PALEOLITHIC DIET

 Definition

 The Paleolithic diet is a weight loss plan based upon the premise of

consuming only those foods available during the Paleolithic era (also
known as the Stone Age). Next, people at this time were hunter-gatherers,
meaning that all animals were hunted and plants were gathered from
nature. There was no domestication of animals or planting of crops for
food. Milk products were also not consumed, except during the
breastfeeding of infants. Although the diet of people in the Paleolithic Era
varied by geographic region and availability of foods, most Paleolithic diets
would have contained mostly meats, fruits, nuts, and vegetables with very
little (or no) cereals, grains, or milk products.

 The modern version of the Paleolithic diet would prohibit consumption of

foods such as sugar, dairy products, grains (including cereals, corn,
breads, pasta), potatoes, beans, soy beans and lentils. This diet today
would be considered a form of high protein diet, which may pose health
risks because high protein diets stress the consumption of meats and high
protein foods that contain saturated fat and a high percentage of overall
fat. According to the American Heart Association guidelines, adults who
are trying to lose weight and keep it off should eat no more than 30 percent
of total daily calories from fat and less than 7 percent from saturated fat,
which is difficult or impossible with many high protein diets. High protein
diets may also restrict intake of important carbohydrates and low-fat dairy
products.