PALEO BASICS: 

The paleo diet is more of a lifestyle than a strict plan, it is derived from our ancestor’s traditional ‘hunt and gather’ way of life. Cordain (2010), explains how the paleo diet is based on the belief that our ancestors ate what nature provided them with. The concept of the paleo diet is that humans are designed and suited to eat based on our genetic makeup. Followers believe that the agricultural revolution has led to the population becoming unfit and overweight. To combat this, it makes sense to go back in time before the adoption of Western culture, when man was lean, fit and healthy, and embrace this ‘hunt and gather’ lifestyle.

IS PALEO RIGHT FOR YOU? 

Most modern diets, like a juice cleanse or detox, provide short-term results and are not considered as continuous healthy weight loss options. Paleo focusses on losing weight and gaining muscle by eating the right foods rather than counting calories and portion sizes. Compared to other fad crazes, the paleo diet is much more realistic to achieve as it does not restrict the amount of food a person consumes and consists of meals most people would regularly enjoy. Restricting salt, sugars processed foods, dairy, cereal grains, and most carbohydrate sources from the diet covers the weight loss portion of being fit. While eating lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and eggs provide nutrients to increase muscle mass (Cordain, 2010). Following the paleo diet does provide results, a 60-day study conducted by McKechnie, McKechnie, McKechnie, McKechnie, & Talreja (2015), found that a paleo diet reduced participants blood pressure and resulted in an average weight loss of 5.4kg. While paleo possesses beneficial qualities for healthy living, we will soon find out that it disregards major health standards.

THE SERIOUS STUFF
Meeting Australian Dietary Guidelines

According to Fedorowicz, Manheimer, Pijl, and Van Zuuren (2015), the paleo diet differs dramatically from the recommended Australian Dietary Guidelines, caused specifically by the exclusion of grains and dairy from the diet. The guidelines suggest consuming nutrients from each of the five major food groups (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2013). Paleo ignores two of the main groups and cuts out certain foods from the remaining, for example, legumes/beans from the vegetable and lean protein groups.

Meeting Nutritional Reference Values  

Below, in table 1, we compare the suggested daily intake of nutrients (National Health and Medical Research Council, 2014) to the nutrients obtained from following the paleo diet (Cordain, 2010)

	Nutrient Reference Values	Paleo
Protein	15-15%	19-35%
Fat	20-35%	28-47%
Carbohydrates	45-65%	22-40%

Table 1: Nutrient Reference Values against paleo diet nutrients.

As we can see, the paleo diet is high in protein and fat and low in carbs compared to recommended values. While 2/3 minimal values fall between the recommended, their overall percentages largely exceed, or in the case of carbohydrates, do not meet the standards.

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS 

Yes, paleo is a healthier option compared to other diets, however, it should not be adopted for long periods of time as it cuts out major nutrient sources. It must be conducted properly to ensure the fruit and vegetables consumed contain high amounts of carbohydrates as the intake is significantly low in the paleo diet. The body’s number one energy source is glucose, derived predominately from carbohydrates. This decrease in glycogen stores means the body must rely on fat and protein stores as an energy source. Therefore, we do not recommend the paleo diet for athletes with high levels of physical activity.

The rules of strictly no sugars and processed foods is practically impossible to comply with living in today’s society. A balance of exercise and healthy foods with a rewarding occasional taste of the no-so-healthy-stuff is the key to an ideal lifestyle and wellbeing.

Reference List

Cordain, L. (2010). Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Foods You Were Designed to Eat. Retrieved from: https://ebookcentralproquestcom.ez.library.latrobe.ed u.au/lib/latrobe/reader.action?docID=706889&query=

Fedorowicz, Z., Manheimer, E., Pijl, H., & Van Zuuren, E. (2015). Paleolithic nutrition for metabolic syndrome: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 102(4), 922-932. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.113613

McKechnie, C., McKechnie, J., McKechnie, M., McKechnie, R., & Talreja, D. (2015). Abstract: 11965. Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Through a Paleolithic Diet. Circulation, 132(Suppl 3), A11965. Retrieved from: http://circ.ahajournals.org.ez.library.latrobe.edu.au/content/132/Suppl_3/A1 1965

National Health and Medical Research Council.  (2013). Australian Dietary Guidelines. Retrieved from: https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/n55

National Health and Medical Research Council. (2014). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. Retrieved from https://www.nrv.gov.au/chronicdisease/summary