Five myths about paleo debunked

Over the past few years, the Paleolithic diet, or so-called ‘caveman’ diet, has veritably entered the mainstream. Paleo aficionados posit that by eating an unrefined plant and meat-based diet, you can lose weight, gain energy, and live longer. Paleo is also controversial, and if you are considering making this change to your diet, you may have heard some myths about it. Let’s try and debunk some here:

1. Paleo leaves you hungry

Unlike other regimes, paleo does not prescribe portion size. Eat as much fruit, lean meat, or vegetables as you like! Without salty, processed, greasy food in your diet, you will still lose weight and not feel hungry. When you have cut out the bad stuff from your diet, it is nearly impossible to consume too many carrots and chicken thighs.

2. Paleo is unbalanced: too much protein, not enough calcium

Other sources of calcium – nuts, leafy green veg and tinned fish – are firm favorites of the paleo diet. As for protein, there is no reason to eat meat at every meal. Adopting a more vegan-esque, plant-based diet fits firmly within the paleo ethos.

3. Paleo is expensive

Sure, eating fillet steak three times a day IS expensive, but less expensive cuts of meat and fish make paleo relatively affordable. Moreover, fruit and vegetables – especially those that are in season – are usually cheap. In any case, a paleo diet will always be less expensive than takeaways and ready meals.

4. Paleo is a lot of effort

Paleo does require a bit of preparation in the kitchen. Cutting out processed foods and ready meals means that you have to cook more or less from scratch, but outside of this, the effort is minimal, and will set you up with good habits for the future. As the paleo diet comprises foods that are commonplace, there is, in fact, little preparation needed to go to dinner in a restaurant, or to have lunch with your colleagues.

5. I will miss carbs too much

Not necessarily. These days, an increasing number of gluten-free flours (e.g. rice flour) are used to make paleo-friendly bread, pancakes, pastas…you name it! With a bit of adjustment, you will find you can fit paleo into your life relatively effortlessly.

Want to know more? Why not download our ‘Paleo Nutritionist Diploma Course’?