Paleo Diet App Benefits: A Comprehensive Guide

The paleo diet, also known as the Paleolithic, Stone Age, caveman, or hunter-gatherer diet, is an eating plan based on the presumed diet of humans during the Paleolithic Era. This article explores the benefits of using a paleo diet app to support this lifestyle, while also considering the diet's broader context, potential drawbacks, and scientific evidence.

What is the Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet centers around foods that humans might have consumed during the Paleolithic Era, before the advent of agriculture. It emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods that could be obtained through hunting and gathering. A modern paleo diet typically includes:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Lean meats
• Fish
• Eggs
• Nuts
• Seeds

The diet excludes foods that became common after the development of farming approximately 10,000 years ago, such as:

• Grains
• Legumes
• Dairy products
• Processed foods
• Added sugar
• Artificial sweeteners
• Some vegetable oils (canola, soybean, grapeseed, cottonseed)
• Trans fats

The underlying idea is that the human body has not adapted to these relatively new foods, leading to potential health problems.

The Rise of the Paleo Diet

The paleo diet gained popularity in the early 2000s, with advocates promoting benefits such as improved physical performance and mental clarity. It has since attracted a diverse following, including bodybuilders, CrossFit enthusiasts, athletes, and those interested in overall wellness.

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How to Start the Paleo Diet

The paleo diet can be viewed as a very strict whole-food diet. The first step is to decide how strict of a diet you can handle and then finalize which foods you'll eat and which you won't. Successfully following the paleo diet for an extended period will require a great deal of planning and meal prepping, especially if you follow a particularly strict version.

What You Can Eat on the Paleo Diet

What you can and can't eat on the paleo diet depends on how close you want your diet to be to a Neanderthal's. The strictest form of the paleo diet includes only water, fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meats and fish -- and excludes what many would call whole foods, such as rolled oats, beans and legumes. Other paleo dieters deem healthy oils, eggs, milk, some whole grains, beans and legumes okay. And some say foods like grass-fed butter and snacks made of paleo ingredients, such as RX bars, which are made of egg whites, fruit and nuts, are okay to eat on the diet.

The paleo food guidelines seem to most widely accept the following fresh foods:

• Meats
• Fish
• Seafood
• Eggs
• Olive, coconut and avocado oils
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Seeds
• Nuts

Depending on how strict you want your diet to be, try to limit or avoid the following foods:

• Dairy products
• Beans
• Grains
• Sugar (except fruit)
• Sauces
• Condiments
• Some vegetable oils (canola, soybean, grapeseed or cottonseed)
• Artificial sweeteners
• Trans fats
• Processed food

As for beverages, water should be your go-to. Avoid sugary and artificially-sweetened drinks such as sodas and sports drinks. Coffee and tea aren't paleo by true Paleolithic standards, but most people drink them anyway -- just drink them without cream or sugar to adhere to the paleo diet.

Read also: Paleo Diet Delivered: What You Need to Know

Benefits of Using a Paleo Diet App

A paleo diet app can be a valuable tool for individuals adopting this eating plan. These apps offer a range of features to simplify meal planning, track food intake, and provide support. Here's a breakdown of the key benefits:

• Food Identification: Apps like Paleo (io) allow users to quickly determine whether a specific food is paleo-friendly. By searching a database of thousands of food items, users receive a simple "yes" or "no" answer, eliminating guesswork and saving time.
• Meal Planning and Recipes: Many paleo diet apps offer meal plans and recipes tailored to the diet's guidelines. This can be particularly helpful for beginners who may find it challenging to create paleo-compliant meals on their own. These apps can provide inspiration and guidance, ensuring a variety of nutritious and satisfying meals.
• Convenience and Accessibility: With a paleo diet app, users can access information and resources anytime, anywhere. This is especially useful when grocery shopping or eating out, as it allows for quick decision-making regarding food choices.
• Tracking Progress: Some apps include features for tracking food intake, weight loss, and other health metrics. This can help users stay motivated and monitor their progress towards their goals.
• Community Support: Certain apps offer community features, allowing users to connect with others following the paleo diet. This can provide a sense of support and encouragement, as well as opportunities to share tips and experiences.

