What Can You Eat in the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet is a natural dietary plan which follows the eating habits of people that lived during the Stone Age. The cavemen only had at their disposal natural food, without the additives and preservatives that burden our health nowadays because of modern food processing. Therefore the paleo diet, often called ‘’the caveman diet’’, is entirely dependent on animal and vegetable sources. The cavemen were hunters and had nothing other than animals and vegetables to rely on, but they were strong and lived healthy, long lives. Although we eat a lot of food these days that provides us with a wide range of nutrients, we still fall victim to a host of health troubles. The paleo diet seeks to eliminate from our meals all those artificial substances that are suspected to cause health disorders.

There is no scientific proof that cavemen had heart diseases, so it is theorized that their food culture was such that prevented those heart ailments. Many scientists agree that what we eat at present is the culprit of many of our heart-related problems. This is why the caveman diet is fast gaining popularity all around the world.

What can you eat in the paleo diet?

The paleo diet allows all animal meat such as turkey, ostrich, chicken, beef, buffalo, pork, lamb, rabbit, venison, and more. Eating heavy meaty dishes such as these increases your protein levels. Determine the type of nutrition your body requires and eat accordingly. Getting only protein from the paleo diet isn’t possible however, because many animal meats are rich in fat as well. In order to restrict fat and gain only protein, you have to choose the protein-rich, fat-free lean meats.

Seafood is likewise a good source of protein. There’s a number of seafood meals that can be consumed to provide you with the necessary protein. Salmon, tuna, turbot or flatfish, cod, grouper, anchovy, mackerel, bass, sole, herring are considered ideal for the paleo diet. Aside from fish, other seafood such as crab, lobster, clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops are also good sources of protein. Add these foods to your regular diet to ensure your fitness and health without the risk of heart and digestive ailments.

The paleo diet allows the consumption of all green leafy. You can therefore eat as much cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes, bell peppers, asparagus, avocados, eggplants, and similar vegetables as you wish. Additionally, include some green vegetables like lettuce, spinach, kale, beet tops, chicory, seaweeds, collard greens or endives. Root veggies are also allowed in the paleo diet, so eat a lot of carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, radishes, yams, artichokes, and parsnips. Apart from vegetables, you should also add fresh fruits to your diet, as the health benefits they provide are numerous.

Fresh fruits are rich sources of phytonutrients and other vitamins so make sure to get as many of them as possible. Berries and all citric fruits are required for good skin tone and healthy teeth. Pineapples, oranges, pears, peaches, cherries, grapes, papayas, apricots, lemons, apples, strawberries, mangoes, plums and pomegranates are the best fruits to be included in the paleo diet.

To fulfill your energy requirements, eat a lot of nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, macadamia nuts, and other seeds as well. These are all allowed in the paleo diet.