What Is The Paleo Diet? Details, Recipes, Benefits & Drawbacks | Elizabeth Rider

The “Paleo Diet” has risen in popularity so let’s chat about what it means so you can use some of its benefits. While I don’t believe that we need to label our diets, remove whole food groups like beans & lentils, or stick to strict “diet” rules, one of the biggest benefits of the Paleo diet is that it focuses on real food.

Paleo is short for “Paleolithic”, and the idea is that the paleo diet takes us back to our roots of hunting and gathering – a time when humans picked, hunted, and foraged for their food.

The Paleo diet has gained some significant popularity over the last two decades, and proponents claim that the eating style can help with everything from reducing inflammation to aiding in weight loss.

But what goes into eating Paleo, and what are some of the best Paleo meals that can help you expand your horizons? I love exploring different dietary styles and flavors, so let’s dig in and take a look at how you can try Paleo out yourself!

What Is The Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet is an eating pattern that is designed to mimic our ancient ancestors. Back in the Paleolithic era, hunter-gatherers spent a lot of time chasing down food and gathering what they could from the world around them.

The Paleolithic era (which ended around 10,000 years ago) gave way to the development of agriculture and industrialized food production. Many proponents of the Paleo lifestyle claim that our bodies are designed to operate best on these ancient eating methods – and that our current industrial food processing isn’t best for us.

While the science varies, the ingredients within the Paleo diet align pretty closely with some other popular eating styles – focusing on unprocessed foods and leaning on more natural ingredients.

• Lean meats, especially from grass-fed animals
• Fish and seafood
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Eggs
• Healthy oils (olive, walnut, flaxseed, avocado)

But what really interests me about the Paleo diet is what isn’t included – foods that our pre-agricultural ancestors would have had:

• Grains (wheat, oats, rice)
• Legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts)
• Dairy products
• Refined sugar
• Salt
• Highly processed foods
• Potatoes (in stricter versions)

As you can imagine, this does limit your options as to what you can and can’t eat. But with a bit of creativity, you can make some excellent dishes!

Should I Try The Paleo Diet?

If you are looking to try out a unique way of eating, the Paleo diet could help you beyond just restricting processed and agricultural-age foods. Here are some reasons why many give the Paleo diet a try:

Paleo Simplifies Your Food Decisions

The Paleo diet does offer a pretty clear framework when it comes to nutritional advice. By reducing the options based on evolutionary principles, Paelo simplifies your food-related decisions.

Paleo Keeps You Away From Processed Foods

Are you looking to get back to nature – really back to nature? The Paleo diet focuses on whole, natural foods and can help you steer clear of processed foods that could be full of additives and preservatives.

Paleo Might Bring Health Benefits

While many claim some impressive benefits when it comes to eating Paleo, I do think that getting back to a simplified, natural diet can help treat a lot of health issues that come from our more processed life. Many claim they’ve experienced weight loss, improved energy levels, better digestion, clearer skin, and reduced inflammation. 

The Paleo diet does have a pretty big following, so getting into the culture gives you tons of options that others might have already figured out.

That said, here are some of my favorite Paleo-friendly recipes that you can try out yourself!

5 Easy Paleo Diet Recipes to Try

If you are curious about putting Paleo into action, here are some delicious and approachable recipes to try out!

Is The Paleo Diet Right For Everyone?

While many people may thrive on a Paleo diet, it may not be the best option for everyone. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you try out any Paleo recipes:

Individual Variation: We all have different backgrounds, activity levels, and health conditions. You may want to speak with your doctor before making any big changes. Some people do say that they feel better by adding some grains or legumes to a Paleo diet.

Life Stage Considerations: Sometimes, life doesn’t give you much space to explore eating styles like Paleo – and that’s okay! Some individuals, such as children, pregnant or nursing women, and older adults have nutritional needs that you’ll want to pay close attention to if you are thinking about a Paleo diet.

Pre-existing Conditions: People with certain health conditions like kidney disease may need to modify the Paleo diet, as it’s typically high-protein. 

Lifestyle Factors: Make sure to think about how the Paleo approach aligns with your lifestyle, budget, and other family considerations. As always, the most helpful diet is one you can actually maintain!

If you aren’t sure about the Paleo diet, you can create a more hybrid method. Many experts suggest that individuals take Paleo principles and adapt it to their lifestyle rather than dive right into the restrictive diet.

Can You Keep Up With Your Ancestors?

The Paleo diet is pretty interesting, and it definitely simplifies things when it comes to what you can add to your recipes. Luckily, creating great-tasting recipes with Paleo principles doesn’t have to be complicated! These recipes should get you started on exploring the options, and you might just find a new favorite along the way.

Remember that the Paleo diet isn’t for everyone. In fact, the “perfect” diet is highly individual. Instead of thinking of Paleo as an all-or-nothing diet, think of it more as a template that can be customized based on your health needs and how your body responds.

Whether you embrace Paleo fully or simply incorporate some of its principles, moving toward more whole foods and fewer processed items is a step in a positive direction for most people.

Have any tips or favorite Paleo diet recipes? Let me know in the comments.

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