This post is a couple weeks in the making. I’ve been on something called the Paleo, or Paleolithic diet. It’s based off of what has been determined to be the eating habits of Paleolithic man/woman. Loren Cordain’s book titled The Paleo Diet tackled the issue. However, some believe the whole premise of the diet to be off, stating that those who adhere to the diet have common misconceptions of what Paleolithic man actually ate as is the case in this article by Sally Fallon.
Whatever the actual diet of Paleo man might have been, it is clear that the Paleo Diet does have some great benefits. Let me tell you… it’s tough at first, but I feel much cleaner, alert, and my energy level has gone up quite a bit. The most obvious benefit of this meal plan is that you will inevitably avoid processed foods. Here’s a detailed article on the breakdown of the diet, but let me give you some of the bullet points and what you can and cannot eat based off of Dr. Ben Balzer’s article:
You should eat:
- Meat, chicken, and fish
- Eggs
- Fruit
- Vegetables (not potatoes)
- Nuts (Almonds, walnuts) but no peanuts
- Berries
- Grains (Bread, pastas, noodles)
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Dairy products
- Sugar
- Salt
Hey Andrew
Love your blog; some very interesting articles, especially for me who is undertaking weight loss at the moment
)
Just wanted to ask you if you’re promoting this diet as a weight loss or muscle building diet?
If weight loss, then I have to comment, sorry, I don’t have anything good to say about diets that omit complex carbs. I don’t see how that can be any good for you. I KNOW its not any good for me as I’ve tried the Atkins and I’ve tried low carb. And I have an incredible reaction to not eating carbs, that is, I go a bit loopy!! lol I know that may sound funny, but that’s only because I really like your methods and I’m trying to make light of this one. What actually happens is that I get very depressed (carbs help in production of seratonin – feel good hormone), I get light headed (brain fog – carbs make you think clearer), I feel very tired (carbs give you energy) and I get terribly constipated (ok, they might have this covered in the fruit n veg, but still….).
I also dont think it helps your long term health!
And then there is no dairy, so where is the calcium?
Your other article about calories provided info on how much percentage of our food should come from carbs, its says 55%!!! I think if you’re eating to lose weight then 30% is enough. I really is the overeating of carbs that gets stored as fat, however I dont think cutting them out is any good either.
Hope you don’t mind me commenting and by all means tell me that I havent read the whole diet and I dont know what I’m talking about……..lol
Kind Regards
Tusc
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Hey Tusc,
I would never say that you don’t know what you’re talking about, even though it sounds like you’re waiting for it,
. You bring up very good points in the argument for why complex carbs should be included in a persons meal plan.
Let me also point out that I am currently in the process of a month long test of eating the Paleo way, so I’m not completely done with my hands on research yet. The reason I put the post up before I finished was because I wanted to get feedback as I went along. So thank you for posting!
One of my favorite bloggers that I quote quite often is Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple, which can be linked back to on my blogroll on the home page. It’s important to note that Mark believes in something called the Primal Blueprint which I agree with, http://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-is-the-primal-blueprint/ which states:
“The Primal Blueprint is a set of simple instructions (the blueprint) that allows you to control how your genes express themselves in order to build the strongest, leanest, healthiest body possible, taking clues from evolutionary biology (that’s the primal part).”
In an article “Why we need meet”, Mark touches on the benefits of getting your carbs from fruits and vegetables:
“Research on remaining tribal cultures confirms the healthfulness of the traditional hunter-gatherer style diet. High protein, fruit- and vegetable-rich diets (with virtually no other carbs and few unhealthy fats) seem to protect against the so called “diseases of wealth” we’ve burdened ourselves with in the developed world (heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, arthritis, etc.).”
While there is an ongoing debate as to the accuracy of the Paleo Diet, everyone can agree that Paleolithic man did not eat bread!
In my original post “The Paleo Diet”, I linked back to an article by Dr. Ben Balzer which outlined why the diet is a good way to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are some bullet points from his argument that I found essential to what we’re talking about:
“Grains, Beans and Potatoes (GBP) share the following important characteristics:
· They are all toxic when raw- there is no doubt about this- it is a fact that no competent source would dispute- they can be extremely dangerous and it is important never to eat them raw or undercooked. These toxins include enzyme blockers, lectins and other types. I will talk about them in detail later as they are very important.
· Cooking destroys most but not all of the toxins. Insufficient cooking can lead to sickness such as acute gastroenteritis.
