Unlock the Power of a High-Protein Paleo Diet: Top Benefits, Hidden Risks, and Essential Guidelines

The Paleo diet, also referred to as the Paleolithic diet, Stone Age diet, caveman diet, or hunter-gatherer diet, is a dietary approach rooted in the eating habits of our human Paleolithic ancestors. It emphasizes an increased consumption of lean meat, fish, shellfish, fruit, vegetables, eggs, nuts, and seeds while excluding grains, legumes, cereals, dairy, processed foods, refined sugars, and added salt. This article explores the benefits, risks, and guidelines of a high-protein Paleo diet.

Origins and Principles of the Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet finds its roots in our human Paleolithic ancestors who consumed foods available from their environments through hunting, fishing, and gathering. Since humans followed hunter-gatherer lifestyles for many thousands of years, the advocates of the Paleo diet claim the human body became especially well adapted to this diet.

The key principles of the Paleo diet include:

Focus on whole, unprocessed foods: The diet emphasizes foods that were likely available to our ancestors, such as lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Avoid processed foods: Foods that are highly processed, such as grains, legumes, dairy products, refined sugars, and refined vegetable oils, are generally avoided.
Prioritize nutrient-dense foods: The emphasis is on consuming foods that are rich in nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Limit added sugars and unhealthy fats: The diet encourages cutting back on added sugars and unhealthy fats, which are often found in processed foods.

Potential Benefits of a High-Protein Paleo Diet

At first glance, it appears as if the Paleo diet would be healthy as it encourages an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, which may reduce blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, and reduce risk for congestive heart disease and stroke. The increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables also increases the dietary consumption of some essential vitamins like Vitamins A, C, and E. The Paleo diet discourages the consumption of sodium; short-term reductions in sodium may reduce blood pressure in some individuals.

Weight Loss: By removing certain foods like processed foods, salty snack foods, and high-fat foods - especially any store-bought packaged foods - you’re re-focusing your diet on eating whole foods. Eating all those processed foods can lead to excess calories, high levels of cholesterol, and contribute to high blood pressure. By reducing the amount of foods you’re eating, you’re eliminating foods that tend to be calorie-dense and tend to be foods that we sometimes overconsume, like cheese and carbs. Foods that are high in protein tend to be very filling, which also helps support weight loss because you’ll feel more satisfied. Cravings can be managed better on a high-protein, high-fiber diet. You’ll also be able to stick to it easier because the cravings for the other foods will subside over time.
Improved Metabolic Health: Under short-term circumstances (i.e. 12 weeks), a Paleo diet has been shown to improve fat mass, insulin sensitivity, glycemic control and leptin in patients with type 2 diabetes. A review of four randomized, controlled trials examining the effects of the Paleo diet on factors related to metabolic syndrome reported that waist circumference, triglycerides and blood pressure were significantly decreased with consumption of the Paleo diet. It can even improve your glucose tolerance and increase insulin sensitivity, which may help manage Type 2 diabetes. Positive effects were more drastic in the single trial that provided the meals to participants rather than ones that only gave dietary recommendation.
Reduced Inflammation: Research shows that the paleo diet may help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, as you’re cutting out foods that are high in fat and sugar. One large Spanish study, published in 2022, found that people on the Paleo diet had a lower risk of heart disease. The authors say it’s likely because the diet says no to processed foods while encouraging you to eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

Potential Risks and Drawbacks

The Paleo diet strongly discourages the consumption of many foods that provide health benefits, such as legumes, whole grains, and dairy. Observational studies have shown that legume consumption improves multiple cardiovascular risk factors, protects against type 2 diabetes, reduces systolic blood pressure and arterial pressure, reduces hemoglobin A1c levels in diabetic patients, and reduces LDL concentrations in the blood. Low-fat dairy has also been associated with positive health benefits such as lower blood LDL concentrations, triglycerides, plasma insulin, BMI, blood pressure, waist circumference, and reduced diabetes risk.

