Shadows and lights on the paleo-diet

The concept of the paleo diet, in my opinion, is part of a hypothesis, plausible, but indefinite accounts a hypothesis, which maintains that a good part of the most prevalent current metabolic diseases are the result of an evolutionary dissonance between what we are "designed" to eat and What we are finally eating. All this could be stated, in short, stating that the current Western diet makes us sick because it is far from the dietary pattern of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.

Although the paleo dietetic fever is now reaching important levels, it is necessary to know that it is not a precisely current approach, being able to find the first proposals in this sense more than 30 years ago.

However, it has not been so far that we can find a more formal definition of Paleolithic diet by referring to the database of medical terms of the National Library of Medicine of the United States that has just updated its content incorporating the term Paleolithic diet, and that More or less it says like this:

It is a nutritional plan based on the presumption of diet that followed the ancestors of the human being in pre-agricultural stages. It consists mainly of meat, eggs, nuts, roots, fruits and fresh vegetables; And excludes cereals, pulses, dairy products and refined sugars.

There is little doubt about the fact that the diet that follows a good part of the population of the first world is quite improbable, while, in general, a good part of the paleo dietetic proposals are much more recommendable than that diet that I have been referred to as "Pretty much improved". In fact, I recognize that our current pattern of food consumption is excessive in products that are rich in refined carbohydrates (mainly in the form of added sugars) trans fatty acids and sodium ... while at the same time poor in fiber, certain fatty acids Essential are especially beneficial to our health and other micro nutrients. But it seems that recognizing that the way we eat is not the most adequate and that it is necessary, by health, to encourage other food models is not enough to become and be distinguished as a follower and promoter of paleo via; Since otherwise at this point I would be a paleo nutricial  and it will be that not.

Shadows on the paleo-diet

The fact is that there are paleo causes that do not convince me at all since there are quite a few dark areas in their approaches. The first point I see is that it is practically impossible to find a consensus on what his precepts are and not even among his most ardent supporters. While some specialists advise the consumption of certain foods and not others or a certain distribution of macronutrients, other authors differ and propose significantly different approaches. This nuance should not be too worrying considering that this same glue can be found in other more conventional and traditional dietary approaches such as the Mediterranean diet. Diet of which it is not easy to find unanimity in its most basic approaches.

To continue with another great fault, for me, the greatest from a more definitive point of view, is that in calling the "Paleolithic diet" to this approach must recognize that the Paleolithic period covers a whopping ... 2.8 million years! Did the human species follow the same dietary and lifestyle pattern for 2.8 million years to be able to label that diet now with the Paleolithic mark? Did the same tribes, regardless of geographical location, follow the different tribes, clans, and strains? Imagine the diets of American and Eurasian tribes do not you think there would be significant differences in your eating pattern?

The fact is that anthropologists and historians have enough problems to identify the food pattern of human settlements for so many years ... but what is clear enough is that they ate what they caught and of course cholesterol, glycemic or acidUric were not going to be elements that conditioned their diet. Moreover, many specialists agree that in certain areas and times of the Paleolithic period, vegetables and cereals were eaten.

Lights on the paleo-diet

The above does not mean that the dietary and lifestyle proposals of those who promote eating "paleo" are harmful, much less. Moreover, I am almost certain that following those dietary guidelines covered under the "paleo" umbrella as opposed to the current dietary pattern is more beneficial than harmful. It is true that there are hopeful studies that highlight the benefits of eating paleo ... but, all things to be said, the solid evidence is rather scarce in view of how rare the samples are in these studies. In addition, those good signs are observed for diseases like diabetes and not for fruity like increasing libido or similar so there is nothing nothing.

In any case, I continue to believe that the benefits found lie behind the abandonment of today's preposterous consumer styles (rich and abundant in processed foods, refreshments, refined grains, etc.) than in the pursuit of paleo approaches, in which to dispense with Milk, cereals or vegetables, by definition) seems more like a souvenir souvenir of this new business, than a motor of the possible benefits so far found.

In summary, my opinion about "paleo" movement, at least as far as diet is concerned, is that it seems to me to be a fashion sponsored by certain entrepreneurs who, supported by certain scientists, have wanted to exploit (once again) the naivety of the population In the matter of food taking advantage of a story very, very old and that we do not really know how it was but that sounds very idyllic.