The Pros and Cons of the Paleo Lifestyle

The Paleo diet is based on Walter Voegtli’s concept that mimics a caveman’s diet from thousands of years ago. The diet inhibits the consumption of certain foods. These foods are those that are processed, farmed, or refined. For instance, legumes, root crops, alcohol, dairy, grains, and desserts are allowed on a Paleo diet. Only meat, seafood, fruits from fruit-bearing trees, nuts, and unrefined oils are allowed for consumption in a Paleo diet.

Although the Paleo diet has won over thousands of dieters, the system is not perfect. Just like any diet or lifestyle, going Paleo has its own advantages and disadvantages. If you are considering sticking to a Paleo diet, we are sharing important factors you have to consider about this popular diet program:

The Benefits of the Paleo Diet

No Junk Foods

As mentioned above, the Paleo diet restricts the consumption of any food that has been refined or processed. The founding principle of the Paleo diet is to eat foods that cavemen used to eat thousands of years ago. And cavemen never noshed on potato chips, donuts, or hotdogs! Most of the foods you see on your local supermarket – canned goods, bread, cheese, and cured meats – are not part of the caveman diet. The same thing goes for food you get from fast food joints! The Paleo diet eliminate the consumption of processed foods, helping you get back to eating fresh, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense foods!

Clean Eating

Apart from junk foods, the Paleo diet restricts the consumption of GMO foods and non-grass fed meats. Foods that are grown or produced using pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics, hormones and other chemicals are banned from the diet. Genetically modified foods of any kind are banned as well. The Paleo diet entails consuming raw, organic, high-quality fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats. It promotes clean eating, which helps purge the body from food-based chemicals.

Promotes Weight Loss

Avoiding processed foods, junk foods, and GMOs will do your figure a lot of good. Apart from promoting healthy eating, Paleo diet also promotes safe, gradual weight loss! Imagine eating healthy foods without gaining weight! You can do that with the Paleo diet.

The Drawbacks of the Paleo Diet

Low Carbohydrates

Because the Paleo diet is a protein-based program, you are not getting the carbs you need to stay energized. Contrary to popular notion, not all carbs are bad for the health. Complex carbohydrates, which come from starchy vegetables, grains, legumes, and lentils, give the body a boost of energy. Without carbohydrates, you will feel exhausted, fatigued, and weak. That’s why a modified Paleo diet was developed to add complex carbohydrates to the program.

Saturated Fat

Because Paleo diet promotes the consumption of meats, adopting the program could lead to an increased risk of heart disease. Even grass fed meats are high in saturated fats. And though Paleo is synonymous with “health,” this doesn’t mean all Paleo-approved foods are automatically deemed healthier than others.

It’s Restrictive

Just like most restrictive diet programs, Paleo diet limits the consumption of certain food groups. That includes healthy foods like legumes, dairy, and starchy foods. For some, this diet program is more restrictive than others so sticking to it is harder.