· They are all rich sources of carbohydrate, and once cooked this is often rapidly digestible-giving a high glycemic index (sugar spike).
· They are extremely poor sources of vitamins (particularly vitamins A, B-group, folic acid and C), minerals, antioxidants and phytosterols.
Therefore diets high in grains beans and potatoes (GBP):
· Contain toxins in small amounts
· Have a high glycemic index (ie have a similar effect to raw sugar on blood glucose levels)
· Are low in many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytosterols- ie they are the original “empty calories”
· Have problems caused by the GBP displacing other foods”
So there seems to be some compelling evidence on why eating the Paleo way is healthier for you. But how does it fair in application? Well, that’s what I’m finding out right now. Yes, you may see that energy level drop when you knock out grains, beans and potatoes (GBP). However, once you get a handle on the proper amounts of fruits and vegetables and you let your body assimilate to this way of eating, that fatigue does go away. Also, the depression you speak of may be caused by the very thing that you believe makes it go away! That is, you may find after eating as few GBP’s as possible, that feeling of depression will go away so that you won’t have to eat bread to release serotonin, which also will spike your insulin levels telling the body to start storing fat.
Also, if you look up the definition for serotonin on Wikipedia, you’ll find that, “serotonin is also found in many mushrooms and plants, including fruits and vegetables.” Aha!!! That brings me back to understanding the proper portions and servings of vegetables and fruit. Try keeping a diary of what you eat in a day, cross reference that with fruit and vegetable servings (there’s a link to understanding what constitutes a serving on my post “Fruits and Vegetables Vs. Multivitamins…the showdown”) and see what you come up with.
And by all means, keep the questions coming!!! I’m here to help and I’m glad to hear that you’re undertaking that same awesome journey that I myself made!!
Hiya Andrew
Thanks for your links etc. And while I like to read a lot, there are just as many ‘experts’ that would counter your argument saying that carbs are necessary for a healthy body. Like this one, for example:
Top 10 Reasons to eat carbohyrdrates:
Energy – Some body tissues rely solely on glucose (carbohydrate) for energy. The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) recommend 130 grams of carbohydrate daily to provide adequate energy for normal body functioning.
Brain Power – Glucose (carbohydrate) is the preferred fuel for the brain. Get smart…eat carbs.
Muscle Power – Carbohydrate can produce energy three times faster than fat to support the energy needed for physical activity. Muscles prefer glucose (carbohydrate) for intense activity.
Weight Control – Weight loss is achieved by altering the energy balance equation—either decreasing caloric intake or increasing physical activity. Long-term weight management is difficult on a lowcarbohydrate diet because of the limited food choices. In addition, some products are made “low carb” by substituting wheat protein or soy and nut flours. These substitutions are high in protein and fat, resulting in a similar, or even higher, caloric content than their “high carb” counterparts. They also often cost more.
Decrease Dehydration and Constipation – Each gram of carbohydrate stored by the body has 3 grams of water stored with it. The initial rapid weight loss that can occur with low carbohydrate diets is due to this water loss, not fat loss. Continued low carbohydrate consumption leads to continued loss of stored water that can lead to dehydration. Lowcarbohydrate diets also are low in fiber. Dehydration plus low fiber intake equals constipation.
Decrease Heart Disease Risk – A low-carbohydrate, low-fiber diet is high in animal protein, cholesterol, and saturated fat. This type of diet increases risk of heart disease.
Decrease Cancer Risk – Fruits and vegetables, which contain carbohydrates, also contain antioxidants and phytochemicals. These components of fruits and vegetables appear to prevent cancer.
Decrease Blood Pressure -Fruits and vegetables contain carbohydrates and minerals—such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium—which decrease risk for high blood pressure.
Calcium Counts High protein intakes over time can increase the loss of calcium in the urine. Calcium loss can increase the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis. In addition, many low-carbdiets restrict milk because of its carbohydrate content.
Tastes Good! – Carbohydrates, including cereal, bread, pastas, rice, fruits, and vegetables add variety and flavor!
I’m also pretty sure that the Japanese and Meditteraneans, who have the highest life spans currently, wouldnt give up their staples – rice and pasta – for anyone!
