The Paleo Diet: Expert Reveals How It Works, What to Eat, And Its Benefits

While everyone should aim to adopt a healthier diet, determining the best approach can be challenging. Should you increase your intake of grains? Eliminate dairy? What about managing sugar and fat consumption? Diet plans like the paleo diet, which is inspired by the dietary habits of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, have gained popularity for these reasons. These diets can offer guidance on what to eat to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

But what is the paleo diet exactly, and is it suitable for you? To shed light on this, we consulted with Lena Bakovic, a highly experienced Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with over eight years of counselling experience at Top Nutrition Coaching. She provided insights into the paleo diet, explaining its principles, how it functions, recommended foods, and its benefits.

What Is the Paleo Diet?

Lena explains that the Paleo diet aims to mirror the eating habits of hunter-gatherers from thousands of years ago. Proponents of the Paleo lifestyle assert that this way of eating can help prevent chronic diseases and reduce overall inflammation. They also believe that the Paleo diet can aid in managing blood sugar levels, promoting weight loss, boosting energy, and enhancing athletic performance.

How Does The Paleo Diet Work?

Lena states that the Paleo diet focuses on consuming foods in their natural, unprocessed form. This means eating whole fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and avoiding highly processed foods as well as those high in sugar and fat. She told me, “This approach is attractive due to its potential health benefits. However, like many other “fad” diets, the Paleo diet excludes an entire food group: grains, which includes cereals, pieces of bread, and pasta.” It also eliminates legumes, such as tofu, lentils, and beans, as well as dairy products. The exclusion of dairy is based on the idea that hunter-gatherers used animals for meat, not milk.

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What Foods Are Included In The Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet includes plant-based oils like olive and avocado oil, along with whole fruits and vegetables, all nuts and seeds (excluding peanuts, which are legumes), wild-caught seafood, eggs, and grass-fed meats.

One notable exception is potatoes, which are generally avoided due to their high starch content and potential impact on blood sugar levels. Grass-fed meats are preferred because they are typically leaner than grain-fed meats, and this category includes poultry such as chicken and turkey, as well as red meats like beef and pork. Bacon is also allowed, provided it comes from grass-fed animals.

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What Are The Benefits Of The Paleo Diet?

Lena highlights that one advantage of the Paleo diet is its high protein content. Adequate protein intake helps maintain satiety, reducing the likelihood of overeating throughout the day. Protein is also crucial for preserving and building muscle mass. Additionally, wild-caught seafood in this diet provides omega-3 fatty acids, which are well-known for their benefits to heart health and their role in reducing inflammation. Another benefit is the emphasis on consuming foods in their whole, natural form while avoiding overly processed items.

This dietary approach ensures a variety of nutrients from different food sources. The diet is rich in fibre, which supports gut and cardiovascular health, and it provides numerous micronutrients from whole fruits and vegetables, essential for preventing nutrient deficiencies. These foods are also excellent sources of antioxidants, which help eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.

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