Bad for Your Heart: Paleo Diet
Yes, you’re right, Paleo comes from the word Paleolithic and this diet is based on what some experts think our ancestors ate. Basically, you can eat like a hunter: grass-fed meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruit. The plan, of course, eliminates all grains, beans, dairy, processed foods, and refined sugar.
Paleo enthusiasts claim that it lowers the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer, but there’s little research to sustain such claims. One small study of nine people found that a paleo approach helped improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels, but these improvements were in comparison to participants’ usual—less-than-healthy—diets.
So, because fiber-rich foods are heart friendly, Paleo diet isn’t a great diet plan to follow, especially when your ticker is not that healthy.
Here’s a typical day on the paleo diet:
- Breakfast—Free range eggs cooked in coconut oil with natural bacon and sauteed vegetables.
- Lunch—Organic chicken thighs with a baked sweet potato and vegetables.
- Snack—Nuts and seeds with dried coconut.
- Dinner—Grass-fed steak with squash and greens.
