If you have been targeting a slimmer waistline as well as a healthier lifestyle, you might have read about the Paleo diet meal plan. Inspired by the eating patterns of the prehistoric man, the Paleolithic draws certain limitations on what can and cannot be consumed. Most Paleo diet experts agree on completely restricting the consumption of meats from commercially raised animals, processed sugary products and grains that have been put through countless processes of refinement. According to them, the artificiality of these food items is something that the human body is not naturally adaptable to, which is the reason why they are considered as major contributing factors towards many diseases that affect the human race today.
For those who are new to the idea of hunter-gatherer guide and wish to study it in further detail, it is important to understand the pros and cons that the Paleo diet meal plan can entail for them.
Pros and cons of Paleo diet meal plan:
Pros:
With the increasing support that Paleo diet meal plan has been garnering from professional nutritionist, it is quite evident that this nutrition system has a number of advantages. Some of these are:
Highly nourishing: With its complete non-reliance on the empty calories that fill in our diets today, the Paleolithic program chalks out a highly nutritious diet for its followers. To begin with, the diet completely relies on organically grown vegetables, fruits and animals, which are by far a healthier alternative to the commercially available vegetarian and meat products. Moreover, it is based on the principle of substituting the empty calories from bad carbohydrates with a high protein diet and natural fibers.
Helps maintain a healthy metabolic rate: Since the diet is completely based on naturally acquired foods, which were commonly consumed by the caveman, it improves an individual’s metabolism considerably. Scientists consider that the Paleo diet meal plan is what the human body is basically designed to consume, which is why it is easy to digest and getting accustomed to. Even the traces of natural sugar, fats and carbohydrates that you will find in some fruits and vegetables easily metabolized by body compared to the trans-fats and polysaccharides that do nothing but expand people’s waistline.
Effective towards weight loss: By banishing processed food items that are laden with refined sugars, carbohydrates and saturated fats, the Paleo diet meal plan provides a nutrition program that is perfect for those looking to shed a few pounds. Moreover, as part of the diet, the oils used for cooking, such as coconut, almond and olive oil, are also free of trans-fats, making them easily digestible for the body.
Cons:
The Paleo diet meal plan hardly has any disadvantages when it comes to the health aspect. It can, however, have a few practical downsides to it, which are listed below:
Requires you to completely overhaul your food habits and lifestyle: For most people who switch from the conventional foods to Paleolithic diet, the adjustment phase can take quite a bit of time, especially since during the early stages they may not have too much of a variety to bring into their Paleo cuisine. Moreover, considering the busy lifestyles that people generally have today, the caveman foods require advance planning and give no room for picking ready made food on the go in situations where individuals might be really hard pressed for time.
Heavier on the pocket: With limited food options, followers of Paleo diet meal plan often have to buy the permissible items on their caveman diet list for relatively higher costs than what they would be paying for their groceries otherwise. Since the diet is primarily based on meats from free-range and organically fed animals as well as organic fruits and vegetables products, it not only requires people to spend a significantly higher amount on their groceries but also does not provide them any room to replace the more expensive items with cheaper staples such as pasta or noodles.
The experts are still divided on what constitutes the Paleo diet meal plan: Books and information material written in support of the hunter-gatherer diet may show a general consensus on the background and purpose of the diet but usually differ from each other when it comes to the permissible food items.
For instance, some authors regard cashews among the forbidden items while others are not as strict about it. Similarly, there is a difference of opinion about the consumption of fruits while following the Paleolithic diet, with many proponents of the meal plan showing support towards the consumption of some fruits like avocado, citrus fruits and berries due to their high nutrient value, ability to cleanse the body of toxins and natural fiber. On the other hand, a good number of caveman diet experts forbid eating fruits since they contain natural sugars, which can prove to be detrimental if a person is trying to lose weight.