Sensible indulgences
These are healthy in small amounts:
Wine: quality red wine which has high antioxidant and beneficial nutrients.
Dark Chocolate: They are very nutritious and are extremely healthy. Choose those that have 70% or higher content of cocoa.
What to drink when thirsty
Water should be a go-to beverage when it comes to hydration. However, there are some drinks that are anyway allowed but are not Paleo. They include:
Tea is healthy and loaded with many antioxidants and various compounds that are very beneficial to our bodies. Green tea is the best.
Coffee is also high in antioxidants.
Paleo Snacks
People on the Paleo diet plan are limited to three meals a day. However, when one gets hungry, he/she can take some Paleo snacks which are easily portable and simple. They include:
- Baby carrots
- A piece of fruit
- A handful of nuts
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Homemade beef jerky
- Apple slices together with almond butter
- Berries with coconut oil
A sample one week Paleo menu
MONDAY
breakfast: vegetable and eggs, coconut oil and fruit.
Lunch: Chicken salad nuts and olive oil.
Dinner: Burger fried in butter.
TUESDAY
Breakfast: 2 Eggs and a fruit
Lunch: Leftovers burgers from the previous night.
Dinner: Salmon fried in butter and some vegetables
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: 2 eggs and bacon
Lunch: strip steak and mixed veggies
Dinner: ground beef stir fry and some berries.
THURSDAY
Breakfast: bananas and fresh strawberries
Lunch: an apple with Tuna salad
Dinner: Mashed cauliflower and grilled steak.
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Sauteed broccoli and a sausage
Lunch: Spinach and hamburger patty
Dinner: Avocado and salmon
SATURDAY
Breakfast: bacon and two eggs
Lunch: Grilled chicken and steamed vegetables
Dinner: Spinach and grilled shrimp salad
SUNDAY
Breakfast: Paleo pancakes with blueberries
Lunch: Sweet potatoes and pork chops
Dinner: Steamed vegetables and bison burger patty
The plan allows some cheating especially when starting. One is allowed to eat when he/she wishes only three times a week. Cordain calls them, open meals.
Exercises are not required when one is losing weight using the plan, but it’s strongly recommended so as to maintain weight loss and overall weight.
Cordain recommends people on the diet plan to connect to others online for social support, encouragement, consultation, and advice.
Health Benefits of Paleo Diet
Research published by the Department of Nutrition and Health of the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands on the benefits of a Paleolithic diet in individuals with symptoms of the metabolic syndrome showed good health benefits associated with reduced blood pressure, improved triglyceride levels and total cholesterol while increasing the level of good cholesterol.
If you are on a paleo-diet, it has been shown that the diet can lower your cardiovascular risk even more than the diet recommended by medical organizations including the American Heart Association.
Your odds of eating a diet free of additives, preservatives, or chemicals are higher.
You will find a variety of benefits from the plant-based nutrients in fruits, vegetables, oils, nuts, and seeds that will help reduce inflammation.
You get more iron as your red meat intake increases. As a result of increased protein and fat intake, there is likely a greater feeling of satiety between meals.
Because of some of these limitations in your dietary options, you may lose weight.
Improved blood lipids
Enhanced autoimmunity helps in protecting our body against bacterial parasitic and fungal infections
Here are just a few of the health benefits found in a Paleo lifestyle. Your goals and food tolerances may dictate that you will do well with certain carbohydrates, such as rice and potatoes.
On the other hand, evidence shows that there are real benefits to your well-being, both in the short and long term, when your diet is based largely on a Paleo approach.
