LIMERICK-BASED RESEARCH assistant in Performance Nutrition and Exercise Physiologist, Alexandra Cremona, has kindly talked us through one of those regimes you’ve been hearing a lot about; the so-called caveman diet.
So what is it, exactly?
“The diet is based around the main ethos that our bodies have evolved over millions of years, says Cremona, “before the introduction of agriculture and domestication of animals, and therefore is better adapted to consume foods that were available during the Palaeolithic era which ended about 12,000 years ago.
“Paleo advocates believe human metabolism has been unable to adapt fast enough to handle many of the foods that have become widely available since the introduction of agriculture. It is therefore thought the ever increasing incidence of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and various cancers is a result of maladaptation to the consumption of foods such as grains, legumes, dairy and energy dense (high calorie) processed foods which constitute a staple in most modern diets.”
So let’s cut to the chase, what is ‘in’?
“Grass-fed meat, not grain-fed. Fowl, such as chicken, duck, hen, turkey. Wild fish — as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in some farmed fish. Eggs. Vegetables and fruit- organic, where possible. Natural oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil. Nuts and tubers (sweet potatoes). Paleo advocates would say you can eat as much of these as you want.”
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And more importantly, what is ‘out’?
“Grains, sugar and processed foods… that includes dairy products, alcohol and coffee!”
Give us 10 food samples that feature highly on the diet.
“Avocados, spinach, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, salmon, tuna, game, all nuts and fruit are all examples of food high up the chain on the paleo diet.”
Are there any downsides to it that you know of?
“Dairy products constitute a whole food group and this is for a reason; they are a rich source of protein as well as calcium (important for bone formation) vitamin D (important for absorption of calcium), B vitamins – which participate in many metabolic process including carbohydrate metabolism.
“I would not advocate any diet which omits a food group, unless for medical reason – in which case the diet should be tailored by a dietitian to achieve intake of all these micronutrients through other sources.
“Grains and legumes are a fantastic source of complex carbohydrate, B vitamins, and fibre. An abundant intake of fibre in the diet plays a key role in health, and has been linked to appetite regulation; reduction in blood lipids associated with cardiovascular risk and reduced risk of developing certain types of cancers.
“Dietary intake of the average person is already quite low, omission of these foods will not help us get the fibre necessary to get reap these health benefits!
“Even though I like the concept of the paleo diet and would advocate a diet rich in non-processed foods, it definitely limits certain foods that are important for a healthy balanced diet, making it unnecessarily unsociable to follow.”
Is it suitable for sportspeople? and why/why not?
“Carbohydrate is an established and efficient legal ergogenic aid. Athletes benefit from carbohydrate manipulation to optimize body composition, fuel and recover from their training and ultimately perform. All sports benefit from appropriate intake of carbohydrates.
“However, each sport has different needs as it poses stresses on different metabolic systems. Therefore, our intake of carbohydrates should be tailored to the type, intensity and duration of our sport as these dictate which metabolic energy systems are mostly used. Athletes also need to tailor their nutrition according to the periodization of their sport.
“Carbohydrate intake is also especially important and protective for the immunity of athletes, as we know that training demands poses high demands on the immune system athletes need to do all they can to help stave off that cold, especially during heavy periods of training in order to be able to get consistent training under their belt – another necessary ingredient for sporting success!”
Alexandra Cremona studied and worked for several years in Scotland, first in Sports and Exercise Science followed by Dietetics. She has provided support to several athletes from Trans-Atlantic rowing to middle-distance triathlon.
All you need to know about the paleo diet
LIMERICK-BASED RESEARCH assistant in Performance Nutrition and Exercise Physiologist, Alexandra Cremona, has kindly talked us through one of those regimes you’ve been hearing a lot about; the so-called caveman diet.
So what is it, exactly?
“The diet is based around the main ethos that our bodies have evolved over millions of years, says Cremona, “before the introduction of agriculture and domestication of animals, and therefore is better adapted to consume foods that were available during the Palaeolithic era which ended about 12,000 years ago.
“Paleo advocates believe human metabolism has been unable to adapt fast enough to handle many of the foods that have become widely available since the introduction of agriculture. It is therefore thought the ever increasing incidence of metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and various cancers is a result of maladaptation to the consumption of foods such as grains, legumes, dairy and energy dense (high calorie) processed foods which constitute a staple in most modern diets.”
So let’s cut to the chase, what is ‘in’?
“Grass-fed meat, not grain-fed. Fowl, such as chicken, duck, hen, turkey. Wild fish — as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in some farmed fish. Eggs. Vegetables and fruit- organic, where possible. Natural oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil. Nuts and tubers (sweet potatoes). Paleo advocates would say you can eat as much of these as you want.”
And more importantly, what is ‘out’?
“Grains, sugar and processed foods… that includes dairy products, alcohol and coffee!”
Give us 10 food samples that feature highly on the diet.
“Avocados, spinach, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, salmon, tuna, game, all nuts and fruit are all examples of food high up the chain on the paleo diet.”
Are there any downsides to it that you know of?
“Dairy products constitute a whole food group and this is for a reason; they are a rich source of protein as well as calcium (important for bone formation) vitamin D (important for absorption of calcium), B vitamins – which participate in many metabolic process including carbohydrate metabolism.
“I would not advocate any diet which omits a food group, unless for medical reason – in which case the diet should be tailored by a dietitian to achieve intake of all these micronutrients through other sources.
“Grains and legumes are a fantastic source of complex carbohydrate, B vitamins, and fibre. An abundant intake of fibre in the diet plays a key role in health, and has been linked to appetite regulation; reduction in blood lipids associated with cardiovascular risk and reduced risk of developing certain types of cancers.
“Dietary intake of the average person is already quite low, omission of these foods will not help us get the fibre necessary to get reap these health benefits!
“Even though I like the concept of the paleo diet and would advocate a diet rich in non-processed foods, it definitely limits certain foods that are important for a healthy balanced diet, making it unnecessarily unsociable to follow.”
Is it suitable for sportspeople? and why/why not?
“Carbohydrate is an established and efficient legal ergogenic aid. Athletes benefit from carbohydrate manipulation to optimize body composition, fuel and recover from their training and ultimately perform. All sports benefit from appropriate intake of carbohydrates.
“However, each sport has different needs as it poses stresses on different metabolic systems. Therefore, our intake of carbohydrates should be tailored to the type, intensity and duration of our sport as these dictate which metabolic energy systems are mostly used. Athletes also need to tailor their nutrition according to the periodization of their sport.
“Carbohydrate intake is also especially important and protective for the immunity of athletes, as we know that training demands poses high demands on the immune system athletes need to do all they can to help stave off that cold, especially during heavy periods of training in order to be able to get consistent training under their belt – another necessary ingredient for sporting success!”
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