Caveman or Paleo Diet: Incorporating cooked foods

The Paleo/ Caveman diet, also known as Paleolithic diet or Stone Age diet, is a recent fad diet that advocates that foods should be eaten in their natural forms, similar to how our ancestors did it. This diet typically includes foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering like lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds in their raw form. This diet limits foods that became common after farming emerged like dairy products, legumes and grains. It is believed that eating this way helps avoid a range of diseases and conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. linked to modernization.

Paleo/ Caveman diet limits the use of whole grains, legumes and dairy products which are good sources of protein, calcium, fiber, vitamins and other nutrients. These foods are not only healthy and good for weight loss but are also generally more affordable and accessible than the foods allowed in Paleo diet. So, to make the diet all the more interesting, some cooked food elements can be also included in it.

Ingredients of a Paleo diet

• Eggs
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Fibrous vegetables like spinach
• Certain nuts like walnuts, pistachios, or almonds
• Avocados
• Protein-rich supplement like Spirulina
• Hemp seeds or finger millet/ barley bread or multi-grain bread
• Sprouts
• Salmon
• Kiwi smoothies
• Chicken fajitas
• Sautéed broccoli
• Hamburger, pork or tuna salad
• Roasted nuts
• Roasted radish, sweet potato, or roasted asparagus
• Cauliflower rice and tomato gravy

The idea behind this diet is to eat plenty of proteins and fiber rich foods and cut out back on carbohydrates and fats. The diet also recommends drinking plenty of water and other fluids. People on Paleo diet claims to have lost a lot of weight in a matter of 8 to 10 weeks.

Although this diet looks like a good option for losing weight but it lacks essential nutrients required by the body to function well. So, always try and avoid such fad diets and opt for a healthy, balanced, nutritious diet.