In this lesson, you will learn about the Paleo diet. The Paleo diet is named after the Paleolithic era, when early humans roamed the Earth. The idea behind this WOE is that we should eat what we evolved to eat. The Paleo diet is modelled after what humans ate 2.5 million – 10,000 years ago.

Paleolithic Eating – Hunting & Gathering

Early humans were hunters and gatherers. They chased their meat and foraged for fruits and vegetables. This WOE existed before humans farmed. The high rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease seen today are thought to be linked to the way we live now. We are highly sedentary and eat more carbs/sugar than early humans.

This diet has several benefits: for example, weight loss and improved glucose and appetite control. These benefits can help with managing chronic pain.

In the paleo diet, you would eat whatever you could have hunted and gathered thousands of years ago. In general, this means grass-fed animals (today’s livestock), wild game, and fish. Further, we could have gathered fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. As for hydration, early humans most likely only drank water.

Back in the paleolithic era, we did not eat grains, legumes, or dairy. These are all things that we figured out how to farm later in history. This means no wheat, barley or oats. So, bread and pasta are not part of this diet. Additionally, this diet avoids beans, lentils, peanuts and peas. Dairy, like cheese and milk, is not included either.

Most importantly, processed foods and excess salt and sugar are not included in the paleo diet. A simple trick is to consider if it was made in a factory or not. Don’t eat anything that has many steps between the main ingredients to the finished product, requiring chemical processes or added sugar/salt.

Good choices on the Paleo diet

For the purpose of this section, we will discuss what to choose based on macronutrients. Below, you will read about what protein, carb, and fat sources are best on the paleo diet.

Proteins

Early humans hunted large mammals, birds, and fish. Meat like beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are paleo friendly. You would want to stay away from meats with high saturated fats like bacon and sausages. Choose lean cuts of meat like lean pork loin or lean beef sirloin tip. Skinless chicken and turkey are also a good lean choice for meat.

When choosing fish, aim for those that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. As mentioned in previous lessons, this includes salmon, tuna, mackerel, and anchovies. These fish have anti-inflammatory properties and can help relieve pain. Shrimp and shellfish can also be consumed in this diet. Overall, wild-caught seafood is best.

Eggs are another excellent source of protein. Further, you can get eggs that are fortified with omega-3s. However, egg yolks are high in cholesterol. High cholesterol can lead to heart disease. Eaten in moderation (a couple times a week), eggs are also a great source of vitamins. A good paleo diet snack is a couple of hard-boiled eggs.

Carbs

In this WOE, your carb sources will be fruits and vegetables. Imagine yourself foraging for these edible plants. As grains are not fit for the paleo diet, there is no bread or pasta (even whole grain).

As you know, fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Choose fruits like apples, berries, avocadoes, and bananas, and vegetables, like kale, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and broccoli.

Salads are great to include as sides for any meal in this WOE.

Fats

Nuts and seeds are good sources of healthy fats in the paleo diet. They are good as a snack or as a salad topper. Pick nuts, like almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts, and seeds, like sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

As previously mentioned, nuts are high in calories, but they help keep you full. They’re full of protein, monounsaturated fats, and fiber. Make sure to choose nuts and seeds that are raw and unsalted; otherwise, they are too processed for this WOE.

You can use oils that are sourced from nuts or fruits, for example, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the best oils for fighting inflammation and relieving pain. These oils can be used in salad dressings or as cooking oils.

A Surprising Paleo Indulgence

In the Paleo diet, you can indulge with dark chocolate. Dark chocolate, with high cocoa content, is chock full of minerals and antioxidants. It has iron, magnesium, and potassium. Further, the antioxidant power in dark chocolate is more than most fruits. However, chocolate does have sugar in it. So, it should be enjoyed in moderation.

Importance of Exercise

The Paleo diet doesn’t just describe a WOE, it describes a lifestyle. In order to grab the most benefit from this diet, exercise is important. Early humans were extremely active. They had to run, chase, and climb to get their meals.

Don’t worry, you won’t have to run before each meal. However, try to get some regular light-to-moderate activity. A nice morning walk, yoga, water aerobics, or biking are examples of low impact exercises. With chronic pain, exercise is important; however, it is more important that you don’t overdo it. 

Example Meal

In this section, you will see some examples of dishes in the paleo diet. We’ll analyze one in detail but include more for you to consider.

This recipe, One-Pan Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus comes from Delish. There is an easy-to-follow video on how to make it. It’s simply cooked in one pan.

What’s so good about this recipe?

Chicken is a great lean protein source. Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, asparagus, and tomatoes have antioxidants. Balsamic vinegar has lots of flavor but is low in fat and sugar, and olive oil has omega-3s. Further, asparagus and tomatoes provide fiber and vitamins A, C and K.

Therefore, this meal is anti-inflammatory and high in protein and vitamins. If you watch the amount of salt that goes into the dish, then it’s the perfect paleo creation.

Other example meals are Broiled Salmon (Delish), Beef Shish Kabobs (Paleo Leap), Sheet Pan Garlicky Shrimp and Veggies (Delish), Strawberry Pecan Chicken Salad (Paleo Leap).

Other example paleo meals can be found online.

Reflect

Is there anything you’ve learned in this lesson that you can apply to your current diet? How does the diet and lifestyle of early humans inspire you to adapt your current diet and lifestyle?

Can you find a paleo recipe you would like to try?

Before proceeding to the next lesson, you must take the next quiz.

References

Beals, K. A. (2016). Pondering Paleo: Is a Paleolithic Diet the Key to Achieving Optimal Health and Athletic Performance? ACSMʼs Health & Fitness Journal, 20(6), 18-25. doi:10.1249/fit.0000000000000253

Delish. (2017, September 21). Broiled Salmon. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a55654/best-broiled-salmon-recipe/

Frassetto, L. A., Schloetter, M., Mietus-Synder, M., Morris, R. C., & Sebastian, A. (2009). Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 63(8), 947-955. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.4

Gunnars, K. (2018, August 1). The Paleo Diet: A Beginner’s Guide Plus Meal Plan. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/paleo-diet-meal-plan-and-menu#section6

Handler, Rian. (2019, March 22). One-Pan Balsamic Chicken and Asparagus. Delish. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a54291/one-pan-balsamic-chicken-and-asparagus-recipe/

Kim, Judy. (2017, February 1). Sheet Pan Garlicky Shrimp and Veggies. Delish. https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipes/a51341/sheet-pan-garlicky-shrimp-and-veggies-recipe/

Lindeberg, S., Jönsson, T., Granfeldt, Y., Borgstrand, E., Soffman, J., Sjöström, K., & Ahrén, B. (2007). A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia, 50(9), 1795-1807. doi:10.1007/s00125-007-0716-y

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, August 25). Paleo Diet: What is it and why is it so popular? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182

PaleoLeap. (n.d.). Simple Beef Shish Kabobs. https://paleoleap.com/simple-beef-shish-kabobs/

PaleoLeap. (n.d.). Strawberry Pecan Salad. https://paleoleap.com/strawberry-pecan-salad/