Nutrition And Genetics: The Paleolithic Diet

We have recently seen many diets and nutritional theories that promise miraculous results for those who follow them. These range from losing weight without having to count calories or go hungry, to guarantee a longer life and better health. One of the most popular is the Paleolithic diet.

Does this nutritional system have any beneficial effects? Or is it just a ploy to sell books and make money? In this article you will discover everything you need to know about this diet.

The Paleolithic Diet: What is it about?

People call the Paleolithic diet the “Paleo diet”. This diet is based on the idea that our genetics play an important role in the effect food has on our body. As such, people have not adapted to the new food that agriculture brought with it.

They claim that evolution changes our bodies in extremely slow ways. This is why the new food that our ancestors started eating after the Neolithic period has a detrimental effect on our body.

Because of this, the proponents of this diet suggest that we go back to eating what the cavemen ate. This means that we should only consume meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, seeds and some roots and tubers.

At first glance, the list of foods that the Paleolithic diet contains makes sense to most people. After all, most of these are healthy foods. However, the Paleo diet is controversial because it says that it is very bad to eat wheat and all its derivatives.

Why do they think grain is bad for you?

For fans of the Paleolithic diet, grains are among your worst health enemies. Since Robb Wolf, one of the first advocates of this nutrition program, popularized the diet, its supporters have strongly criticized this food. They claim that agriculture was one of the worst mistakes in human history.

The main argument that the defenders of the cave people’s diet use to slander grain has two sides. First of all , they claim that grain does not have a significant nutritional value. In particular, they say they can not provide you with the nutrients you need to live. Second, they believe that grains are full of anti-nutrients. These substances interfere with the body’s ability to absorb all vitamins and minerals. And what’s worse is that they make you sick.

The fact that society has always seen bread and cereals as good things does not matter to them. People who follow a Paleolithic diet must completely cut out these foods from their lives. But is it worth it? Does this diet really work?

Scientific evidence supporting the Paleolithic diet

One of the main problems with nutrition is that researchers still do not have all the answers. Another major problem is that it is very difficult to conduct clinical studies to prove the effect of the different diets. That is why there is no official scientific consensus on what is healthy and what is not.

Nevertheless, the latest evidence indicates that the Paleo diet can have very beneficial effects on your physical and mental health. Therefore, experts recommend trying to follow the Paleo diet for a month. After that, you can decide if you want to stick to it permanently or not.

So what can I eat according to this diet?

The prerequisite for the Paleolithic diet is very simple: eat only the foods that your ancestors could find in nature. You have to cut out all grains, but you can eat almost anything that comes from animals or plants.

You must also avoid processed foods. After all, there were no sugary sodas or french fries at that time. Since these are very recent inventions, they harm the body even more than what cereals do.

Although scientific research does not support many modern diets, the Paleolithic diet seems to be an exception. However, before making a radical change, consult a specialist. Only they can tell you whether it is good or bad that you follow a certain diet depending on your circumstances.