Nutrition Warriors

The Cave Man Diet or the Paleo Diet

 July 13th, 2012 

Nutrition science continues to reveal new findings — almost daily — about healthy eating. But some experts say all we need to do is eat like our Stone Age ancestors to be healthy.

The Caveman Diet, also called the Paleolithic (or Paleo), Stone Age, and Warrior diets, is a plan based on eating plants and wild animals similar to what cavemen are presumed to have eaten around 10,000 years ago.

Looking at the diet of other Mamals it makes sense to eat a higher protein/ fat based diet. Since adding more carbohydrates (processed foods in to our diets the brain has decreased in size and more modern dieseses have occured.

In biblical ages meat and fat were highly respected. The Greeks in the Iliad  write about fats and meats.  The Aborigines of Australia eat only meat and only eat plants in an emergency.    So how can a old fashioned food cause so many healthy problems in the modern world?  We don’t eat like our ancestors did.

The diet is based on the foods that could be hunted, fished, and gathered during the Paleolithic era — meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruits, and berries. At best, you can eat a modified version of the original diet that’s gluten-free and includes lean meat, organ meats, fish, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and nuts.

You won’t find any dairy, grains, sugar, legumes, potatoes, processed oils, and any foods that were grown after agriculture started.

On this diet, you’d skip salt and any drinks other than water, coconut water, or organic green tea.

You can satisfy your sweet tooth with raw honey or coconut palm sugar, but only in limited quantities.Supporters suggest eating organic plant foods, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed meats because they’re closer to the nutritional quality of the foods of our ancestors.

Like any diet I think this is a great concept but most people are not ready to eat such a rigid diet.  For example add raw milk to your diet. Raw milk helps with asthma, diabetes, and digestion.  Find what works best for you.