What is the Paleo Diet - The Paleo Diet for a Better Life
Paleo is a diet that attempts to mimic the diet of the Paleolithic era. For this reason, the Paleo diet is also called the Stone Age diet or Stone Age nutrition. Back to the roots, so to speak. But why should you follow the Paleo diet, and which foods are acceptable? We'll provide you with all the information you need on the topic of "Paleo" in this article.
So: How does the Paleo diet work?
The Paleo diet follows a very simple system: Everything that existed in the Stone Age is okay. The main focus here is on detoxifying the body and, with that, reducing and preventing common diseases such as diabetes, acne, and heart problems. The Paleo diet is often followed with the goal of losing weight, but this is not the primary focus. Even if organic food and humane animal husbandry are important to you, this diet could be right for you. In the Stone Age, there was no factory farming or pre-packaged instant soups. But what can you still eat now, and what is taboo? And how does the Paleo diet differ from, for example, the low-carb diet or the ketogenic diet based purely on healthy fatty acids? Dairy products, refined sugar, and grains are a no-go on the Paleo diet.
If you want to follow a Paleo diet, then eggs, fish, meat, nuts, and all other non-processed foods will dominate your diet. French fries, breaded schnitzel, ice cream, and the like are therefore out of the Paleo kitchen. Carbohydrates are not completely eliminated, but simply reduced to healthy carbohydrates. Unhealthy sources of carbohydrates, such as legumes or grains, are excluded. Legumes, such as beans, peas, lentils, and the like, contain large amounts of lectins and phytic acid. Lectins often damage the intestines, and phytic acid prevents the human body from digesting many of their minerals. Furthermore, legumes contain no nutrients that your body cannot obtain elsewhere—thus, unnecessary carbohydrates! Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, are a large part of your plan for proper nutrition and are among the foods you should include. Healthy carbohydrates, such as fructose, are perfectly fine. When you commit to the Paleolithic lifestyle, you will get to know the primal taste of our food.
Take-Home Message #1: On the Paleo diet, you eliminate all foods that contain unhealthy carbohydrates. This includes fries and ice cream, but grains and legumes are also not part of the Paleo diet.
Your diet must suit you - Carsten Wölffling in an interview
What are the benefits of the Paleo diet?
The Paleo diet is designed to provide your body with only good, healthy nutrients. For this reason, animal products should come from happy animals, and vegetables should ideally be organic and pesticide-free. Ideally, no toxins end up on your plate and therefore also in your body. Paleo is a kind of detox for your body. You rid it of harmful industrial substances and give it only what evolution intended. Since the body is essentially supplied with only healthy fats and proteins, fat metabolism improves noticeably, and many people who try the Paleo diet for the first time lose weight.
Stored fat reserves are burned more efficiently, and the pounds can fall off. Unhealthy diets and obesity are often associated with diseases such as diabetes or circulatory problems. These can be prevented and counteracted by the Paleo diet, as a study by the Department of Food Technology at Lund University has now discovered.¹ The test subjects, all of whom suffered from type 2 diabetes, ate only foods based on the Paleo diet for three months. The results showed significantly more stable blood sugar levels. The study by Lund University was able to demonstrate the positive effects of the Paleo diet on health.
The Paleo diet restores your body to what it truly needs and avoids unnecessary exposure to harmful substances. Diseases and physical problems caused by environmental pollution and poor nutrition over the centuries were unknown in the Stone Age. A study from Leiden University in the Netherlands took a closer look at the various positive effects of the Paleo diet.² The study showed that, in addition to regulating blood sugar levels, the Paleo diet can also lower blood pressure and thus promote stable circulation.
These benefits of the Paleo diet are good in themselves, but they also make you feel better overall. Ideally, you'll have more energy and sleep more restfully. We've listed 10 reasons why the Paleo diet will improve your health and boost your mental performance.
Take-Home Message #2: The Paleo diet is like a detox for your body. By eliminating harmful carbohydrates and toxins, you improve your health and overall mental performance!
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Health Benefits of Paleo
There are numerous studies analyzing the health effects of the Paleo diet. Paleo is proven to be ideal for most people for weight loss, prevention and treatment of various diseases, and improving their well-being. The question to the Paleo experts and bloggers was therefore:
What do you think is the biggest health benefit of Paleo?
Tip from Julia Tulipan
blogs at paleolowcarb.de
"I feel balanced and have confidence in my body's signals again. Blood sugar fluctuations and sleep disturbances were normal for me. If I hadn't switched to a low-carb Paleo diet, I would be diabetic today."
