<div><p><b>Humans evolved on a diet very different from today's eating habits. <span>To be healthier, leaner, stronger and fitter, we must re-think our diet and remove some of the food groups we consider basic.</span></b></p></div><div><p><i>Except</i><br></p><p><span>Paleo fans tend to overlook the fact that hunter-gatherers were not models of pristine health. Palaeolithic humans suffered from parasites, infectious diseases, and even atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).</span><i><br></i></p></div>

Paleo concept

Health

<ul><li><b>Animals</b> (especially a "whole animal" approach, including organs, bone marrow, cartilage, and organs).</li><li><b>Animal products</b> (such as eggs or honey).</li><li><b>Vegetables and fruits.</b></li><li><b>Raw nuts and seeds.</b></li><li><b>Added fats</b> (like coconut oil, avocado, butter, ghee).</li></ul>

What to eat 

<div><ul><li><strong>Grains,</strong> although research suggests eating whole grains improve our health and appear to be neutral when it comes to inflammation.</li><li><strong>Heavily processed oils, </strong>such as canola and soybean oil.</li><li><strong>Legumes,</strong> although research suggests the benefits of legumes outweigh their anti-nutrient content. Cooking eliminates most anti-nutrient effects. Some anti-nutrients may even be good.</li><li><b>Dairy.</b></li></ul></div><div></div>

What to avoid

<ul><li>The evolutionary arguments <b>don't hold up.</b></li><li><b>Evidence</b> for excluding dairy, legumes, and grains <b>isn't strong</b> (yet).</li><li>A <b>one-size-fits-all</b> "best diet" approach <b>doesn't work.</b></li></ul>

