Paleo Diet Guide For Beginners

A subset of the Paleo diet, called the Primal diet, allows for a little more flexibility than strict Paleo. 
Primal eaters may enjoy grass-fed, full-fat (and preferably raw or fermented) dairy, sprouted legumes, quinoa, white and wild rice, and white potatoes.

 

1. Promotes Weight Loss

Cutting out refined carbs, eating more protein and healthy fats, and getting in plenty of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables are all part of the Paleo plan. The Paleo diet can help with weight loss, though results may be different for everyone. Some of the key aspects include cutting out refined carbs, increasing protein and healthy fats, and getting more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables.

You can lose weight by eating foods that are high in nutrients and healthy fats, and avoiding processed foods and refined sugars.

The plan encourages people to eat foods that are high in slow-digesting fiber, along with healthy fats and protein. These foods will increase satiety and reduce appetite.

Your weight-loss on a Paleo diet can be different from someone else’s, because it depends on variables such as your previous diet. Some people observe quick weight-loss after starting Paleo, yet for others it’s more gradual.

2. High in Protein

Protein is essential to maintaining overall health. It is vital for repairing and rebuilding tissue cells, maintaining normal blood sugar, transporting oxygen, healing wounds, and building muscle mass.

A lack of protein in your diet can cause a lot of different problems, like feeling tired all the time, getting sick more often, having a hard time paying attention, and taking a long time to heal from cuts and bruises.

The Paleo plan focuses on eating foods that are high in protein, such as grass-fed beef, poultry and seafood.

Super Amino 23 is a high-quality protein supplement with minimal impact on the body and maximum benefit. These predigested vegan protein tablets can help build lean muscle and burn fat.

3. Reduces Inflammation

Inflammation is a normal, protective response by the body’s immune system to foreign invaders. However, chronic inflammation contributes to many diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

The Paleo diet plan emphasizes eating a lot of anti-inflammatory foods, for example fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Fruits and vegetables contain many antioxidants, which scavenge the deleterious free radicals that contribute to inflammation in the body.

Nuts and seeds contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.

If you have an inflammatory or autoimmune condition, reducing inflammation may help relieve your symptoms. Examples of these conditions include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and ulcerative colitis.

Eating paleo emphasizes getting lots of heart-healthy fats and proteins into your meals to help you feel full and reduce your appetite.

Fat digests slowly, so you stay full for longer. A high-protein diet can reduce the hunger hormone, ghrelin, to reduce appetite.

Protein is known to increase metabolism and reduce the amount of calories you consume.

Additionally, the Paleo diet restricts foods such as refined grains and processed foods, which are generally digested quickly, resulting in spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, as well as increased hunger levels.

5. Corrects Nutrient Deficiencies

One of the main advantages of the Paleo diet is that it focuses on nutrient-rich foods rather than heavily processed or refined foods.

You can improve your health by eating more red meat, which is high in iron, or by eating more nuts and seeds, which are high in omega-3 fatty acids.  These choices supply important micronutrients that can help reduce a wide range of symptoms, from brain fog to chronic fatigue.

If you are not getting enough nutrients and are eating a lot of unhealthy food, switching to the Paleo diet might help you get more nutrients.

6. Regulates Blood Sugar

Although not as restrictive as a very low- or no-carb diet, Paleo does limit many types of carbohydrates, such as those found in cereal grains. This may have a positive effect on your blood sugar levels.

Paleo also emphasizes nutrients like fat and protein, which helps to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Following a Paleo diet may be more beneficial than following a diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association for people with diabetes, according to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The Paleo diet was found to be more effective than the conventional diabetes diet in improving blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity after two weeks.

In addition to diet, exercise, stress reduction, and hydration, other lifestyle factors can help prevent diabetes.

7. Supports Heart Health

The Paleo diet has the potential to be beneficial for heart health according to promising research. This diet has been shown to reduce several heart disease risk factors, helping to keep your heart healthy and strong.

In one study, following a Paleo diet for just five weeks significantly reduced blood pressure, triglycerides and cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women. Palo was shown to be effective in increasing levels of the good cholesterol HDL, which circulates through the bloodstream, clearing out fatty plaque and helping to prevent atherosclerosis.

 

A Paleo diet should provide everything you need! Ancestors did well on these diets, so a calorie- and nutrient-rich Paleo diet should work for you too.

If you don’t vary your diet on the Paleo plan, you might not get enough of some nutrients or too much of others. Some common levels to monitor include:

Vitamin D and Calcium

Most people following a Paleo diet do not consume dairy or fortified grain products, which means they may be unintentionally deficient in Vitamin D. This is especially true for those with an indoor lifestyle.

