The principle of the Paleo diet

The principle of the Paleo diet is characterised by eating as primal man did, in the days when people still gathered and hunted. Scientists have studied how people lived back then and what they consumed. With the Paleo diet you eat as naturally as possible and you leave out all processed products. Some examples are: vegetables, meat, fish, fruit, seeds and nuts. It is assumed that the genes of humans are set to this primal diet, since we have lived this way for many thousands of years.

As mankind began to develop further at a certain point, we also began to eat differently. We started eating grains, milking cows and developing more and more methods of processing food. The agricultural revolution therefore brought about a major change in our diet. Today, much of our food is produced in factories, with a lot of sugar and artificial additives. The result is that our bodies do not respond well to these, and we feel tired and suffer from complaints as a result. The Paleo diet wants to go back to basics, back to our genes. Eating healthily as nature intended. By only eating the things that make us feel good, we can feel fit and healthy again.

So the premise of the Paleo diet is very clear: our genes are not adapted to our current way of eating. We see the consequences more and more often among all kinds of diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases... Also obesity, lack of vitamins and minerals are problems we have to deal with more and more. Medical science often focuses on fighting symptoms but does not come up with clear answers.

Paleo range from Damhert Nutrition

The Paleo lifestyle does look for solutions: treat and prevent illnesses and promote health by eating as primal humans did. But what does this primal diet consist of? Vegetables, Fish, Meat, Eggs, Fruit, Nuts and Seeds are the main ones. As you can see, there are no grains, dairy products, legumes or sugar in this list. Chemical additives are also completely out of the question. Naturally, Damhert has a wide range of nuts and seeds which are completely suitable for the Paleo diet. Our Biofood range offers, among other things, linseed, chia seed, hemp seed, poppy seed, sesame seed, hazelnuts, cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts,.... Our Biofood products are grown in a controlled organic way and comply with the European BIO EU quality mark.

Why no sugar, grains, dairy products and pulses in the Paleo diet?

It is well known that sugar is highly addictive and disrupts our blood sugar levels. Every time we consume sugar (or many carbohydrates), our body makes insulin to keep blood sugar levels constant. The problem is that we are constantly eating foods that raise blood sugar levels, which can make the body more difficult to regulate and can make you insensitive to changes in blood sugar levels. This can lead to diabetes. You can also be hungry more often if the sugar level fluctuates so much. This can make us eat more and can also lead to obesity, because the large amounts of carbohydrates/sugars are stored as fat.

Most grains contain gluten. These can cause damage to the intestinal wall, allowing all kinds of undigested substances to enter our bodies via the bloodstream. Our body does not know what to do with these substances and as a result our immune system starts to attack them. This causes chronic inflammation throughout the body and an overactive immune system (the basis of autoimmune diseases).

Digesting milk products is difficult for adults, especially when it comes from another animal (such as a cow). This also causes damage to the intestinal wall and prevents it from doing its job optimally. Think of the many people who are lactose intolerant.

Legumes can also damage the intestinal wall. Although they occur naturally, they contain anti-nutrients. These are substances that a plant produces to protect its seeds (which are actually legumes) against animals.

But how do I get enough energy with few carbohydrates?

We are not actually made to have carbohydrates as our main fuel. Humans can actually burn fat most efficiently. So fat is an important player in the Paleo diet. Fat serves as a fuel, it doesn't make you fat and it gives you a satiated feeling and a constant energy flow. But beware, not every fat is equally suitable to eat. The Paleo lifestyle mainly uses saturated, stable fats, such as coconut oil. A stable fat is a fat which does not oxidise at high temperatures. Oxidising fats means that the fat 'burns' and this is absolutely not allowed within Paleo as it can cause damage to the body. Less stable fats such as olive oil are only suitable for eating cold, in salads for example. Sunflower oil, soya oil and margarine are not suitable for the Paleo diet because they cause acidification and damage to the body's cells. Other examples of good fats are fish.

Paleo is exactly like Keto?

It is true that these two diets are quite similar. But what exactly are the differences and similarities? The similarities between Keto and Paleo are that both diets are low in carbohydrates, high in fats and rich in natural and unprocessed products. As with Paleo, the idea behind the Ketogenic diet is to choose the healthiest products possible.

But what are the differences? With a Keto diet the focus is even more on the ratio between the macros. A keto diet is more limited in carbohydrates and focuses more on the intake of a lot of fats. For instance, certain vegetables and fruits are not suitable for a keto diet but are suitable for the Paleo diet, such as sweet potato, parsnip, peach, melon, grapes,...

Can you combine Keto and Paleo? Since there are no major differences between the two diets, you can actually combine them very well. In the Keto diet it is best to consume as many natural products as possible and to leave out the processed ones (like in the Paleo diet). That way you will get all the substances you need and you will leave the possibly harmful products behind. This way you will feel healthier and your body will work even better.