The Paleolithic diet is the diet of wild plants and animals that human species habitually consumed during the Paleolithic period, the Old Stone Age, ending about 10,000 years ago. The diet is also known as the „Stone Age Diet“, „Cave Man Diet“, or the „Hunter-Gatherer Diet“. The basic principles of the Paleolithic diet are to eat only the foods that can be found in the wild, obtained with bare hands or simple tools, and that can be ingested immediately without cooking or processing. This eliminates foods such as potatoes and vegetables that require cooking or processing before they can be eaten, but also many breads, grains, and other processed foods.

The Paleolithic Theory

The last tribes of hunter-gatherers in the world are seen to be slimmer, stronger, and faster than the rest of us and to all have straight teeth and perfect eyesight. Diseases like arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disorders, stroke, depression, or schizophrenia are absolute rarities for them. This is believed to be due to their diet which has changed little from that of the „Stone Age“, and as human genetics have scarcely changed since then, the Paleolithic diet is considered to be ideal.

One of the basic premises of this theory is that many of the foods that we eat today are not suitable for consumption in their natural state. Without modern processing, these foods are inedible, sometimes even toxic. Grains, potatoes, and beans are full of energy but they are all inedible in the raw state. Around 10,000 years ago, it was discovered that cooking these foods made them edible as the heat destroyed enough toxins. This had an enormous effect on the food intake of our ancestors and made modern day civilization possible, as food now could be stored and most people could be freed from food gathering and could become specialists in other fields. Despite these advantages, proponents of the Paleolithic diet believe that the human genes were never developed with grains, potatoes, and beans and were not in tune with them, and still are not.

The Paleolithic diet covers all major dietary components, such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals etc., and it is composed of roughly 2/3 plant product and 1/3 animal product. The dietary concept is primarily concerned with health issues as proponents argue that many diseases are diet related and can be avoided by sticking to the Paleolithic diet.

Paleolithic Diet Foods

Foods which are included in the diet are the ones that can be obtained by using paleolithic tools and practices, like meat, chicken and fish (farmed meat, preferrably organically farmed, is permitted for practical reasons), eggs, gathered or foraged fruits, leaves, and roots of plants, mushrooms, nuts, berries, and honey.

Foods which are not included in the diet are grains (including bread and pasta), beans (including lentils, peanuts, and peas), potatoes, dairy products, sugar, and salt.

Paleolithic Diet Benefits

Thre are a number of medical conditions that have been shown to benefit from the diet, such as coeliac disease and gluten ataxia, dermatitis, multiple sclerosis, parkinson’s disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, and autism. Further, the risk of diabetes, obesity, and other diseases of the metabolic syndrome, as well as some types of cancer, are reduced and osteoporosis is prevented.

The foods in the Paleolithic diet mostly have a low glycemic index (for further information: The Glycemic Impact Diet), they release sugar into the blood slowly, provide the body with a steady supply of energy, and leave us feeling satisfied for a long time. That makes the Paleolithic diet a good weight loss program.

Paleolithic Diet Risks

As the Paleolithic Diet doesn’t contain any dairy products, it is low in calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Also, the consumption of raw foods can bear some risks as many foods can harbor dangerous pathogens, such as bacteria, salmonella, norovirus, tapeworm, and Trichinella spiralis, that can have serious health consequences if they are not first killed by means of cooking.

Related Articles:

1. Glycemic Impact Diet
2. South Beach Diet
3. The New Beverly Hills Diet
4. The Zone Diet
5. Atkins Diet
6. Mediterranean Diet
7. Hamptons Diet
8. The Rosedale Diet – Leptin Diets
9. The Warrior Diet
10. The Shangri-La Diet
11. The Scarsdale Medical Diet
12. The Pritikin Eating Plan
13. Body For Life Program
14. The 90/10 Weight Loss Plan