Do you want to start eating healthier? Do you want to lose weight? Maybe you want to do both and have been thinking about trying the Paleo diet. But what is it exactly? Is there a Paleo food list or Paleo shopping list to follow? First you should be aware of an important distinction: making the switch to Paleo is more of a lifestyle change than a diet. A diet is something you do for a little while to obtain a certain result. A lifestyle change is an adjustment you make and plan to stick with for the long haul.
The Paleo diet's goal is to restore our eating patterns to that of our ancestors and return to our dietary roots. It's based on what people ate in the Paleolithic or caveman age, before the Agricultural Revolution. They ate wild game,
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As a result, you may want to locate the nearest farmer's market to be sure that your produce is fresh and free of chemicals. Vegetables and fruit provide the body with much-needed vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they help prevent a number of diseases. They can provide the carbs your body craves without the unhealthy side effects. Fruit can also satisfy your sweet tooth because it consists of natural sugar. Just don't eat too much, as the calories can add up.
Oils and
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These include monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fats, which can be found in avocados, nuts, coconuts, olive oil and fish oil. The fats found in these foods can reduce the risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes, among others.
Food Groups to Avoid
There are also food groups to avoid if you're following a Paleo diet menu. The items listed below do not belong anywhere near your Paleo shopping list. These include grains, legumes, certain fats, refined or excess sugar, dairy products and alcohol.
* Grains. Grains are prohibited because they are full of gluten, which is hard to digest, and many people have an intolerance for it. Grains are also full of harmful lectins, which affect the gastrointestinal tract. The carbs in grains turn into glucose in our system, which is more likely to be stored and converted to fat.
* Legumes. Legumes are prohibited for much the same reason as grains. They are high in carbs; therefore, they incur the same risks. This includes peanuts because they're legumes, not nuts.
* Certain fats. While some fats are encouraged on the Paleo diet, others are not. These include unhealthy fats such as saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat and trans fat, which can be found in processed meat, butter, vegetable oil and processed