As I said, I have tried the low/no carb way of eating and it’s not for me. I suppose there is another argument that our bodies are all different and all need different things? This takes trail and error. And Bravo to you for nearly lasting a whole month without complex carbs! wow! But I promise you, I nearly passed out on the Atkins and wouldnt stop crying on the low carb (only fruits and veg). As you say, that could be because of my body needing to get used to it. But I know that isn’t really the case as I can tell even if I don’t have enough carbs in one day, let alone a week! But that’s me, I do know people that have felt pretty bad and followed it through and lost loads of weight and put the weight back on again!!! I really do NOT know anyone that has cut out complex carbs and kept the weight off! (but I’m sure there are people that do!) The point remains that it does NOT suit everyone.
And complex carbs don’t give you a sugar spike necessarily. That comes from REFINED carbs. Stoneground, wholemeal bread, pasta and basmati or brown rice are all low GI.
Potatoes are high GI so should be avoided or at least eaten with protein to counteract the effect.
I guess the low GI works for me
)
Anyway, I’m not trying to open a debate with you on this, my personal view won’t change simply because I have to feel good to undertake any kind of permanent eating plan to sustain it. I think it’s great that you try/research things
) The main question that I have is:
Do you think you can sustain a diet like Paleo for your life? NO more complex carbs/dairy ever?
I guess you want to finish your research and publish your results and experiences at the end, so there is no rush for an answer on that one; I will keep an eye on your site ;o)
All the best
Tusc
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Hey Tusc,
I read your last post very carefully. I agree with you that diets like the Atkins diet are horrible ideas. I can speak from experience because it was the first diet that I tried (horrible idea, but I didn’t know any better at the time). That being said, the initial weight that I lost from that diet I have been able to keep off only because I’ve managed to gain a deeper understanding of portions (provided by the time I spent on Weight Watchers, which by the way is my favorite “seminar” as I like to call it because it teaches people about portions) and of course due to my lifestyle change in incorporating exercise into my life.
One question though; in your “Top 10 reasons to eat carbohydrates” part of your post, where did you get that information from? Is it a quote or a compilation of nuggets picked up from various readings? If it is a quote, could you send me the link as I would love to read about it in order to get a better understanding of the “Pro-carb” argument.
And don’t worry, I didn’t think that you were trying to get into a debate about the issue, you were simply providing another side of the argument, which I appreciate and welcome on the site. You’re right that any lifestyle change has to work for you!
Hey Andrew
Now portion control is a very, very important aspect of eating. I absolutely believe that we eat too much!! Flavour seems to outweigh nourishment and hence the fat stores!! Or another word is ‘greed’….lol…. but of course it’s not as simple as that…………don’t you just love this food topic, we could go on and on and on………….? lol
Ermm, the 10 point carb thing I found on a site. I haven’t got it to hand and as it’s 2.50am here (London) I best go to bed. I think I just googled ‘why eat carbohydrates’ and it came up, amongst many others.
I will find it tomow for you and leave the link.
Night Night for now
Tusc
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[...] A meal plan based off of the diet of Paleolithic man. See “The Paleo Diet” post for [...]
Hey Andrew
Hope you’re well.
The 10point thing was on a dining site, so not really relevant. I pasted the whole article here anyhow. But if you google ‘why eat carbs’ you’ll find lots of info.
Thanks for the ‘ping’! I’m new to blogging and this site so I’m not sure how you do it. Nor am I sure if I can mark your blog as a fave or something??? Any ideas? you seem a man in the know! ;o)
Thanks
Tusc
)
Tusc,
Thanks for the support! If you want to mark a blog as a favorite (assuming you’re using a blog on WordPress) just go to the Manage section and then the blogroll section. Then just add the link to the blogroll section, and that will be your favorites section.
By the way, the best way to get traffic to your blog is to leave a link to it in the comment section of others blogs. So if you want to write a respond post to one of my blogs, just write a comment on the post linking back to your post on your blog. You can do this on my site anytime.
Best,
Andrew
oh! I just assmed that you could get back to my blog through my name?? Doesnt my name come up as a link??
How did you know to send me a ‘ping’ then?? lol I’m confused!
Tusc
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It’s all good. Just copy and paste the web address into a comment on my blog so both myself and my readers can check out your blog! The ping thing can get kind of confusing, but it’s all good.
Sorry Andrew, I’m still figuring out the site.
You can find my blog on http://www.tuscanystone.wordpress.com
Seems odd that you have to paste that in when your email address comes up in comments for you to see. I thought blogging was annonymous if you wanted it to be…..lol
Thanks for your help
Regards
Tusc
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Eat grilled or boiled meat such as steak and chicken instead of fried meat.
[...] Diet: A meal plan based off of the diet of Paleolithic man. See “The Paleo Diet” post for [...]