Tip from Christian Kollitsch
blogs at prinzippaleo.de
"I was able to overcome my allergies and energy fluctuations with Paleo. Many people benefit from the Paleo diet by losing weight healthily, alleviating their symptoms, and even halting autoimmune diseases. The greatest benefit of the Paleo lifestyle is that the metabolism naturally normalizes and the gut calms down. Overall, the Paleo approach offers a perspective for people for whom conventional medicine has failed. It helps people learn to meet their needs again, which allows them to achieve even greater things."
Tip from Felix Olschewski
blogs at urgeschmack.de
"If you understand the principle, many fluctuations in well-being and especially in your energy levels can be avoided through consistent action. This isn't magic, and it rarely manifests itself spectacularly. Rather, life feels as if you've released the handbrake and oiled everything properly."
Tip from Sascha Röhler
blogs at paleohackz.com
"Weight regulates itself, symptoms subside, the tendency to inflammation decreases, and the intestines can recover."
Tip from Simon Hirschhofer
blogs at spicyslice.ch
"I noticed that I feel better when I mostly stick to Paleo. That started at the age of 20, at the end of my military service. It was primarily grains and legumes, which gave me tremendous bloating, combined with alternating diarrhea and constipation. Later, it was milk, which I suspected kept me full for too long, or rather, made me feel stuffed. But now I know that I simply consumed too much of it back then and combined it incorrectly (I'm trying to reintroduce raw milk in small amounts because I miss the taste). Nevertheless, I notice that my body functions better with fats like coconut, olive, and a few high-quality seed and nut oils (hemp, pumpkin, flax, hazel, macadamia), vegetables/fruit, and a strictly limited amount of animal products than if I were still eating pasta or bread. But that could also be because the body can simply utilize the so-called food combining better. We now know that protein doesn't mix well with high carbohydrate intake. My breakfast is therefore almost entirely carbohydrate-based, as it gives me a faster start to the day. At lunch, I mainly eat fats (salad dressing, nuts) combined with a few carbohydrates from vegetables, and in the evening, I eat protein with vegetables. Dessert in the evening consists of papaya or pineapple, perhaps with an apple, as these fruits help my digestion, which has been weak since birth, to break down protein better and reliably rise to the throne in the morning.
Tip from Nives Haag
blogs at niveskocht.at
"My blood sugar level remains constant, so I no longer experience energy dips or cravings. I automatically reached my ideal weight without having to count calories or go to the gym."
Tip from Michael Schmeißer
blogs at steinzeitgourmet.de
"I feel significantly fitter and more productive. I can even go long periods without food without suffering from fatigue, persistent hunger, or anything like that."
Tip from Romy Dollé
blogs at romydolle.com
"I have more energy, I hardly ever get sick anymore, I've reached my weight loss goal, and I'm more relaxed."
Tip from Lars Brouwers and Torsten Fleischer
blogging on natuerlich-essen.net
"We see the greatest benefit in fundamentally considering food as medicine. To paraphrase Hippocrates: "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." In our blog "Eat Naturally - Be Healthy Today!" we consistently highlight the ingredients in food and their effects, and we want to raise our readers' awareness of how they can activate and support their self-healing powers."
Tip from Krisztina Henning
blogs at paleo-paradies.de
" I personally no longer suffer from allergies (hay fever, pollen, dust mites, etc.), and my asthma is also completely gone. This is a huge improvement in my quality of life, as I was severely affected by it for four months of the year since childhood. My husband could never eat fruit, he was severely allergic – just eliminating dairy products allows him to enjoy all kinds of fruit now."
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Why should we humans rely on the Paleo diet?
When we delve deeper into the Paleo diet, we quickly encounter new challenges that modern society brings with it. Mindfulness , sustainability, and environmental awareness come into play—challenges our ancestors had little to do with. Here are a few good reasons why we should embrace the Paleo diet and lifestyle:
Tip from Julia Tulipan
blogs at paleolowcarb.de
"The question of the "perfect diet" is a hot topic. Unfortunately, political ideologies are often confused with scientific facts. We know that with the beginning of the Neolithic Revolution and the transition from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a sedentary lifestyle, our health declined. But we don't have to look very far back to see this point confirmed. At the beginning of the 19th and 20th centuries, there were still some traditional hunter-gatherer cultures. Missionaries and colonial rulers documented the health of the "savages" very precisely. No matter where in the world, one thing is clear from all documents – the "savages" are much healthier than their colonial rulers. Cancer, heart attacks, dementia, high blood pressure, diabetes – were practically unheard of. With the advance of "civilization" and, above all, the introduction of Western foods such as sugar, highly processed flours, and alcohol, this changed rapidly. Within a few decades, there was no longer any difference between the natives and the colonial rulers.
