Anyone who knows me knows I can be very opinionated. And many of my close friends and family have already heard my opinion on the Paleo diet. Yes, I do believe this is a fad diet and I do not think it will promote long term health. If you follow the Paleo diet, don't hate me yet there are a few things I think are great about this diet.
The aspect of the Paleo diet that is perfectly aligned with my own nutrition beliefs is that is removes processed foods; it eliminates refined sugar; it eliminates dairy; it forces people into their kitchens to start preparing their food, which the majority of the time will be better than any convenience foods.
So what do I not like about the Paleo diet?
Well, I strongly believe that the best diet for us is a whole foods, plant-based diet. While I would classify the Paleo diet as made up primarily of whole foods it is most definitely not plant-based. I have talked with too many people who are in love with their new paleolithic way of eating because they can have as much meat and eggs as they please, as long as the products come from grass-fed and free range animals. The amount of fat and dietary cholesterol that is being consumed by people on the Paleo diet is surely going to catch up with them at some point. Only animal products have dietary cholesterol. Scientifically speaking where else could that cholesterol be going except to the arteries of the consumer?
But there are so many people who say they feel much better eating this diet!
Sure there are. Just like when people started eating Atkins they felt better at the beginning. The same way people who went gluten-free felt better when they first began eating that way. (There are about 1% of people who have Celiac and I recognize they do need to eat gluten-free). What I think these diets have in common is they lead people away from processed food. Well, duh, of course you will feel better eating more whole foods regardless of what they are. Processed food is often not even something I would consider food; it is just junk.
I have noticed with the gluten-free trend that although at first there was virtually no processed or convenience foods available the market has been inundated with them since the rise in popularity of going gluten-free. The food industry saw a huge opportunity to tap into the gluten-free demographic and I am sure they are profiting big time. But all those people who felt so much better at first, because they started eating more whole foods, less refined processed foods and probably started paying attention for the first time to what is actually in something on the grocery store shelves, are going to be so excited that life just got easier and start eating processed gluten-free food and after awhile they'll wonder why they aren't feeling as great anymore.
Since Paleo hit after gluten-free I'm expecting that there will be more processed Paleo-foods coming out as well. However the definition of the Paleo diet will not allow for as much processed foods and so I think possibly it could take much longer for faithful followers to experience detrimental effects, which I expect to show up in diet related diseases.
I could go on, but I have probably said enough. I don't expect the die hard Paleo dieters to listen to my opinion because those I've met are very committed to their way of eating. However, I'd recommend to seriously consider what the high amounts of dietary cholesterol being consumed will do long term inside a body- it can't be good.
If my opinion is not enough for you, or you would just like to read more I recommend this article: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/01/dont-eat-like-a-caveman/#.UYADnoXYL9l
The aspect of the Paleo diet that is perfectly aligned with my own nutrition beliefs is that is removes processed foods; it eliminates refined sugar; it eliminates dairy; it forces people into their kitchens to start preparing their food, which the majority of the time will be better than any convenience foods.
So what do I not like about the Paleo diet?
Well, I strongly believe that the best diet for us is a whole foods, plant-based diet. While I would classify the Paleo diet as made up primarily of whole foods it is most definitely not plant-based. I have talked with too many people who are in love with their new paleolithic way of eating because they can have as much meat and eggs as they please, as long as the products come from grass-fed and free range animals. The amount of fat and dietary cholesterol that is being consumed by people on the Paleo diet is surely going to catch up with them at some point. Only animal products have dietary cholesterol. Scientifically speaking where else could that cholesterol be going except to the arteries of the consumer?
But there are so many people who say they feel much better eating this diet!
Sure there are. Just like when people started eating Atkins they felt better at the beginning. The same way people who went gluten-free felt better when they first began eating that way. (There are about 1% of people who have Celiac and I recognize they do need to eat gluten-free). What I think these diets have in common is they lead people away from processed food. Well, duh, of course you will feel better eating more whole foods regardless of what they are. Processed food is often not even something I would consider food; it is just junk.
I have noticed with the gluten-free trend that although at first there was virtually no processed or convenience foods available the market has been inundated with them since the rise in popularity of going gluten-free. The food industry saw a huge opportunity to tap into the gluten-free demographic and I am sure they are profiting big time. But all those people who felt so much better at first, because they started eating more whole foods, less refined processed foods and probably started paying attention for the first time to what is actually in something on the grocery store shelves, are going to be so excited that life just got easier and start eating processed gluten-free food and after awhile they'll wonder why they aren't feeling as great anymore.
Since Paleo hit after gluten-free I'm expecting that there will be more processed Paleo-foods coming out as well. However the definition of the Paleo diet will not allow for as much processed foods and so I think possibly it could take much longer for faithful followers to experience detrimental effects, which I expect to show up in diet related diseases.
I could go on, but I have probably said enough. I don't expect the die hard Paleo dieters to listen to my opinion because those I've met are very committed to their way of eating. However, I'd recommend to seriously consider what the high amounts of dietary cholesterol being consumed will do long term inside a body- it can't be good.
If my opinion is not enough for you, or you would just like to read more I recommend this article: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/01/dont-eat-like-a-caveman/#.UYADnoXYL9l
