In our last entry on the possible best genetic adaptation that we can still have to the paleodiet, we talked about the basis of this food plan and the temporal space that it covered, a similar diet, during our evolution. Are we still genetically better linked to this lifestyle?

A food plan that promotes a lot of controversy and that has many followers, but also with those who do not see it with such “good eyes”. In the second part of this post series about the paleodiet, we are going to focus on what is really shown and we will see for whom, the paleodiet, can be a very good nutritional option.

Overweight problems: nutritional quality

If we look at the figures of overweight that are currently around our country, it is clear that the model of food we carry, always generalizing, is far from adequate. But is the paleodiet better in this respect?

The end of the paleodiet is far from adopting a new diet style to lose weight, but rather to create a new lifestyle. Obviously, a person who wants to lose weight can do it by conventional means: hypocaloric diet and exercise. But in spite of this, the paleodiet can also help us in this purpose.

Remember that we start with a food plan where we eliminate the consumption of food that is not recommended (which is usually accompanied by high calories), which undoubtedly can help us to more easily reach the hypocaloric diet we need : in the end, everything ends up being reduced to caloric deficit.
But what is really significant is that scientific evidence has shown that a diet low in carbohydrates is more effective in reducing body weight than conventional diet.

Following this line, according to another work of the State University of California , after ten weeks of follow-up to healthy subjects of both sexes between 20-24 years of age, the Paleolithic diet concluded in improvements with respect to body composition, with reductions of weight and fat.

Although this is not the primary objective of the paleodiet, this nutritional plan can also be a good ally in the reduction of body fat, even if we do not strictly follow it, we can use its nutritional bases to lose weight.

Cardiovascular risk: diet without refined sugars

Cancer, hypertension, overweight, obesity, memory, dental health: this is what we talk about when we talk about sugar. Lighter water, do not you think?

Many studies support the direct relationship between sugar consumption and cardiovascular risk, but, in addition to this fact, studies carried out by the Department of Medicine of the University of California, confirm the metabolic change and physiological improvements in patients they begin the follow-up of the paleolithic food plan.

THE RESULTS observed compared to a traditional contemporary diet, show reductions associated with arterial compliance, total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins and triglycerides, with 100% unidirectional and short-term results for all patients.

Autoimmune diseases: low carbohydrate diet and diabetes

But, in addition, if we look a little more at the data of this last study we can see that, within the metabolic variables presented, the conclusions reflect the following:

“Even a short-term consumption of a paleolithic diet improves BP and glucose tolerance , decreasing insulin secretion and increasing their sensitivity.

Some time ago we talked precisely about the role played by low-carbohydrate diets in the diet of people with autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes.

In fact, the latest recommendations that we echoed from the ADA (American Diabetes Association) , showed that precisely a diet low in carbohydrates can be, in addition to being useful, an effective measure in diabetics.

The scientific review has shown in many studies, low carbohydrate diets, such as Paleolithic, are related to direct benefits in people with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2.
In fact, the review of the clinical histories of Frederick M. Allen showed that in the preinsulinic era, the most common dietary treatments for diabetes mellitus were based, precisely, on diets similar to that of our ancestors, high in fats (70). %) and low in hydrates (8%).

Conclusions

Despite the controversy generated by the “paleodieta theme”, the truth is that the scientific evidence is put on its part in certain beneficial and effective aspects when minimizing risks such as obesity or cardiovascular problems; In addition to demonstrating that this type of restrictive diets can become the fundamental tool, nutritionally speaking, to combat and treat autoimmune diseases as widespread as type 1 diabetes.