So, why should we as humans embrace the Paleo diet? A contemporary Paleo diet is the closest thing we can get to a species-appropriate diet. I want to make one thing clear: It's not about living like we did in the Stone Age. We can't turn back time. It's about applying the principles of a diet to our modern world, which has been shaped by millions of years of evolution.
On this topic, I can recommend the new book by Gary Taubes: "The case against sugar"
Tip from Christian Kollitsch
blogs at prinzippaleo.de
"With the Paleo diet, we eat in a way that has always been most beneficial for our body and mind, completely naturally. The Paleo diet provides us with all the nutrients necessary for a vital and healthy life. Those who live Paleo respect their environment, consider the welfare of animals, and develop an awareness of sustainability and active health promotion."
Tip from Felix Olschewski
blogs at urgeschmack.de
" The Paleo diet is a good starting point on the path to your optimal diet. Everyone has different needs and requirements – some exercise more, others less, and others don't want to completely avoid grains. Therefore, the Paleo diet is only suitable as a basic dietary framework. Everyone has to make their own adjustments."Tip from Sascha Röhler
blogs at paleohackz.com
" Because we have been adapted to it since prehistoric times and our genes "almost always" have problems with new/modern and processed foods like milk, grains, and legumes."
Tip from Simon Hirschhofer
blogs at spicyslice.ch
" I'm not in favor of everyone following the Paleo diet. For example, I've discovered that oats (as porridge) are good for me and I really enjoy them. So why should I leave them out? I think everyone should eat the way they want and can, because people have a right to free will and free opinion.
Just as I don't like vegans preaching their ideology, I don't like people preaching the Paleo idea. That's why I don't do that, and that's why I can't answer that question. People should eat in a way that's good for them, that makes them feel good, and that corresponds to their philosophical outlook."
Tip from Nives Haag
blogs at niveskocht.at
" Because with Paleo, we regain our connection to our food and thus return to the essentials. Often, things have to be quick and cheap: it's tempting to buy highly processed products, which are unfortunately very unhealthy and no longer have much to do with "real food." Paleo is about foods that have existed for thousands of years and that occur in nature just as they do. I see it as a countermovement to fast and convenience food, which is making our society increasingly fatter and sicker."
Tip from Michael Schmeißer
blogs at steinzeitgourmet.de
" To naturally improve health, well-being, and our mental and physical performance. For people with illnesses and conditions, Paleo can help them get healthy."
Tip from Romy Dollé
blogs at romydolle.com
" For personal health and our environment."
Tip from Lars Brouwers and Torsten Fleischer
blogging on natuerlich-essen.net
" In our view, a species-appropriate diet is most closely aligned with evolutionary development. We believe that not only did hunter-gatherer cultures in the Paleolithic period provide themselves with seasonal, regional, and natural foods, but that we, as modern and civilized humans, should also eat as species-appropriately as possible."
Tip from Krisztina Henning
blogs at paleo-paradies.de
"If we look critically and consciously around our families and surroundings, we notice an increasing number of minor and major illnesses – be it high blood pressure, obesity, or even irritable bowel syndrome. This realization is harsh but true: we are making ourselves sick with our food. To avoid (and yes, even cure) illnesses, it is essential to pay attention to our diet, eliminate unhealthy foods from our diet, and ensure regular exercise."
Tip from Monica Schlatter
blogging at kochennachpaleo.ch
" Because this is the diet our bodies have adapted to over many millennia."
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"Paleo, what's allowed?"
Many people wonder what they can eat on a Paleo diet. Another common misconception is that following a Paleo diet is much more difficult.
We can tell you there's not much truth to that. Admittedly, you won't be able to add some of the items to your shopping list anymore, but that might be a good thing once you know what the individual foods can do to your body.
This is exactly where Paleo comes in. The Stone Age diet aims to protect you from nasty antinutrients or proteins like gluten and lectins.
"Paleo, what can I eat?"
