Background

Paleo is believed to be the diet of our ancestors, the so-called “Paleolithic Humans”, who lived at a time when most men would hunt for meat and fish, and most women would gather for other food sources AKA hunter-gatherers. If you want to learn more about the progression of our ancestors and the evolution of the Paleo Diet, I invite you to check out the work of Dr. Loren Cordain. He’s an evolutionary biologist that has been very influential in the modern Paleo movement, and is considered by some as the founder of the Paleo Diet.

The point of this guide isn’t to sway you into thinking the Paleo Diet is a cure-all, nor is it saying there are no pitfalls to the Paleo Diet. Rather, I’m going to discuss my theory as to why Paleo works. I’ll also provide you with a pros and cons list for some of the demonized foods discussed within Paleo, such as grains, dairy, legumes, processed sugars, and oils. Then, we’ll get more optimistic and discuss the benefits of eating meats, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds and some tubers.

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Why Paleo Works

Removing wheat, non-wheat grains, dairy, and nightshades removes proteins and amino acid sequences that could be aggravating your immune system. This is especially true for those of us with underlying gut issues and/or autoimmunity (Hashimoto’s, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, RA, etc).

“Going Paleo” usually results in people removing sources of excess calories from added-sugars and processed oils. Weight loss, achieved by creating a calorie deficit, is one of the main drivers of improvement in metabolic and immune markers. This CAN help create a caloric deficit for some people by following this strategy. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO GAIN WEIGHT EATING PALEO. If you eat more calories in beef and sweet potato than your body burns, it doesn’t matter where the calories come from, you will gain weight.

Many people develop a sort of “tribal” mindset, where they become a part of the “diet tribe” that is Paleo. Paleo Facebook Groups, Paleo Meetups, and Paleo cookbooks all give people a heightened sense of community. Speaking of ancestral, being a part of a community is about as “Paleo” as it gets. I think this sense of community is one of the main benefits behind any diet, whether it be Vegan, Keto, Carnivore, Fasting, etc.

Dairy

Dairy is a very umbrella-like term, encompassing everything from butter to greek yogurt. For the sake of time and complexity, I’m going to make more broad-spectrum comparisons.

Pros:

• Good source of calcium, fat-soluble vitamins (D, K)
• Complete amino acid profile
• Higher total protein per serving
• Fermentation offers live microorganisms for supporting gut health

Cons:

• Individuals with FODMAP sensitivity or lactose intolerance may have digestive issues
• Some may have immune responses to the main proteins in dairy, casein and whey (1)
• Many fats are saturated which, when consumed in excess, could lead to endotoxemia and other health issues

Grains

Grains covers a wide field as well, but know that I’m mostly referring to wheat, oat, rice, corn, and quinoa. I’m not referring to flours that can be made from these grains.

Pros:

• Carbohydrate dense foods for those needing more food/calories
• Source of fiber
• Fortified grains do provide vitamins for those who struggle to eat nutrient-dense foods
• BUT, you’re kind of missing the purpose of nutrition by adding nutrients to foods that don’t naturally contain them

Cons:

• Some are higher on the FODMAP end (namely wheat)
• Typically have higher carbohydrates relative to the fiber content/serving
• Potential heavy metal exposure (2)
• Potential immune responses to proteins in grains (gluten)

I see grains as more of a “filler-food.” Their main purpose for me is to provide excess carbs to support my exercise habits.

Legumes

Here I’m mostly referring to pinto, black, green, red kidney, and navy beans, as these are the most commonly planted in the US (3).

Pros:

• Good macronutrient ratios, such as fiber/carbs and protein/carbs per serving
• Good source of vitamins and minerals*
• Long shelf life

Cons:

• Antinutrients prevent absorption of some vitamins and minerals*
• Higher FODMAP content for those who are sensitive to them
• Potential heavy metal exposure, mostly from canned products (4)

*Pressure cooking supposedly reduces the amount of antinutrients, making the beans more digestible and therefore some of the nutrients more bioavailable (5).

