Is the Paleo Diet Safe?
I've noticed a number of people recently questioning whether the Paleo Diet is safe. By Paleo diet we are, of course, referring to the recently popularised way of eating that is based on the (presumed) diet of Paleolithic Man, the hunter gatherer. So what's the answer? Is the Paleo Diet safe or not?
Low carbohydrates
There seem to be a few possible objections to the Paleo way of eating, and the first of these is based largely on a misconception. The Paleo Diet does share some similarities with the well know, perhaps infamous, Atkins Diet. Like the Atkins, paleo leans towards high fat and protein and tends to include far less carbohydrates than most people are used to eating.
Unlike the Atkins diet, however, it is not carbohydrate restriction that is the aim with paleo, and it is that part that can case problems and, potentially, be dangerous. If you are deliberately, and greatly, restricting your carbohydrate intake in order to remain in ketosis for the purpose of weightloss - the major focus of the Atkins diet, then you do need to be careful. This method is probably best supervised by a professional, and can certainly produce some unpleasant effects. Not to say that it doesn't work, it does seem to get results, but there's no suggestion that this is how nature actually intended us to eat!
The Paleo Diet then, rather than being deliberately low-carb, just tends to be so because it removes the major sources of carbohydrates in most people's diets: grains, sugars and potatoes. With those one time staples out of the equation, most people new to the paleo diet find themselves looking for ways to increase their carbohydrate intake, not restrict it. But is the paleo diet safe in terms of the low carbohydrates? Yes, because it is based on a balanced, nutritionally rich diet, not on restriction.
High fat consumption
Another objection to the Paleo Diet on safety grounds is that it encourages the eating of plenty of protein and fats. The concern is, of course, an increase in cholesterol and that eating all that fat is going to make you fat. This is, however, and it really does call for some capital letters, NOT TRUE! There is extensive research, far beyond the scope of this article, to demonstrate that it is not eating fat that makes you fat but the carbohydrates. Sugars and grains, wheat in particular, are the worst culprits.
It pays, as ever, to do your own research, but you don't need to look far at all to find that eating plenty of fat and protein is a good thing, and certainly not the reason people put on weight. This doesn't mean that all fats are good, but the ones that are may be a surprise to some people. Again, beyond the scope of this article, but suffice to say: butter, eggs and the fatty meat from pastured, grass fed animals is all good, very good. And beware the vegetable oils - if you have to do any more than squeeze to get the oil, be suspicious! Olive oil good - corn, palm and soy oils, no! You might want to read the Wikipedia pages for those before putting any more of those in your body.
So is the Paleo Diet safe or not?
It seems ironic that people will question the safety of something like the Paleo Diet but continue eating, unquestioningly, hexane extracted, hydrogenated oils that have no place in the food-chain of any animal, let alone on your plate. And yet there is safety in the known, or at least the illusion of safety, and it is an illusion.
Westerners, and Americans in particular are, as a nation, more overweight and less healthy than has been for many decades, if ever. If you ever doubt this take a look at some of the posters and magazine adverts from the 1950s - fat was not considered a problem back then. So, rather than asking 'is the paleo diet safe?', you should, perhaps, be asking if your current diet is safe.
The Paleo Diet is based on balance; a different balance than the one we've been taught for years, it's true, but it is balanced, not a diet of extremes. Any diet that calls for extreme measures, especially in the restriction of certain food groups, such as fats or carbohydrates, should be viewed with suspicion. Nature likes balance!
Is the Paleo Diet safe? Perhaps the best way to be sure is to try it for yourself. Notice how good you feel, how weight naturally drops off if you need it to, how much energy and vitality you have. Observe skin complaints, aches and pains and digestive disorders disappearing and you'll be asking not whether the Paleo Diet is safe but why you didn't try it sooner!
Low carbohydrates
There seem to be a few possible objections to the Paleo way of eating, and the first of these is based largely on a misconception. The Paleo Diet does share some similarities with the well know, perhaps infamous, Atkins Diet. Like the Atkins, paleo leans towards high fat and protein and tends to include far less carbohydrates than most people are used to eating.
Unlike the Atkins diet, however, it is not carbohydrate restriction that is the aim with paleo, and it is that part that can case problems and, potentially, be dangerous. If you are deliberately, and greatly, restricting your carbohydrate intake in order to remain in ketosis for the purpose of weightloss - the major focus of the Atkins diet, then you do need to be careful. This method is probably best supervised by a professional, and can certainly produce some unpleasant effects. Not to say that it doesn't work, it does seem to get results, but there's no suggestion that this is how nature actually intended us to eat!
The Paleo Diet then, rather than being deliberately low-carb, just tends to be so because it removes the major sources of carbohydrates in most people's diets: grains, sugars and potatoes. With those one time staples out of the equation, most people new to the paleo diet find themselves looking for ways to increase their carbohydrate intake, not restrict it. But is the paleo diet safe in terms of the low carbohydrates? Yes, because it is based on a balanced, nutritionally rich diet, not on restriction.
High fat consumption
Another objection to the Paleo Diet on safety grounds is that it encourages the eating of plenty of protein and fats. The concern is, of course, an increase in cholesterol and that eating all that fat is going to make you fat. This is, however, and it really does call for some capital letters, NOT TRUE! There is extensive research, far beyond the scope of this article, to demonstrate that it is not eating fat that makes you fat but the carbohydrates. Sugars and grains, wheat in particular, are the worst culprits.
It pays, as ever, to do your own research, but you don't need to look far at all to find that eating plenty of fat and protein is a good thing, and certainly not the reason people put on weight. This doesn't mean that all fats are good, but the ones that are may be a surprise to some people. Again, beyond the scope of this article, but suffice to say: butter, eggs and the fatty meat from pastured, grass fed animals is all good, very good. And beware the vegetable oils - if you have to do any more than squeeze to get the oil, be suspicious! Olive oil good - corn, palm and soy oils, no! You might want to read the Wikipedia pages for those before putting any more of those in your body.
So is the Paleo Diet safe or not?
It seems ironic that people will question the safety of something like the Paleo Diet but continue eating, unquestioningly, hexane extracted, hydrogenated oils that have no place in the food-chain of any animal, let alone on your plate. And yet there is safety in the known, or at least the illusion of safety, and it is an illusion.
Westerners, and Americans in particular are, as a nation, more overweight and less healthy than has been for many decades, if ever. If you ever doubt this take a look at some of the posters and magazine adverts from the 1950s - fat was not considered a problem back then. So, rather than asking 'is the paleo diet safe?', you should, perhaps, be asking if your current diet is safe.
The Paleo Diet is based on balance; a different balance than the one we've been taught for years, it's true, but it is balanced, not a diet of extremes. Any diet that calls for extreme measures, especially in the restriction of certain food groups, such as fats or carbohydrates, should be viewed with suspicion. Nature likes balance!
Is the Paleo Diet safe? Perhaps the best way to be sure is to try it for yourself. Notice how good you feel, how weight naturally drops off if you need it to, how much energy and vitality you have. Observe skin complaints, aches and pains and digestive disorders disappearing and you'll be asking not whether the Paleo Diet is safe but why you didn't try it sooner!