Dairy products, refined sugar, and grains are a no-go on the Paleo diet. If you want to eat according to the Paleo diet, then eggs, fish, meat, nuts, and all other non-processed foods should dominate your diet. French fries, breaded schnitzel, ice cream, and the like are therefore out of the Paleo kitchen. Carbohydrates are not completely eliminated, but simply reduced to healthy carbohydrates. Unhealthy sources of carbohydrates, such as legumes or grains, are excluded. Legumes, such as beans, peas, lentils, and the like, contain large amounts of lectins and phytic acid. Lectins often damage the intestines, and phytic acid prevents the human body from digesting many of their minerals. Furthermore, legumes contain no nutrients that your body cannot obtain from other sources—thus, unnecessary carbohydrates!
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What is the Paleo lifestyle?
The Paleo lifestyle is natural exercise, mindfulness, sustainability, naturalness, restful sleep and lots of sunshine.
A complete overhaul of current social lifestyles, so to speak. As office athletes, we sit at our desks for increasingly longer periods, which damages our entire musculoskeletal system. On top of that, we don't get enough sunlight because we prefer to spend our lunch breaks in front of a screen for fear of not getting the work done. We constantly feel rushed and stressed, so it's no wonder that all we want to do in the evening is collapse on the couch in front of House of Cards. But by doing so, you disrupt your circadian rhythm and melatonin production is inhibited. The result is poor sleep quality. But sleep has a decisive impact on your mental and physical performance, regardless of whether you're a professional athlete or an office worker. You need the right amount of good sleep to be able to fully dive into your training the next day or to rock that presentation.
Luckily, there's already a community of experienced Paleo practitioners, and they're sharing their best tips with you.
What is your #1 tip for people who want to start the Paleo lifestyle?
Tip from Julia Tulipan
blogs at paleolowcarb.de
"Don't let perfect be the enemy of good" – just start. Every change is a step in the right direction. Don't let fanatics unsettle you. Less grain and more good fats are a good start.
Tip from Christian Kollitsch
blogs at prinzippaleo.de
"Three aspects that matter: knowledge, organization and planning, and perseverance!
Those who know a lot are more secure in the saddle, so read, listen, and watch a lot. Organization and planning are half the battle. In "tough" times, this way, you stay on the ball. Perseverance is rewarded. Always."
Tip from Felix Olschewski
blogs at urgeschmack.de
" Start. Right now. You have the privilege, the right, and the responsibility to take care of yourself."Tip from Sascha Röhler
blogs at paleohackz.com
" Eat less often (max: 2-3 meals a day). So skip breakfast and instead exercise lightly and easily on an empty stomach."
Tip from Simon Hirschhofer
blogs at spicyslice.ch
"Don't eliminate everything from zero to one hundred. I've also gradually replaced things; your body will thank you, as your intestinal flora also needs to adapt.
Then you should pay attention to what your body tells you: That means, if I feel like eating fennel, then I eat fennel.
It's also important to enjoy your hunger between meals. That was true in the Stone Age, too, and we now know that hunger triggers important processes in the body. I don't believe the myth of "without hunger." Energy, on the other hand, should be constant, but that's a different topic.
Furthermore, I think it's important, after the gradual adjustment period (see above), to be really strict and eat strictly according to the Paleo plan for a while. After that, everyone can try to reintroduce some things, but stick to the rules—non-Paleo-compliant foods should still not become a staple diet.
When it comes to meat and fish, everyone should experiment to see how much is good for them in the long run. Too much protein is toxic, and I learned the hard way that while protein is important, it also needs to be balanced. I now eat a ratio of about 1:5, which is high in protein (but fatty foods) to plant-based foods (vegetables, fruit, and nuts) without much protein. Good protein foods are fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, generally fish eaten whole, skin on, head on, and all), meat on the bone, chicken with skin, mushrooms, and some seeds (e.g., pumpkin). I don't eat eggs.
Tip from Nives Haag
blogs at niveskocht.at
"Just start and convince yourself of the positive effects. It's about consistency, not perfection. Once you've flipped the switch in your head, many habits like bread suddenly seem like mere filler that no longer satisfies you. You should also understand that Paleo is not a diet but a holistic lifestyle that, in addition to nutrition, includes exercise, sleep, and general well-being through stress reduction, as well as a sustainable lifestyle in harmony with nature. Quality is more important than quantity; especially with animal products, the origin and treatment of the animals is an important decision-making factor when purchasing."
Tip from Michael Schmeißer
blogs at steinzeitgourmet.de
"Cold turkey...:-) So really try it for 30 days and don't give up after just two. You can make an exception later."