The problem with Paleo

<div>
<div>
<p>You've probably heard about the Paleo diet; maybe you've even tried it. The "primal eating" trend is everywhere.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Paleo, of course, encourages us to eat like our ancient ancestors did.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>The concept is this: Humans evolved on a diet very different from today's eating habits.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Therefore, the Paleo proponents argue, to be healthier, leaner, stronger and fitter, we must re-think our diet and remove some of the food groups we consider basic.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Promising everything from fat loss to more energy and clearer skin, Paleo certainly has appeal.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>But what is Paleo really? Is it a diet worth trying?</p>
</div>
<div><strong>Why "Paleo": The basic concept of eating primal</strong> </div>
<div>
<p>To understand Paleo thinking, we've got to go back in time. (My DeLorean is parked right outside.)</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Let's have a quick look at <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441938">what our ancestors ate</a>:</p>
</div>
<div>
<ul><strong>60 million years ago:</strong> Our oldest cousins, the earliest primates, ate a lot like, well, primates. They subsisted mainly on fruit, leaves, and insects. </ul> 
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>2.6 million years ago:</strong> Evolution at work! Humans started using tools and fire, and moved to a hunter-gatherer diet. </p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong>10,000 years ago:</strong> At this point, "agriculture" had taken the world by storm. </p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Paleolithic humans definitely got some eating habits right. In general, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441938">they consumed</a>:</p>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li>three times more produce than the typical American,</li>
	<li>more fiber,</li>
	<li>more protein,</li>
	<li>more omega-3 fatty acids,</li>
	<li>more unsaturated fat,</li>
	<li>more vitamins and minerals,</li>
	<li>and much less saturated fat and sodium.</li>
</ul> 
</div>
<div>
<p>That said, Paleo fans tend to overlook the fact that hunter-gatherers were not models of pristine health. Paleolithic humans suffered from parasites, infectious diseases, and even <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60598-X/abstract">atherosclerosis</a> (hardening of the arteries).</p>
</div>
<div><strong>The dangers of our modern diet</strong> </div>
<div>
<p>Fast forward to today. Our diet has changed significantly, and not necessarily for the better. For one thing, it contains far more processed, packaged and commercially-produced foods than ever.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Case in point: The <a href="http://www.nutritionj.com/content/12/1/59">top six calorie sources</a> in the U.S. diet today are:</p>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li>grain-based desserts (cake, cookies, etc.),</li>
	<li>yeast breads,</li>
	<li>chicken-based dishes (and you know that doesn't mean roast chicken),</li>
	<li>sweetened beverages,</li>
	<li>pizza,</li>
	<li>and alcoholic drinks.</li>
</ul> 
</div>
<div>
<p>Yikes. Not only are these foods not ancestral, some of them could barely be called food.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ama-obesity-disease_b_3479179">obesity</a>, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases have <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16595758">dramatically increased</a> over the past 50 years.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>The Paleo claim that our modern Western diet isn't healthy <a href="http://www.dovepress.com/the-western-diet-and-lifestyle-and-diseases-of-civilization-peer-reviewed-article-RRCC">rings true</a>. So what should we do to make it better?</p>
</div>
<div><strong>According to Paleo: What to eat and what to avoid</strong> </div>
<div>
<p>Paleo fans suggest we return to the meat and produce-based diet of our past. Specifically, the Paleo dietary model encourages us to base our diets on the following foods:</p>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li>animals (especially a "whole animal" approach, including organs, bone marrow, cartilage, and organs),</li>
	<li>animal products (such as eggs or honey),</li>
	<li>vegetables and fruits,</li>
	<li>raw nuts and seeds,</li>
	<li>and added fats (like coconut oil, avocado, butter, ghee).</li>
</ul> 
</div>
<div>
<p>Notice what's missing from the list? Paleo tells us to avoid grains (even "whole grains"), heavily processed oils (such as canola and soybean oil), and processed foods in general.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Legumes and dairy are typically off limits too, though some guidelines allow these foods as the Paleo diet continues to "evolve."</p>
</div>
<div><strong>Should you stop eating grains and legumes?</strong> </div>
<div>
<p>We already know the above list of processed foods and treats aren't good for us -- but what about whole grains and legumes?</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Let's tackle legumes first. Paleo people say we shouldn't eat legumes because of their high concentration of anti-nutrients like <a href="http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-lectins">lectins</a> or <a href="http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-phytates-phytic-acid">phytates</a>. Supposedly that reduces their nutritional value to zilch.<br> <br> Fortunately for bean fans, that's not true.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Research suggests that the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23398387">benefits of legumes</a> outweigh their anti-nutrient content. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19774556">Cooking </a>eliminates most anti-nutrient effects, and some anti-nutrients (like lectins) may even be <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11198165">good for us</a>.<br> <br> As for <a href="http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-grains">grains</a>, Paleo proponents say grains can lead to inflammation and related health problems. This can be true for people with celiac disease ( <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22850429">about 1 percent of the population</a>) and for those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>But a substantial body of <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20685951">reliable research</a> suggests that eating whole grains improves our health. At the very least, whole grains appear to be neutral when it comes to inflammation.<br> <br> Bottom line on grains and legumes: Completely eliminating these important foods from our diet is probably a bad idea.<br> <br> <strong>The problem with Paleo</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Paleo-style eating has a lot of good qualities: It emphasizes whole foods, lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats. Incorporating more of these foods into your diet would likely be a big improvement. <br> <br> However, the Paleo diet has some flaws. The <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/110/26/10513.abstract">evolutionary arguments don't hold up</a>, and the evidence for excluding dairy, legumes, and grains isn't strong (yet).<br> <br> But my biggest concern is this: A one-size-fits-all "best diet" approach doesn't work.<br> <br> Strictly following a list of "good" and "bad" or "allowed" and "not allowed" foods is problematic for most people.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Even more, long-term, it's tough to be consistent on a strict diet regime like Paleo. Sure, most people can follow it for weeks or months. Maybe even years. But decades? That's unlikely.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>Of course, without being consistent, you can't make progress.<br> <br> <strong>What you can do today</strong><br> <br> Instead of signing up for a strict lifestyle template, think about small changes you can make in your "modern" life that support what your "ancient" body needs.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>For example, look for simple ways incorporate a bit of what's good about the ancestral lifestyle into your day. Could you:</p>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
	<li>Eat a little more fresh food, like adding some fresh fruit or vegetables to dinner tonight?</li>
	<li>Consider replacing a bit of the processed food you might normally be eating? (Not all of it, just some.)</li>
	<li>Get outside for some movement and fresh air?</li>
	<li>Go to bed a little earlier to get a good night's sleep?</li>
</ul> 
</div>
<div>
<p>These small actions -- done consistently -- can do much more for your health and happiness long-term. And consistency is more important than any food list or evolutionary theory.</p>
</div>
<div><em>John Berardi, Ph.D. is a founder of <a href="http://www.precisionnutrition.com/">Precision Nutrition</a>, the world's largest online nutrition coaching company. He also sits on the health and performance advisory boards of Nike, Titleist and Equinox.</em> </div>
<div>
<p>Dr. Berardi was recently selected as one of the 20 smartest coaches in the world by livestrong.com, the internet's most popular fitness site.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>In the last five years, Dr. Berardi and his team have personally helped over 30,000 people improve their eating, lose weight, and boost their health through their renowned <a href="http://www.precisionnutrition.com/coaching">Precision Nutrition Coaching</a> program.</p>
</div>
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</div> 
</div>

You've probably heard about the Paleo diet; maybe you've even tried it. The "primal eating" trend is everywhere. Paleo, of course, encourages us to eat like our ancient ancestors did. The concept is this: Humans evolved on a diet very different from today's eating habits.

Bite-sized knowledge
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What to avoid

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The Pros And Cons Of The Paleo Diet

Paleo concept

What to eat

What to avoid

The problem with Paleo

IDEAS ABOUT

MORE LIKE THIS

The Paleo Diet - A Beginner's Guide + Meal Plan

The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

Pros and Cons of the Mediterranean Diet

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career