What Is the Paleo, or ‘Caveman,’ Diet Approach?
People who follow paleo opt for foods that some say Paleolithic-era people ate, says Amy Kubal, RDN, a registered dietitian specializing in the paleo diet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Once eaten in a hunter-gatherer society, a paleo menu consists of “very simple foods like meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and roots and tubers,” she says. On the other hand, you do not eat legumes, grains, most dairy, and refined sugar. Over time, the diet has become less strict, and some groups have expanded it to include foods like honey, maple syrup, or grass-fed butter.
“When you focus on whole foods, you’re definitely getting more nutrients, but the real benefit is the processed foods you’re cutting out — something that likely helps you cut calories. As long as this is well planned, you will likely lose weight,” says Kubal. Advocates for paleo also say that by adhering to the diet, you can avoid modern diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, explains U.S. News & World Report, which employs a team of experts to analyze popular diets. (3) That said, the studies that analyze paleo’s cardiovascular or diabetes-prevention benefits are extremely small. More research is needed to verify the diet’s claims.