Read also: High-Fiber Diet for Better Health

Nutrient Deficiencies: Limitation of grains and dairy in the Paleo diet may limit the intake of key nutrients like fiber, vitamin D, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin and iron. Short term studies on the effects of the Paleo diet have shown that calcium intake is well below the recommended daily intake levels for healthy adults. This is especially concerning as the increase in dietary protein increases loss of calcium in the urine, further reducing calcium levels. This may increase the risk for bone demineralization, osteoporosis, and osteopenia in the modern day if not sufficiently balanced with increased fruit and vegetable intake that are sources of calcium. The Paleo diet also provides no dietary vitamin D, further affecting the absorption of calcium. Knowing that you can never eat grains, legumes or dairy again is concerning since they provide essential nutrients.
Long-Term Effects Unknown: While the paleo diet has a lot of perks, there isn’t enough research yet on its long-term effects. She recommends avoiding a strict paleo diet for an extended period of time. The restrictive nature of the diet may also make it difficult for people to adhere to such a diet in the long run.
Potential for High Cholesterol: You do want to be cautious, though, because in some cases, you can even increase your cholesterol, depending on how fatty your meat is. You want to choose lean meat options like grass-fed beef loin, sirloin, flank or filet, skinless poultry and wild game versus pork or lamb or even fatty cuts of beef.
Cost: Fresh foods such as meat, fish, and produce are costlier than canned and frozen foods. If you’re used to relying on frozen or canned foods, adapting to fresh foods - which can spoil in a few days - may be tough. You’ll have to plan more, spend more time on meal prep, and make more frequent trips to the grocery store.
Not Suitable for Everyone: Also, if you have chronic kidney disease or are on a protein-restricted diet, the paleo diet may not be for you. And if you have digestive disorders like diverticulitis or diverticulosis, the nuts and seeds included in the paleo diet may be a problem. But Zumpano says you can still follow the diet by eliminating those categories of food. For those who have a history of an eating disorder or are immunocompromised, you need to be careful with restricting calories.

Foods to Eat and Avoid on a High-Protein Paleo Diet

Foods Allowed:

Leafy vegetables
Fresh fruit
Seafood
Grass-fed meat
Root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes
Free-range poultry and eggs
Nuts and seeds, plus unsalted butters made from them
Healthy oils, such as olive oil, avocado oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil, macadamia oil, and walnut oil
Fresh or dried herbs
Water and herbal tea

Foods to Avoid:

Grains, such as oats, pasta, and cereal
Dairy products, such as cheese, milk, and yogurt
Legumes, such as beans, peanuts, and soy
Processed foods
Refined vegetable oils
Added sugar and salt (sodium)

Considerations and Recommendations

Scientific literature does not support the claims made by proponents of the Paleo diet because, at this time, there is a paucity of empirical research. When compared to other diets, like the Atkins diet, there is less proof to suggest either short-term or long-term weight loss benefits from the Paleo diet. Adherence to a Paleo diet results in a macronutrient makeup that varies from the recommendations set forth in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020. While evidence shows that the average late Paleolithic era diet has protein composition that falls within the current guidelines, the contemporary diet contains slightly more protein than the Dietary Guidelines recommend. The contemporary Paleo diet exceeds the recommended fat intake despite lower fat content in ancient diets.

Before starting the Paleo diet, consider these points:

Consult a Healthcare Professional: It’s best to follow the paleo diet under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Check with your doctor before starting this plan.
Focus on Variety: Following a diet that has the most variety of foods possible is most beneficial.
Consider Alternatives: Consider taking breaks to include some legumes, grains and dairy or transition to the Mediterranean Diet, which is somewhat similar to the paleo diet but not as restrictive. The Mediterranean diet has plenty of research that shows the positive long-term outcomes.
Ensure Adequate Nutrient Intake: From a long-term standpoint, finding alternatives for grains, legumes or dairy will at least give you the nutrients you might be lacking from not having those foods. As you’re not getting essential fiber from grains, she adds that you need to make sure that you’re consuming fruits and vegetables high in fiber like berries and Brussels sprouts. And for the calcium that you may be lacking due to the exclusion of dairy, she suggests getting those from vegetables like broccoli and spinach or including a fortified milk alternative to meet your needs.

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