Processed Sugars & Oils

Here I’m including any sort of sugar or oil that is added with food/drink manufacturing, or the highly-refined, high omega-6 vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, peanut, and canola.

Pros:

• Provide added shelf-life and ease of storage at room temperature
• Seemingly cheaper to mass produce, and therefore cheaper at the grocery store
• Extra calories for those who struggle to eat enough to support their lifestyle

Cons:

• Can be sources of hidden calories, think sugars and oils added to packaged foods such as baked goods, microwave dinners, and chips.
• High levels of omega-6 fats have implications for chronic, inflammatory disorders such as cardiovascular and inflammatory bowel diseases (6)
• Devoid of vitamins and minerals

Outside of the occasional baked good, or going out to eat, I think most people are better off avoiding these. There are far superior options of foods to choose from.

Food Choices

Said simply: meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and some tubers.

A common question I get from here is: “Do I need to buy organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed everything to get the health benefits?” If you want to take a deep dive into the differences in nutrient quality and health outcomes, I invite you to check out this article from Sigma Nutrition. If money is less of a concern, I’d go with as much organic and grass-fed as possible. If money is tight, for fruits and vegetables, check out EMGs clean 15 and dirty dozen list.

It also depends on where you’re coming from. If your previous diet was lots of fast food, processed foods, low in fruits and vegetables, then even going with non-organic “Paleo-approved” foods is a great option not because they’re specifically “paleo-approved,” but because they are nutrient-dense, minimally processed, whole foods.

Personally, I don’t believe the Paleo diet needs to be the diet you consume year-round. I think it functions very well as an elimination diet for those looking to improve their health, and specifically their gut health. I regularly eat greek yogurt, whey protein, oats, rice, and quinoa, things that would get me kicked out of the paleo community. However, I also like to rotate these foods. For example, I’ll remove quinoa for 2 weeks and replace them with oats, then I’ll take oats out for several weeks and replace them with rice, or I’ll switch over to vegan protein powders for weeks at a time instead of whey.

Last Minute Tips

Important to note: Dietary choices are just 1/5th of the health pie (Paleo-approved pie that is😉). Don’t forget about sleep hygiene, movement practices, stress management tactics, and life purpose as you construct your health pie called life.

If you’d like more specific guidance on how to use the Paleo diet, or how to incorporate it into your busy lifestyle, I highly encourage you to seek out a Functional Medicine Practitioner or a Chiropractic Physician. They can help provide you with a tailored, patient-centered approach to incorporating the Paleo diet to match your unique health needs.

As always, Trust in Your Gut.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for educational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose or treat any condition. Do not apply any of the information in this article without first speaking with your doctor.

References

Vojdani A, Kharrazian D, Mukherjee PS. The prevalence of antibodies against wheat and milk proteins in blood donors and their contribution to neuroimmune reactivities. Nutrients. 2013;6(1):15–36. Published 2013 Dec 19. doi:10.3390/nu6010015

Awata H, Linder S, Mitchell LE, Delclos GL. Association of Dietary Intake and Biomarker Levels of Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury among Asian Populations in the United States: NHANES 2011–2012. Environ Health Perspect. 2017;125(3):314–323. doi:10.1289/EHP28

Production Facts — US Dry Bean Council U. Production Facts — US Dry Bean Council. Production Facts. 2017. Available at: https://usdrybeans.com/industry/production-facts/. Accessed June 24, 2021.

Ainerua MO, Erhunmwunse N, Tongo I, Ezemonye L. Food toxicity assessment of selected canned foods in Nigeria. Toxicol Res. 2019;36(1):45–58. Published 2019 Nov 26. doi:10.1007/s43188–019–00001–9

Güzel D, Sayar S. Effect of cooking methods on selected physicochemical and nutritional properties of barlotto bean, chickpea, faba bean, and white kidney bean. J Food Sci Technol. 2012;49(1):89–95. doi:10.1007/s13197–011–0260–0