Have you ever heard of a paleo diet? When I first started eating gluten free, I would tell people I eat like a caveman. Yet, little did I realize a diet without wheat, barely or rye was still far from a caveman’s diet.
According to Wikipedia a paleo diet is a nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various human species habitually consumed about 2.5 million years duration that ended around 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture. The “contemporary” Paleolithic diet consists mainly of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts; and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils.
From what I have read and learned, the paleo diet is a diet designed for our genes. In “The Paleo Diet,” by Loren Cordain, Ph.D. there are seven keys to the paleo diet. I’ve listed a shorthand version below.
1. Eat relatively high amount of animal protein compared to that of the typical American diet
2. Eat carbohydrates only coming from fruits and vegetables. Avoid grains, starchy tubers and refined sugars.
3. Eat a large amount of fiber from nonstarchy fruits and vegetables.
4. Eat a moderate amount of healthy fat. Avoid saturated fat and trans fatty acids.
5. Eat foods high in potassium (ex: bananas) and low in sodium
6. Eat a diet with a net alkaline load
7. Eat foods rich in plant phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
The outlined keys clearly avoid a few food groups and this causes controversy as a health professional. However, I will go as far as to say that I support a paleo diet. I have been eating this way for some time and I feel fabulous. I have always believed that we should eat like our ancestors and this diet defines just that.
I do not believe that this lifestyle and diet is for everyone, but for some, it could be something to look into.
Have a healthy day and try this recipe soon!
Shrimp Stuffed Avocados
3 medium sized avocados
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 ½ pound small or medium sized shrimp, cooked, shelled, deveined and chilled
Cut avocados in half; remove seed and skin. Stuff with shrimp; add lemon juice.
