Paelo – is it the new way to eat?

Ditch the grains, eat more meat – it’s a diet revolution that is becoming more and more popular, with some advocating Paleo as the only way to eat for good health.

Paleo, short for Paleolithic nutrition, is based on the argument that modern humans genetics have changed only slightly since the dawn of agriculture, therefore the ideal diet for human health is one that resembles that of our ancient ancestors.That means  a diet made of meat, eggs, nuts, a limited amount of fruit, saturated fats and non starchy vegetables.  Paleo followers believe that our bodies haven’t adapted to digest and metabolise grains and processed foods and our bodies struggle to deal with them, leading to many of today’s modern diseases such as digestive issues, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

As a concept, it sounds logical but there is no convincing evidence to support this claim.  We have all the enzymes we need to digest and deal with grains.  The people that don’t cope with grains are those who have intolerance to wheat/gluten or those that suffer from celiac disease.

The three molecules in grains that Paleo supporters say are problematic are gluten, letchins and phytates.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other grains.  It only causes issues for those who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.  For everyone else, it poses no harm and we digest it with no issues.

Lectins are actually found in everything we eat.  In plants, lectins help protect them from insects. Cooking and heating food destroys most lectins but some  found in grains, some fruits and vegetables aren’t deactivated by heat. Paelo advocates say they damage the digestive tract, causing leaky gut syndrome.  Again, lectins generally pose no harm.  They only become only become an issue they’re consumed in extremely large quantities where they’ll affect the cells of your digestive system, giving you a sore stomach.  In quantities that you’d normally consume, they don’t cause issues.

Phytates are found in grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. They do affect the bio-availability of the minerals in our foods. But, not enough to get worried about. Eating a normal, healthy diet will ensure you get enough nutrients even with phytates present.

One claim I’ve read about the “convincing” benefits of paelo was the following : “As our intake of grains and processed foods has increased, so has the incidence of diseases such as cancer and heart disease…at exactly the same rate”.  Sounds scary when you first read it, but  this is a misleading statement because grains and processed foods are lumped in the same basket.

Wholegrains and refined, processed grains are totally different and have opposite effects on health.  Wholegrains provide vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants and are digested slowly, giving us a slow, steady release of energy. Refined grains provide very little nutrients and are digested quickly, giving us a spike in blood sugar and insulin, followed by a dip.

What has caused the increased incidence of diseases is not wholegrain, it’s the abundant availability (and consequent consumption) of refined grains, sugars and unhealthy fats.  Grains are not to blame.

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion on diet and nutrition, I believe there is no convincing evidence that we should remove grains and fruits from our diet.  In fact, I believe there is good reason to have them as a part of our diets. For those with intolerance to gluten/wheat, it will clear up symptoms as it avoids all trigger foods, but this doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.  There’s a lot more to paelo, so I’d suggest reading the in depth articles linked to below to get a good overview of some of the flaws in the paelo theory.

• Why grains and gluten aren’t bad for you
• 8 reasons the paelo diet should be extinct