Caveman Platter, Please!

A CAVEMAN Oh dear, not another diet, you must be thinking. But if it has been working for Uma Thurman, Jessica Biel, Matthew Mc Conn aug hey, Megan Fox and Miley Cyrus, it can’t hurt to try, right? The Paleo diet reverts your eating style to that of the cavemen (and women) in the Paleolithic age. It functions on the premise that while the food and agriculture industry has advanced, our bodies have not genetically evolved to handle the consumption of so many grains, dairy and processed foods. “The Paleo Diet is an effort to go back to eating how we’re biologically designed to eat, allowing us to tap into our genetic potential and start living healthier immediately,” says Honey Tandon, chief dietician, Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon. “It is about eating what is available in the jungle, as in, what the Paleolithic man ate—greens, nuts, seeds, fruits , berries, vegetables, roots and hunted game,” adds Ishi Khosla, clinical nutritionist and director, The Weight Monitor.com. The health benefits of the diet are several. It stabilises blood sugar, burns off stored fat, improves sleep and is also said to suppress appetite. There is one little glitch though— with so many restrictions on dairy, legumes and grains, the diet is mainly non-vegetarian.

144 July 2014 thegoodlife Worry for vegetarians Touted as the only nutritional approach that works in tandem with genetics, the diet comes with its own set of limitations. “Since Indians are predominantly vegetarian, the Paleo diet, which is largely non-vegetarian, may pose a challenge,” says Khosla. The diet also requires you to dial back on dairy significantly as the Paleolithic people hadn’t learnt how to domesticate cows yet. “If we cut down on dairy products, what other sources of proteins are vegetarians left with? Nothing… they don’t consume meats and eggs, and dals are an incomplete source,” adds Tandon. Even for non-vegetarians, the diet does not come constraint-free and requires your meats to come from grass-fed sources, not grain-fed. This is difficult to achieve in India as availability and labelling of meats remains an issue.

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Quality vs quantity When you follow the Paleo diet, you supply your body with quality foods and nutrients like proteins, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants. “The diet is high on fibre and trans fatty acids,” says Khosla. There is no restriction on portions (even on healthy fats like olive oil and flaxseed oil) but the high-protein content of the diet fills you up quickly and keeps you sated for longer. This is why the diet is so successful in USA. “Bagels, muffins, toast, cereal, or donuts, buns and breads are staples in the Western diet and none of them have any nutritional value,” explains Tandon. “They’re loaded with tons of carbohydrates and calories, but Indian meals are quite healthy, wherein a big portion of vegetables, lentils and fruits tend to be the part of most meals, with less refined carbohydrates and sugars.” A high-carbohydrate diet will usually make you hungry after short intervals. What you should know Restrictions and monotony aside, the Paleo diet is an effort to eat clean and pump fewer chemicals in to your body, something that processed and convenience foods often come with. Remember, if it comes in a packet and is readyto-eat, it does not belong on your plate. The Paleo Diet also almost completely eradicates sugar with the exception of fruits, which works in its favour. “Sugar causes an energy spike and crash in your system, turns to fat unless it’s used immediately, and wreaks all kinds of havoc on our bodies,” says Tandon. Another important point to note is that the Paleolithic man worked very hard all day long, hunting and gathering. He needed more protein for muscle repair. Our lives are much more sedentary by comparison. You may want to step up your game and get moving if you want to see results on the weighing scale. If not done right, the Paleo diet can lead to nutritional imbalances like excess protein (which puts a strain on the kidneys) and nutritional deficiencies. “Remember, balance is everything and a good diet is about eating everything in the right amounts,” says Khosla. Well, the road to a healthy and fit body has its obstacles—but it is certainly worth it. Happy Paleolith-ing!

PALEO TRICKS Plan each meal so you have a protein source cooked in healthy fats (eggs, fish, chicken, mutton, pork) along with vegetables and fruits. Here are some ideas on what you can eat.

At home Eggs, vegetables, green salad, stews and soups, nuts, fruits, fish and seafood preparations, lemon pepper chicken, mixed vegetables.

At restaurants Grilled fish with vegetables, chicken breast with vegetables, salmon and asparagus, salads (watch the dressing), tandoori chicken or fish, chicken wings, lamb preparations, eggplant parmesan, stir-fried vegetables, mutton burra or seekh kebab, fruit salad.