The Stone Age diet (or Paleolithic Diet) is based on the idea that as humans we are genetically identical to stone age man and will therefore be healthiest following a diet comparable to what stone age man ate. Of course this was the age of the hunter-gatherer so the diet consisted of what could be hunted or found growing on trees and in the ground. Foods introduced during the agricultural revolution i.e. grains and other high carbohydrate foods such as potatoes, are to be avoided according to proponents of the diet since the human body has not yet evolved to handle a high proportion of calories from these foods.
The basics of the diet then are:
What you can eat (or should be emphasized):
- Lean Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Nuts
- Seeds
What you can't eat (or should be limited):
- Sugars
- Grains
- Beans
- Starchy Vegetables (e.g. potatoes)
- Dairy products
- Processed Foods
Research studies have demonstrated that the stone age diet does indeed have various benefits including weight loss and lowering of BMI, lowering blood pressure, and lowering blood clotting chemicals. All of which lower risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke (ref).
The diet is made up of low glycaemic index (GI) foods which may help to maintain steady blood sugar levels. It also avoids common allergenic and irritating foods such as dairy products and wheat which are implicated in many conditions including coeliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and allergic conditions such as eczema and atopic dermatitis. Modern chemical food additives are also avoided, many of which have been found to exacerbate behavioural conditions such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Learn more about the Stone Age Diet.
Discuss:
Stone Age Diet Forums