Featured Paleo Diet App

One example of a paleo diet app is "Paleo (io)". It searches over 3,000 food items to identify which foods are Paleo and which are not.

Potential Health Benefits of the Paleo Diet

The paleo diet offers several potential benefits because it requires avoiding processed foods, refined grains and large amounts of trans fats. These nutrient-lacking foods are often linked to common health issues.

If you follow a paleo diet, you may:

• Weight Loss: The paleo diet may help you lose weight or keep a healthy weight. Studies show that following a cavemanlike diet can aid in weight loss, although most researchers call out that more studies are needed to solidify the relationship between paleo diets and weight loss. By ditching processed foods and refined sugars, you also say goodbye to empty calories, making it easier to achieve a calorie deficit - which is essential for weight loss.
• Improved Heart Health: The paleo diet was linked to lower heart disease, or cardiovascular, risk factors. The paleo diet may help you reduce your blood cholesterol and improve your heart health.
• Better Blood Sugar Control: The paleo diet may help you improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity (important for controlling and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes).
• Reduced Metabolic Syndrome Markers: The paleo diet may help you reduce metabolic syndrome markers, including high blood pressure and other features of chronic disease.
• Increased Energy and Improved Mood: The paleo diet may help you improve your energy level and mood by cutting out processed foods, because eating processed foods is linked to poor energy and low moods.
• Reduced Sugar Cravings: When you focus on eating whole foods, you end up taking excess sugar out of your diet.

Potential Drawbacks and Considerations

Despite the potential benefits, the paleo diet also has some drawbacks to consider:

Read also: Paleo Mayonnaise Recipe

• Nutrient Deficiencies: The main concern about paleo diets is the lack of whole grains and legumes. These foods are considered good sources of fiber, vitamins, proteins and other nutrients. Also, low-fat dairy products are good sources of protein, calcium, vitamins and other nutrients. By eliminating entire food groups, you may miss out on key nutrients you can't get enough of from other foods. For example, the Paleo diet restricts you from eating beans and legumes, which are high in fiber, protein and potassium.
• Cost: Whole grains, legumes and dairy also are generally more affordable and available than foods such as wild game, grass-fed animals and nuts. For some people, a paleo diet may be too costly.
• Long-Term Risks: The long-term risks of a paleo diet aren't known.
• Restrictiveness: The paleo diet can be more restrictive than other diets and may come with a steep price tag. The paleo diet requires you to cut out foods like dairy products that contain essential nutrients your body needs. Following a diet identical to that of our ancestors can be quite challenging in the modern age.
• Gastrointestinal Distress: The paleo diet includes foods high in fiber, like vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Since foods high in fiber can have a laxative effect, a person transitioning from a low fiber diet to a paleo diet could experience gastric distress, such as bloating, as a result.
• Not Suitable for Everyone: No single diet is suitable for everyone. However, Paleo may be a good diet choice if you have multiple food intolerances such as gluten or lactose intolerance. Paleo is also a good choice for people who generally feel better physically and mentally when they don't eat processed foods. On the other hand, the paleo diet is not recommended for those with disordered eating habits or a history of eating disorders. You should not eat a paleo diet if you have preexisting vitamin deficiencies. It is also not recommended for those at risk for heart disease, kidney damage or Type 1 diabetes.

Scientific Evidence and Expert Opinions

Most studies of paleo diets included small numbers of people. Also, they only lasted from a few weeks to a few months. The definitions of the diet also vary from one study to another. One large study looked at the benefits of self-reported, long-term dietary patterns in young adults from Spain.

Some people doubt the idea that the human body didn't change, or adapt, to foods that came with farming. Some experts have argued that the idea the paleo diet is based on isn't the full story. Many things - not only farming - shaped how human nutritional needs changed. Archaeological researchers have found tools for grinding grains at 30,000-year-old sites - well before the introduction of farming. Researchers also have studied microfossils of plants found in the dental remains of Paleolithic humans and Neanderthals. Genetic research has shown that important evolutionary changes continued after the Paleolithic era.

