Paleolithic (Paleo) diet

The paleolithic or “paleo” diet—also referred to as the caveman, Stone Age, and hunter-gatherer diet—is one of the hottest eating plans of the decade. And the hype has been about 2.5 million years in the making! Basically, you eat foods that might have been on a caveman’s menu before the invention of modern agriculture: lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. You skip foods that weren’t invented or cultivated millions of years ago, like dairy, grains, beans, and legumes. So, why, exactly, would you want to eat like a caveman? Proponents of the diet believe that we’re genetically wired to thrive on a paleo plan and that our bodies are ill-adapted to—and may actually be harmed by—many of the easily digested foods we consume today, like sweets, bread, processed oils, and grains. According to paleo theory, modern diets can be blamed for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers, which some people consider “diseases of civilization.” Many people say they enjoy this diet, but it requires a major mindset shift. Once you’re committed to paleo, a lot of your go-to foods, including healthy snacks like whole-grain crackers and hummus, are off limits, as are most sweeteners and alcohol. You might find yourself stocking your fridge with completely different foods than you’re used to, especially if your current diet is heavy on grains and legumes. There are plenty of paleo critics who are concerned that this diet skimps on calcium and fiber, but science says it can be healthy, especially for people living with metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity.