An exception among the foods allowed on the paleo diet are minimally processed products derived from coconut.
Beyond the fruit and its juice, the paleo diet includes a coconut vegetable drink with no added sugar or flavor, grated coconut, butter, or coconut oil that we can use to replace other permitted oils and fat sources such as extra virgin olive oil.
Likewise, as we pointed out before, we recommend choosing unsaturated fats as the main sources of this nutrient in our diet and thus, favor the quality of what we eat and promote weight loss.
Food and products, better if they are organic
Ecological
Because we intend to approach the composition of the diet of our ancestors, in the Paleo diet, it is considered better if the food and products are organic and natural.
That is, the less processed, the better, and this applies to all kinds of preparations; therefore, if we want to use almond flour, it is better to make it at home by grinding the dried fruit than to go to commercial alternatives, and if we choose vegetables and fruits, the organic ones will be better welcomed. or organic production.
31 high-fat paleo diet recipes for weight loss
In Vitónica
31 high-fat paleo diet recipes for weight loss
Although the decision to choose organic foods and products will not greatly affect the paleo diet’s calories and weight loss effects, it can influence its benefits and help us modify the palate in favor of a more natural and innate diet.
These are the basics of the paleo diet to lose weight if you are a beginner that we recommend taking into account before starting your practice.
What to eat The food pyramid of the Paleolithic diet
The paleo diet is a conceptual framework that proposes eliminating ultra-processed foods from the diet and restricting the consumption of cereals and dairy products. But like everything in life, it is not about black or white. You must adopt this framework to your environment and preferences.
From an evolutionary point of view, the pyramid of healthy eating that makes the most sense is fruits and vegetables at the base, fish, meats, and eggs at the next level, oils, nuts, and dairy products at the next-to-last level, and finally cereals and legumes.
paleo pyramid
As we explain later in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section, dairy and cereals are not essential, although if they feel good to you and you like them, go ahead and incorporate them into your diet.
The only thing is trying to prioritize quality foods, whole milk versus skimmed milk, naturally fermented dairy products, whole grains, and if you like bread, make it with natural yeasts, with sourdough.
The Paleo Diet, Legumes, and Grains
Mainly, the reason why the followers of the paleo diet eliminate or restrict the consumption of cereals and legumes are antinutrients.
Antinutrients are the chemical defenses that plants use to defend themselves against predators. And in theory, these antinutrients prevent or hinder the absorption of other nutrients necessary for the body.
In the case of legumes, the main ones are lectins and phytates, but we know that leaving them to soak and cook practically deactivates them. Once again, popular culture provides the solution.
And in the case of cereals, gluten and phytates stand out. And in the same way that it happens with legumes, if they are soaked, germinated, or fermented naturally, the antinutrients are deactivated.
Example of a weekly menu (breakfast, meals, and snacks)
The fundamental idea is to go more to the market and less to the supermarket. If you are better off shopping at a department store due to time or work schedule, buy as if you were at the market, that is, avoid aisles crowded with ultra-processed products.
Scientific evidence
There is increasing scientific evidence about the health benefits of the Paleolithic diet, such as, for example, it helps to improve glucose control (see), promotes weight loss and lowers blood pressure (see), or improves the intestinal microbiota (see).
It should be noted that most of these studies are epidemiological, observational, with all the limitations that this entails. You cannot get a relationship between cause and effect.
Carrying out a controlled study for the evaluation of a diet and being able to follow up for a prolonged period (years) is very difficult, although there are also some, such as the one carried out by the Swedish Department of Health and Clinical Medicine for two years to evaluate the impact of the paleolithic diet in older women with obesity problems (see).
However, the greatest evidence is the practically total absence of modern diseases in the current tribes that preserve their ancestral customs and have been isolated from the “benefits and ventures.”
Ajax of civilization. We will be doing something wrong.
The benefits of the Paleolithic diet
Just by eliminating ultra-processed products from your diet, you will significantly improve your health and quality of life. If you also accompany it with new habits, more in line with the lifestyle of our ancestors, the positive impact will be even greater.
Among the benefits, followers of the paleo diet highlight:
Higher energy level during the day
Improved body composition (more muscle and less fat)
Better rest and higher quality sleep
Increased libido
Better performance in the practice of sport or physical activityIdeally, you will be encouraged to try and experience the change in your case.
Myths about the paleo diet
The paleo diet is carnivorous
As we have already mentioned, the paleo lifestyle does not enter into the distribution of macronutrients, and, in any case, if you have to prioritize a food group, it would be vegetables and fresh products.
The following graph shows the percentages of animal and plant consumption for different modern hunter-gatherer tribes.
hunter-gatherer ratio
The differences between the various nutrients in diets are striking, from the most carnivorous of the Ache to the most vegetal of the Gwi. Once again, it becomes clear that there is no single Paleolithic diet.
We once again emphasize that the important thing is not what you eat but what you don’t eat: ultra-processed products.
The paleo diet is harmful because it eliminates dairy
Although it may seem like an exaggeration, more than 65% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant and does not consume dairy in their adult life. The following world map shows the percentage of the population lactose intolerant, and as can be seen, some areas of the world even exceed 80%
lactose intolerance map
It seems, then, that it makes no sense to affirm that dairy is essential for health if more than 65% of the world population lives without taking them.
This does not mean that dairy consumption is unhealthy and that if you digest them well, they are a good source of nutrients.
The paleo diet is harmful because it eliminates cereals
As in the previous case, there is no separate food group that is essential. We evolved more than 2.5 million years without growing cereals, and only 10,000 years ago, agriculture began.
This means that we have gotten this far without the grains, and we can continue to move forward without them. Now, if you like to enjoy good bread or pasta, prioritize quality and avoid refined flours.