Data from many studies of popular diets showed that a Mediterranean diet was the only one with many benefits without the risk of possible harmful effects. Also, the potential benefits of a paleo diet may not outweigh the benefits of other healthy diets.

Researchers warn of one important consideration: Modern humans are not the same as Neanderthals, and while this diet may have worked for them, it was the only option back then. Now, we have other diets -- such as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH Diet -- with more clinical evidence supporting following them. By eliminating entire food groups, you may miss out on key nutrients you can't get enough of from other foods.

Is the Paleo Diet Right for You?

Before starting the paleo diet, consider the following:

• Access to Fresh Foods: You should try the Paleo diet if you have access to lots of fresh meats, fish, fruits and vegetables.
• Time for Meal Preparation: Your schedule allows you to spend lots of time prepping and cooking meals.
• Existing Dietary Habits: Your diet already consists of primarily whole, fresh foods.
• Budget: You don't have the budget for long grocery lists of fresh, whole foods.
• Preexisting Deficiencies: You have preexisting vitamin and nutrient deficiencies such as vitamin D or calcium.
• Health Risks: You are already at risk of heart disease. Higher red meat intake has been linked with risks of cardiovascular disease.
• If you have any medical conditions or take prescription medication, you should ask your doctor whether the paleo diet can support your health or if a different diet might be a better fit. Always speak to your doctor before starting a new diet.

Sample Paleo Meal Plan

This sample menu contains a balanced amount of paleo-friendly foods. By all means, adjust this menu based on your own preferences.

• Monday
  • Breakfast: eggs and vegetables fried in olive oil, one piece of fruit
  • Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, a handful of nuts
  • Dinner: burgers (no bun) fried in butter, vegetables, salsa
• Tuesday
  • Breakfast: bacon, eggs, one piece of fruit
  • Lunch: leftover burgers from the night before
  • Dinner: baked salmon with vegetables
• Wednesday
  • Breakfast: leftover salmon and vegetables from the night before
  • Lunch: sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables
  • Dinner: ground beef stir-fry with vegetables, berries
• Thursday
  • Breakfast: eggs, one piece of fruit
  • Lunch: leftover stir-fry from the night before, a handful of nuts
  • Dinner: fried pork, vegetables
• Friday
  • Breakfast: eggs and vegetables fried in olive oil, one piece of fruit
  • Lunch: chicken salad with olive oil, a handful of nuts
  • Dinner: steak, vegetables, sweet potatoes
• Saturday
  • Breakfast: bacon, eggs, one piece of fruit
  • Lunch: leftover steak and vegetables from the night before
  • Dinner: baked tilapia, vegetables, avocado
• Sunday
  • Breakfast: leftover salmon and vegetables from the night before
  • Lunch: sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables
  • Dinner: grilled chicken wings, vegetables, salsa

Simple Paleo Snacks

If you get hungry between meals, there are plenty of paleo snacks that are simple and easily portable:

• Toasted almonds or mixed nuts
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Fresh fruits and vegetables, including baby carrots, celery sticks, and sliced apples
• Dairy-free chia pudding

Simple Paleo Shopping List

There is an incredible variety of foods you can eat on the paleo diet. This simple shopping list should give you an idea of how to get started:

• Meat: beef, lamb, pork, etc.
• Poultry: chicken, turkey, etc.
• Fish: salmon, trout, mackerel, etc.
• Eggs
• Fresh vegetables: greens, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, etc.
• Frozen vegetables: broccoli, spinach, various vegetable mixes, etc.
• Fruits: apples, bananas, pears, oranges, avocado
• Berries: strawberries, blueberries, etc.
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts
• Almond butter
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Sweet potatoes
• Condiments: sea salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic, parsley, etc.

How to Make Restaurant Meals Paleo

Eating out while following the paleo diet doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some simple guidelines:

• Order a meat- or fish-based main dish.
• Get extra vegetables instead of bread or rice.
• Ask for your food to be cooked in olive oil or avocado oil.

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