One question I often get asked is what I think of various
diets. The Paleo diet is one of these, and seems to have become very popular amongst fitness circles, cafes and even restaurants. But do we really have to go back in time to become healthy individuals, and is this diet really sustainable in the long term? These are just a couple of questions I posed to Bronwyn Goddard, who has kindly put on her white dietetic coat to give us a review of this ever-so-popular diet.
I am so delighted to introduce Bronwyn as today's guest blogger. Not only is Bronwyn a dedicated student at the Queensland University of Technology (the same university that I studied at), but Bronwyn and her family are also very close to my heart. You see, it was many years ago that I met Bronwyn, back when we were both training hard as gymnasts in Brisbane. Thanks to facebook we've stayed in touch, and it was not so long ago that I was over the moon to find out that Bronwyn had pursued a career in dietetics.
Bronwyn Goddard is currently studying nutrition and dietetics at QUT in Brisbane. She enjoys every opportunity to travel the world, experiencing a variety of weird and wonderful cuisines as she goes. Bronwyn aspires to work internationally, improving the lives and nutrition of underprivileged children living in third world countries. Connect with Bronwyn on LinkedIn
Introducing the Paleo Diet The Atkins diet, Tony Ferguson, the grapefruit diet, the one-food-diet, the Dukan diet, the blood type diet… the list goes on! With so many different diets on the market – many claiming to be the new “miracle weight loss diet”, how do you know which one to follow, which one gives the best results, and which is the healthiest? Let’s take a closer look at the Paleo diet and see how it measures up.
What is the Paleo Diet?The paleolithic diet, more commonly referred to as the ‘paleo’ diet, is an increasingly popular weight loss diet. ‘Paleolithic’ refers to the “early phase of the Stone Age, lasting about 2.5 million years, when primitive stone implements were used”. Accordingly, the paleo diet is an extension of this, encouraging us to eat as our ancient ancestors did – hopefully without needing to use primitive stone implements in the process!
What makes the Paleo Diet popular?The paleo diet markets itself by claiming that our ancestors (who followed this diet day-in day-out) were free of many diseases now very common throughout society. These include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis - just to name a few. Some research suggests that the paleo diet reduces “bad” cholesterol levels – preventing cardiovascular disease. This may have some merit, as cholesterol levels are affected by certain types of fats consumed in our diet. The typical Western diet consists of many processed foods, including processed meats, takeaway foods and baked goods, which often contain high amounts of saturated or trans-fats, more commonly known as the “bad” fats. On the other hand, the paleo diet is rich in nuts, seeds, and fish, all of which contain unsaturated fats or “good” fats. These have been found to have the opposite effect, improving cholesterol levels. Whilst our ancient ancestors were free of these various chronic diseases, their life expectancy was also much shorter than it is today – so many would not live long enough to develop these diseases.
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| Paleo pyramid - What to eat |
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| Paleo pyramid - What not to eat |
Is the Paleo Diet good for us?
If we rewind 35,000 years, and consider the diet of our ancestors; at first glance it seems relatively healthy. After all, the paleo diet is rich in fresh meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts, all of which are components of a healthy diet. To its credit, the paleo diet is free from refined sugars and processed foods, which are consumed in abundance in the typical western diet. However, the paleo diet restricts dairy foods, cereals, grains and legumes, which are very nutritious and important components of a balanced diet. Research suggests that both dietary changes and increasingly sedentary lifestyles have contributed to the increased prevalence of chronic disease throughout society since Paleolithic times. Dietary changes include the introduction of trans-fats into food production, reduced intake of various vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fibre and increased intake of carbohydrate foods with a high glycaemic index. As the paleo diet restricts processed foods, and encourages whole foods, it is no surprise that people following this diet have improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels, with or without weight loss.
Whilst the paleo diet promotes positive dietary changes through reducing intake of processed foods, it is unbalanced and restricts core food groups which can lead to poor health outcomes. For example, restricting dairy foods can compromise bone health, as dairy foods (such as milk, yoghurt and cheese) are rich in calcium. As calcium is essential for maintaining bone strength, in the long term, poor calcium intake can contribute to the development of osteoporosis later life.
Is the paleo diet a suitable weight loss diet?They say variety is the spice of life, and as the paleo diet is reasonably restrictive in the types of foods you can eat - it is likely that such a restrictive diet will get pretty boring, pretty quickly. Typically, high protein diets such as the paleo diet cause rapid weight loss. This is because these diets often restrict carbohydrate foods – which break down into glucose and provide “fuel” for our brain and body to function properly. When we don’t eat enough carbohydrates, our body compensates, and gets its “fuel” by breaking down our muscle stores. The rapid weight loss experienced reflects this loss of muscle mass, not body fat. In addition, the paleo diet also restricts dairy foods which contain calcium - a very important nutrient for our bone health. There is a very strong association between poor calcium intake and the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
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Paleo principles can be helpful, but don't forget to include dairy
foods like yoghurt, and wholegrains in your everyday eating patterns. |
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Add legumes to your Paleo meals for a boost
of protein, low GI carbs and dietary fibre |
The paleo diet does promote healthy food choices, such as lean meats, foods high in healthy fats including fish, nuts and seeds, and there is no reason why these foods shouldn’t be incorporated into your usual diet. When it comes to sustainable, long term weight loss, it really is about having ‘everything in moderation’. Incorporating these elements of the paleo diet into your everyday life is a great idea – aiming for 2 serves of fresh fruit and 5 serves of fresh vegetables a day, opting for lean cuts of meat, having 2-3 serves of fish each week and limiting the amount of processed foods in your diet are all common elements of the paleo diet and a nutritious, balanced diet. The difference is not restricting food groups, such as dairy foods, cereals and grains, and legumes. Eating a variety of foods from all of the food groups will not only maintain variety and excitement in your diet, it will also ensure you receive all the nutrients you need to live a healthy and happy life!
Editor's comment:
Thanks Bron! I have no doubt that this will help answers a lot of questions for our readers. At the end of the day my thoughts are that reducing nutrient-poor, highly processed foods with added salt and sugar can only be a good thing, BUT don't forget to add wholegrains, legumes and dairy to your meals to bring them to complete fulfillment. Any questions for Bron? Feel free to post below!
