Paleo-Style Eating

Judy Seybold, MS, RDN, LD, CLC
Chief Nutrition Officer

Many people are changing their eating habits to match the way early humans ate. The belief is that the way we eat now is not matched genetically with how the body was designed to eat. This mismatch is thought to contribute to a list of health ailments such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Paleo-style eating is named after the Paleolithic era which began over 2,000,000 years ago. Our Paleolithic ancestors were nomadic hunter-gatherers. They survived on hunting, fishing, and gathering edible plants until the human diet changed with the introduction of farming, thus permanently changing the way humans live and eat. This increased emphasis on modern agriculture, especially the shift to cereal grains and domesticated cattle, is thought to be the cause of negative health consequences.

Shop Sifter for products that help support a Paleo-Style diet

The current American diet is undoubtedly a contributor to disease. Americans eat too much processed foods laden with salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats and not enough fruits and vegetables. The Paleo-eating style aims to help people get back to their hunter-gatherer roots by focusing on the following foods.

Foods and beverages to include:

• Eggs
• Fats and oils, such as olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter
• Fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel
• Fruits
• Non-starchy vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Meat, especially grassfed and organic
• Poultry
• Water, coffee, and tea

Foods and beverages to avoid:

• Candies, pastries, cookies, etc.
• Dairy products such as fluid milk and cream, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream
• Fatty meats such as ribs, hot dogs, salami, bologna, etc.
• Grains such as wheat, oats, and barley (especially refined grains)
• Heavily processed foods
• Legumes such as peanuts (and peanut butter), peas, lentils, beans, and tofu
• Most alcoholic beverages (red wine is permissible in small quantities)
• Refined vegetable oils, trans fat, margarine, and vegetable oils
• Soda and diet soda
• Excess salt
• Starchy vegetable and potatoes
• Sugar and artificial sweeteners

Sample menu

• Breakfast: Omelet made with veggies sautéed with coconut or avocado oil. Serve with fresh fruit, coffee, or tea.
• Snack: Almonds
• Lunch: Mixed green salad with salmon, carrots, onions, cucumber, red peppers, radishes, and sliced avocado. Top with homemade oil and vinegar dressing. Serve with ice cold water with sliced lemons.
• Snack: Fresh fruit
• Dinner: Grilled chicken or steak with steamed asparagus and “riced” vegetables.

Shopping tips

If your budget allows, choose organic fruits and vegetables and grass-fed, pasture-raised, organic meats. Choose less processed foods. Avoid foods with added sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners like sucralose, saccharin, or acesulfame potassium. Eliminate foods made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Pros and cons of the Paleo style

The alleged health benefits of the Paleo-style eating are weight loss, improved glucose control, lower triglyceride levels, improved blood pressure control, and appetite control. While more studies are needed to substantiate these claims, there are definite benefits to eating Paleo. The focus on minimally processed whole foods and the abundance of plant-based foods in the diet help provide adequate amounts of fiber and antioxidants. Fiber can help protect against heart disease and diabetes and may be beneficial for weight loss since it can help with feelings of satiety. In addition, eating lean meats, eggs, seafood, and nuts/seeds provide the body with protein and many vitamins and minerals.

The potential negatives to the Paleo-style eating are that it limits grains, which can make it hard to follow for the long term, especially for athletes relying on carbohydrates as their main energy source. Eliminating food groups like grains and dairy can cause nutrient deficiencies. Since portion sizes aren’t measured, it can be easy to overeat calorically dense foods like nuts, making weight loss difficult. Additionally, finding Paleo-friendly foods may make eating out challenging. Plus, preparing foods from scratch may be difficult for people who lack the time, interest, or skill in cooking. Lastly, eating Paleo can be costly for people on a budget because of its emphasis on organic, grassfed, and other premium-priced foods.

Many people have found success on a modified or hybrid Paleo-eating style that allows some gluten-free grains, legumes, and even small quantities of dairy. There is no one size fits all to eating plans. Consult with your physician before starting a restrictive diet and seek out a registered dietitian to help you develop a personalized eating plan.

Additional Resources

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
The Paleo Diet
The Mayo Clinic