Lanterna Rally

Author: Shawn Rashid

Publisher: Bull City Publishing

Published: 2014-06-05

Total Pages: 35

ISBN-13:

Before proceeding to the actual recipes, let's have a closer look to what the Paleo diet is and what are its main restrictions, as well as what you are allowed to eat and how balanced your meals should be. The Paleo diet, also known as the Caveman diet or Stone Age diet and sometimes Hunter-Gatherer diet, is a modern diet program based on what our ancestors used to eat. Basically, if our ancestors wouldn't recognize certain foods, then that specific food is not Paleo, therefore should be avoided. The diet consists in fish, meat coming from grass-fed animals, eggs, vegetables and fruits, fungi, roots and nuts and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt and refined sugar, but also over processed oils, such as sunflower oil. The program was developed in the 70s and has gained many followers ever since, including myself. The idea is that despite all this technology, humans have barely changed and our body works in the same way as our ancestors did. For that reason, what was good for them then, it's just as good for us now, rather than the fatty, sugary diet we all have usually. The first great thing about it is that it recommends natural foods that have been little to no processed at all, clean meat and clean vegetables, free of any chemicals or additives, just like the Paleolithic man used to eat. The advantage of that is undeniable: improved health, detoxified body, healthier organs, a better functioning system, better looking skin, healthier gums and the list can go on. Once our body is free of all those toxins, fats and sugars, the difference is amazing. The Paleo diet is based on the idea of consuming more proteins than we currently are. A caveman used to eat at least 20% protein every day, while we barely reach 15% with a normal diet. The solution to this is more clean meat, seafood and plants rich in proteins. Apart from proteins, the Paleo diet also consists in foods rich in fibers, but not whole grains. Despite most beliefs, whole grains have less fibers than fresh vegetables for instance. Even fruits are richer in fibers than grains so the Paleo diet advices you to avoid them and choose fruits and vegetables instead. Fat takes a lot of our normal diet, but it has bad effects on our health. The Paleo diet includes fat as well, but the healthy kind, such as omega-3 and omega-6 found in extra virgin olive oil for instance, but also in coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter). Exclude other kind of fats such as butter, sunflower oil, margarine as they increase the risk of developing heart diseases. Our ancestors didn't use salt when cooking and in fact their cooking was little. They ate their food raw more than anything else and that brought them enough nutrients to function properly, have enough energy to hunt and look for food. Salt increases the risk of heart disease, kidney problems and high blood pressure. However, you don't have to cut it down completely, just reduce the amount of salt you use when cooking or buy food that has less salt as well. As an example, fast-food is literally loaded with sodium, but your homemade stew will not since you can control the ingredients and the way you cook it.