Dairy is not the only source of calcium; people eliminating dairy should be careful to eat other foods high in calcium.

Ferritin

When eating a Paleo diet, it is more common to have too much iron than too little. This is especially true for men and women who are not menstruating. Eating too much red meat may lead to high iron levels.

Cholesterol

If you eat foods that are high in cholesterol, your cholesterol level might go up. But that might not be a bad thing. You should find out your HDL cholesterol level (this is the good cholesterol) and compare it to your LDL cholesterol level (this is the bad cholesterol).

Trace Minerals

If you want to follow a Paleo diet, you should focus on eating whole foods and avoid processed foods. You can season your dishes with unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt if you need to add sodium or electrolytes to your diet.

Signs a Paleo Diet May Not Work

Although it may be the way our ancestors ate, that does not mean a strict Paleo diet is always best for people with modern lifestyles. If any of the following statements is true, it may be best to avoid a strict Paleo diet.

Paleo diets require more protein, with an emphasis on animal protein. If you’re a big meat-eater, the Paleo diet should work well with your lifestyle.

1. You won’t eat animal protein due to religious or moral views.

The Paleo diet focuses on moderate meat consumption as part of the philosophy of consuming a variety of animal protein. This is due to the higher protein and nutrient density of animal protein.

If you structure your diet around only eating eggs, fish (for pescetarians), and nuts/seeds, you may not be getting enough protein.

2. You have hyperlipidemia.

If your Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL) levels are too high, eating foods high in cholesterol (a common occurrence on a Paleo diet) may be too risky. Be sure to consult with your doctor to find out more.

3. You can’t afford grass-fed or pasture-raised protein.

The cost of ethically-raised meat is higher than that of meat from CAFOs because the latter is of lower quality in terms of nutrients and the presence of inflammatory compounds.

4. You require a high carbohydrate diet.

It’s possible to get most of your carbohydrates from Paleo approved foods, but it’s more difficult. If you require a higher carbohydrate intake, consider adding foods such as quinoa, white or wild rice, legumes, and white potatoes to your Paleo diet.

 

Suggestions for Safe Paleo Diet

If you want to try a Paleo diet, here are some tips on how to do it healthily.

1. Start with a 6-week trial period.

After six weeks of eating only whole foods, you should begin to feel better overall. Keep a daily journal documenting how you feel, and compare your entries from Week 1 to those of Week 6.

2. Make vegetables the heart of your meals.

A Paleo diet focus should not be on meat, contrary to some beliefs. Vegetables should be the main focus, with most of the plate being filled with non-starchy veggies. A starchy veggie and some protein should be added as well.

3. Consult a dietitian or qualified healthcare provider.

It is always helpful to have someone to support you. Collaborating with a dietitian or another qualified healthcare provider can ensure that you are eating the right amount of food and remaining healthy while you are on a new diet.

4. Monitor your lab work.

You may want to have your blood tested before and after following a new diet for six weeks. If you notice any deficiencies or undesirable changes, the new diet may be the problem.

If you choose to stay on a Paleo diet, you should keep track of your lab results to make sure you’re staying healthy.

5. Be flexible.

If you’re not finding perfection with your new diet, don’t stress. The negative effects of junk food are much worse than any amount of stress. Also, don’t get caught up in thinking that your diet has to adhere to a bunch of strict guidelines.

It is best to stick mostly to a Paleo diet, but it is okay to include legumes or cheese every once in awhile. If you deprive yourself of these things, it will only cause unneeded stress.

6. Avoid processed Paleo foods.

When you’re on the Paleo diet, be careful of marketing that might try to convince you to buy processed foods that are full of unhealthy ingredients, even if those ingredients are technically Paleo-compliant. Remember that processed foods, even if they’re made with healthy ingredients, should only be an occasional indulgence.

Stick to real, whole foods prepared in your home.

 

Conclusion

This popular diet is based on eating the same foods that were available to our ancestors in the Paleolithic era. You’ve probably seen this method of healthy eating in the news, as it has become one of the most popular ways to lose weight, improve heart health and more.

Legumes, dairy products, cereal grains and processed foods are the main food groups eliminated from the Paleo diet. Instead, it emphasizes meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and heart-healthy fats.

Potential benefits of Paleo include increased weight loss, reduced inflammation, increased satiety and stable blood sugar levels. It also promotes nutrient-dense and high-protein foods, which can support improved health.

There are also some negative aspects of the diet. Not only is the Paleo diet difficult to follow if you have any dietary restrictions, but it also eliminates several nutrient-rich food groups while allowing several unhealthy foods.