Informative Essay: The Paleo Diet

I just saw your post on Instagram! Congratulations on your decision to follow the wildly popular Paleolithic diet. While I will certainly miss our weekly trips to Ben and Jerry’s, I commend you on your quest and sincerely wish you the best of luck. However, I do think that I should inform you on some information that has been uncovered about the Paleo diet fad. I took it upon myself to do a bit of research and hope you take the time to really understand what you are signing yourself up for. Basic elements in the Paleo diet that emphasize the consumption of protein, vegetables, and fruits are all major components in any healthy diet; however, the modern take on the Paleo diet has been embellished and often does not reflect the actual diet of

Even experts like Kellyann Petrucci, a clinical nutritionist, expresses confidence in this diet: “When I followed the Paleo template, it was clear to me that something was happening on a deep cellular level. Not only did I get myself back, but a healthier, more vibrant version”. Despite Petrucci ‘s testimony, some researchers believe that the Paleo diet is extreme. Eating more lean meats, vegetables, and fruits are going to make anyone feel better, especially compared to consuming the chemicals that go into junk food that many Americans incorporate into their diet. Nutritionist Jennifer Andrus says, “Some people like to abide by the 80/20 rule; if 80% of your diet is perfect, there’s wiggle room for the rest. There’s a lot of space between Paleo and a crappy diet of Pop-Tarts and McDonald’s”. Andrus even goes so far to say that the Paleo diet is restricting people from eating some products that are essential in our modern diet such as dairy, carbohydrates, and legumes. In this regard, Andres is pointing out that our modern digestive system has evolved and differs from our ancestors. For example, a main reason why Cordain excludes dairy from our diet is because, during the Paleolithic period, people could not digest dairy products after a certain age. For modern man, dairy is a main component in our diet and, as humans, some of us have evolved to the point where we able to digest these products. This signals that we are evolving and that Cordain’s notion of limiting our diet based on our antecessors’ diet is simplistic. In its 2014 rankings, US News and World report ranked the Paleo diet at the very bottom, tied for 31st place, of the “Best Diets Overall”. From a diet standpoint, the Paleo diet is not very effective and there have not been enough conclusive studies proving its benefits. There