Tip from Romy Dollé
blogs at romydolle.com
"Don't follow a 'guru,' but rather critically examine the topic and use various sources."
Tip from Lars Brouwers and Torsten Fleischer
blogging on natuerlich-essen.net
"Follow the rule of three: exercise on an empty stomach, eat a maximum of two or three meals a day, and eat grains and bread products only twice a week (cheating days). Let's go!"
Tips from Krisztina Henning
blogs at paleo-paradies.de
1. First, strictly follow the Paleo diet for 2-3 months and consciously notice the changes and improvements in your body, health, and body image. This will help you stick with it later.
2. Many Paleo gurus forbid you from replicating Paleo foods like Paleo bread or Paleo pasta, even after this transition phase. I think that's wrong – if the occasional consumption of such foods is prohibited, many people will unfortunately give up on Paleo after a short time – after all, we live in a world where people around us are constantly eating pizza and pasta. I think it's better to occasionally indulge in such "sins" made with permitted ingredients than to eventually give up on the healthy Paleo diet completely because of the lack of them.
Tip from Monica Schlatter
blogging at kochennachpaleo.ch
"Eat real whole food!"
So what are you waiting for? It's time to take control of your life and your health and make more conscious decisions about what you eat and how you interact with your environment. Your well-being, your mental performance, and your body will thank you.
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Which foods are Paleo?
True to the "hunter-gatherer" motto, anything you can fish, hunt, or gather is allowed on the Paleo diet, because no one expects you to go hunting with a spear or fishing rod. However, Paleo recipes aren't boring; they can be extremely varied. From zucchini spaghetti to sweet potato waffles to ordinary steak – you'll find everything. A good Paleo breakfast might consist of an omelet, a green smoothie, or a Bulletproof coffee .
To give you an even more precise idea of what you can and can't eat on a Paleo diet, we've created two lists for you: 10 foods you can and can't eat on a Paleo diet. Of course, there are many more foods on both sides. These lists are intended only to give you an idea and serve as inspiration for the Paleo diet.
Recommended paleo-compliant foods:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Nuts
- Mushrooms
- high-quality fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado)
- eggs
- Meat (especially game and pasture-fed meat)
- Fish and mussels
- (raw) honey
No-go foods on Paleo:
- Cereals and products made from cereals (pasta)
- Legumes (including peanuts)
- Milk and all dairy products
- refined sugar
- Foods with a lot of starch (e.g. potatoes)
- (Industrial) salt
- Fast food
- sweets
- Inferior oils (rapeseed, palm and sunflower oil)
Take-Home Message #3: The Paleo diet has been described as a Stone Age diet, and that's pretty accurate, because you're only allowed to eat foods that existed 20,000-30,000 years ago. Anything processed is taboo. This way, you get back to primal tastes and detoxify your body so you can focus your energy and use it productively.
The Bulletproof Method - the perfect complement to the Paleo Diet
If you take a closer look at the foods you can use in your Paleo recipes, you'll see that they're often foods that contain a lot of fat. This sets off alarm bells for many people, as fat often has a bad reputation as an unhealthy fattening agent. This isn't true, as the Paleo diet only uses fats that are found naturally and that primarily provide your body with the energy you need to perform! The Bulletproof method, founded by Dave Asprey, is also based on this principle. Here, too, harmful substances, processed foods, and carbohydrates like wheat are eliminated from your diet. What remains is a lot of vegetables, meat, and fish, and above all, healthy fats. But what are these healthy fats? These fats include avocados, pasture-fed butter, and healthy oils.
BRAINEFFECT ROCKET C8, for example, provides you with ketogenic energy! Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) can be converted by your body into ketone bodies, which give you energy. A study from Mic-Gill University in Montreal has now confirmed this. The researchers found that medium-chain triglycerides are preferable to long-chain triglycerides.³
However, you can only achieve the state of ketosis , in which your body relies exclusively on medium-chain fats for energy and not on sugar, if you consume few carbohydrates and plenty of healthy fat. The foods of the Paleo diet can provide you with this type of diet! Ketosis has several advantages, as ketone bodies don't affect your blood sugar levels. This way, you're doing something for your mental performance. So, fats are good for your body; you just need to know which ones and how to consume them. The Paleo diet addresses this and offers you a positive effect on your health by reducing toxins and providing you with more power for your performance through ketosis!
Take-Home Message #4: In ketosis, your body burns more ketone bodies. These provide you with stable keto power!
Studies
- [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724493/
- [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26269362
- [3] http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/3/329.full
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