Does The Caveman Diet Work
Eat all you want – this is the idea behind the “Caveman Diet,” or the Paleo Diet. However, you are only allowed to have high-protein and fiber-rich meals to be able to get the benefits out of this diet.
What is the Caveman Diet?
The caveman diet basically means that if the people from the past (like old age past) didn’t eat that food – it also means you shouldn’t be eating that too. According to Loren Cordain (writer of the book The Paleo Diet), this diet works to let you feed your body of the food that is created by the nature for you to digest.
This theory makes sense because our bodies are made to eat what it is designed of – hence why this diet has been widely accepted throughout the world.
How Does the Caveman Diet Work?
Elimination of all carbohydrates, this is the first thing you will have to do once you plan to try out this diet. This includes all grains, dairy, sugary foods, and processed ones so that you will attain weight loss and a healthier body.
What Can You Eat While Following the Caveman Diet?
Once you try this diet program, you’ll have to start eating more fresh meat and fish. Aside from that, you can also have some fruits and vegetables as long as they are low carb and with healthy fats. Eggs, nuts, seeds, and some oils are also advisable for anyone wanting to follow a caveman diet.
What to Avoid While on this Diet?
When doing the caveman diet you should always remember that eating any foods that are processed is a big no no. This is because these type of foods weren’t available during the prehistoric era – meaning that you need to bid farewell to wheat and dairy togethwer with some grains (bye rice!) and legumes.
More food groups to avoid:
- Refined sugar
- Starchy vegetables
- Salt and other seasoning
- Refined oils like canola
How to do the Caveman Diet:
Doing the caveman diet means you will have to focus on having the food found on the pyramid and stop yourself from eating those under the pyramid.
There are some people who tell you that you can drink coffee as long as it is black or if you prefer tea, then it would be good as well. Just remember to stay away from the sugar.
Aside from the diet, you must also have a daily exercise routine in order to attain a balanced paleo lifestyle that is what you will be aiming for at the end of the day.
Also, you don’t have to count all your calories while having this type of diet plan. Giving you the freedom to eat whatever you like as long as it is included on the food pyramid.
Sample Caveman Diet Meal Plan
You have a lot of options to make with this diet program but to give you an idea about what you can do while doing this diet.
For breakfast you can do so many things with the caveman diet: for example you can have a smoothie enriched with avocado, kale, banana, apple and some nuts. If you want a savory option, you can try out some scrambled eggs with some paleo-friendly vegetables.
For lunch, you can enjoy some mixed vegetables and pair it with some roasted meat. You can also use some salmon with vegetables if you want to eat some fish than red meat.
For dinner, having a piece of steak would be a great option if you want to. Stir-fried pork is also an alternative or some baked chicken.
The Benefits of the Caveman Diet
- Better B12 Levels – what is great about this diet is the better vitamin B12 levels you can get when following the said diet.
- Omega Fatty Acids – another advantage of the caveman diet involves having more omega fatty acids in your body such as omega 3 and omega 6!
- Weight loss – you are also guaranteed of weight loss when you strictly follow the said diet because you will not have any oils or junk foods when having the diet.
- Allergy proof – if you have some allergies you have nothing to worry because this diet doesn’t include the usual allergens such as gluten, dairy, and soy.
- Iron – since there will be a lot of red meat in your diet, you are rest assured that you will have better amount of iron levels after the diet. Thus, you will have greater amount of red blood cells.
The Disadvantages of the Caveman Diet
- Lack of Calcium – sadly, you won’t be able to get much calcium in this diet. This is because most food products in this diet are not calcium rich. If you want to have some of your daily calcium intake you can take some supplements instead.
- Prep time can take time – another con of this diet is the amount of time you will have to take to prepare for your meals.
- It can be expensive – since you will not have any processed foods in your diet, it can be more expensive to buy paleo-friendly ingredients.
- Not best for vegetarians – because red meat and other kinds of meat are essential in this diet this won’t be the ebst option for vegetarians. But there are still alternatives to meat like beans, carrots, cauliflower, and tofu.
Who Best Needs This Diet?
According to scientific studies, the caveman diet is best for anyone who want to lower their risks of heart problems, hypertension, and even inflammation. At the same time, losing weight is also possible with this diet.
To add to that, if you have acne prone skin – it also improves the health of your skin. You will also lessen your salt intake so the risks of high blood pressure are also lessened.
The Final Verdict
Now that you have an idea about the caveman diet and the perks that come with it – it’s all still up to you if you want to do this type of diet.
Also, if you feel like you lack the important nutrients then supplements can help you get all the nutrients you need that aren’t available or found in the food groups allowed in this diet.
Weight loss is also possible with this diet since you will be staying away from unhealthy foods such as processed ones and other junk foods.
So, does the caveman diet really work? Well, it still depends on the body type you have and what suits your body the best. Remember that if you have medical issues please consult first to your primary physician.
I’m hoping this article helps you and I wish you all the best! God Bless.
References:
Matt McMillen (n.d.) The Paleo Diet. Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/paleo-diet
Natalie Olsen (2019) Paleo diet meal plan: A simple guide. Retrieved from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324405
Mens Fit Club (n.d.) Caveman Diet: The pros and the cons. Retrieved from: https://www.mensfitclub.com/mens-health/caveman-diet/
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