- The Paleo diet consists of vegetables (mostly eaten raw like Salad), fruits, chicken, meat, and eggs.
- The modern version can add some oil, salt, and a few species for better taste.
- Though dairy isn’t a part of the paleo diet, yet it is a very important source of calcium.
The Paleo Diet or Paleolithic diet is the food typically consumed in the Paleolithic period (Stone Age). The benefit of the diet is that it is extremely low in carbohydrates, has zero processed food, and is rich in protein and minerals. Therefore it is highly beneficial for sugar patients and those with high cholesterol levels.
Understand that during the Paleolithic era, the use of oil for cooking hadn’t been discovered and neither did friend, boiled, and baked foods. The only form of cooking in that era was roasting on fire. However, in our daily lives, we cannot do without these things and hence, the modern Paleolithic diet can be modified with a little bit of oils, salt, and some spices.
Foods That Can Be Included in a Paleo Diet
The choice of foods in a paleo diet includes those foods prevalent in the Paleolithic era. Though in that era, the concept of cooking was limited to just roasting over fire, we cannot imitate that to the full extent. Hence the modern form of the Paleo diet includes some oils, a good amount of salt(source of iodine), and some species as per individual choice.
Fruits and Berries
While including fruits and berries in your diet, remember that fruits that have a decent or high fructose content (i.e., high in natural sugar) should not be consumed with breakfast. In my case, even a 50-gram portion raises my blood sugar level by more than 100.
However, they can be eaten after breakfast, before lunch, after lunch, and before dinner.
One more precaution I tend to follow is that I never have fruits after sundown. If I do, the high fructose content will continue to spike my blood sugar throughout the night.
This is also the reason I avoid high-GI foods like bread, chapati, naan, and rice for dinner.
Below is a list of a few common fruits and their glycemic index and glycemic loads.
| Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load | |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | 36 | 6 |
| Oranges | 52 | 4.4 |
| Pomegranate | 18-53 | 6.7 |
| Guava | 12-24 | 1.3-5 |
| Grapes | 43 to 53 | 7 to 9 |
| Kiwi | 52 | 7.3 |
| Strawberry | 41 | 4 |
Vegetables
The historic Paleolithic people did not have access to a high variety of vegetables as we do. Today we have tomatoes that have originated from the Americas, cabbage from northern Europe, eggplant or aubergines from India, soybeans from eastern Asia, and even chilies from the Andes.
Our modern version of the Paleo diet is hence highly modified. Yet, it remains practically the same when we see its benefits.
While choosing vegetables for the Paleo diet, remember that though most of them are good to eat for diabetics and people with cholesterol, high glycemic index foods like Potatoes, Corn, and some other starch-rich foods should be avoided.
Below is a sample list of vegetables that you can choose for your Paleo diet along with their glycemic index and glycemic load.
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| Okra | 20 | 1.2 |
| Onion | 10 | 1 |
| Cabbage | 10 | 1 |
| Radish | 8 | 0.5 |
| Carrot | 16 | 8 |
| Broccoli | 10 | 0.9 |
| Peppers (Capscicum) | 15 | 1 |
| Tomato | 15 | 0.78 |
| Cucumber | 15 | 1 |
| Aubergines (Brinjal/Eggplant) | 15 | 1 |
Note: The glycemic index is the measure how how quickly the food raises your blood glucose while glycemic load refers to the total amount of glucose released in your blood.
Meat, Fish, and Chicken
All animal and fish meat have a zero glycemic index which means that they do not cause any blood sugar spike in your body.
Sample Paleo Diet Plan
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Shallow fried Fish | Lamb meat | Stewed Vegetables |
| Monday | Stewed Vegetables | Fruits | Eggs |
| Tuesday | Curd and Salad | Chickpeas | Stewed Vegetables |
| Wednesday | Shallow fried Fish | Chicken | Omelet, Boiled Eggs |
| Thursday | Seeds with Salad | Fruits | Stewed Vegetables |
| Friday | Assorted Nut/Seeds Mix with Cucumber | Lamb meat | Omelet, Boiled Eggs |
| Saturday | Salad | Stewed Vegetables | Stewed Vegetables |
Paleo Diet Does Not Have Dairy
Paleo diets typically do not include milk and dairy products. But milk and dairy being a rich source of calcium, should not be avoided even with a paleo diet. Without any other source of calcium, a paleo diet can make you highly deficient in it.
However, those who want to still consume a pure paleo diet can replace milk and dairy products with small fish and shrimp. Both of these have calcium that you can easily absorb in your body.
Benefits of the Paleo Diet
The paleo diet is rich in fibre which slows down the release of glucose in the blood. Also since this diet is low in oil and spices, it helps maintain and brings down cholesterol levels.
For Diabetes
For me, a diabetic, paleo diet is extremely beneficial for maintaining and reversing my type-2 diabetes. The diet has a high protein content and is low in sugar. Plus the high fibre content helps reduce the glucose spike that we typically witness after any food.
For Cholesterol
Since paleo diets have low oils, and are low fat, they are good for those trying to reduce their cholesterol levels like me.
Who Should Avoid It?
Vegetarians
Vegetarians who do not consume any animal or fish products should avoid taking a complete paleolithic diet. This is because the diet lacks calcium which can only be fulfilled by dairy products.
Disclaimer: This article is purely based on personal experience and the knowledge accumulated over time. It does not amount to medical advice by any means. Any therapy, diet, or treatment plan should be undertaken in consultation with your doctor.
