THE PALEO DIET
Is It As Healthy As We Once Thought?
By: Kendall Frederics
What is Paleo?
-The Paleo Diet is where one aims to eat as though they were caveman centuries ago. For example, one eats only naturally found foods such as meats, fish, nuts, leafy greens, regional veggies, and seeds attempting to avoid any cereal grains, legumes (including peanuts), dairy, refined sugar, potatoes, processed foods, salt, and refined vegetable oils.
Reputation
-Paleo is among one of the newer diets and, it's just now gaining popularity. Because it is relatively recent, however, controversies have erupted determining whether or not people should continue proceeding with its specific eating regimens.
Faults
Unfortunately, some followers tend to lose some of the nutritional values found in dairy, grains and legumes.
The expenses of Paleo consumers are significantly higher in order to meet their organic commodity standards. For some, taking part in this diet it can be somewhat unaffordable in their budgets.
Evolution changes rapidly over time so, the human race now shouldn't be considered biologically identical to cavemen that once walked this Earth.
There haven’t been numerous studies addressing and supporting the health claims of the Paleo diet; therefore, how do we know the full consequences behind it?
Benefits
- Advocates for Paleo insist that the diet leaves its followers feeling more energized throughout the day due to the low carb intake which causes dramatic shifts in energy levels.
- Partakers in this diet have an increased improvement in their body's blood lipids
- It also has been known to improve blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and while it increases insulin sensitivity, it decreases insulin secretion.
Recommendation
Paleo is not worth the expense (at least not yet) considering it has not been fully tested to see its main beneficial dieting aspects. The benefactors to the diet are either assumptions or do not outweigh the faults listed. Although, short term, it may leave its followers feeling more energized and shed some weight, in the long run, it may not be the healthiest of diets. It may have some unforeseen consequences.