Many people who go "gluten free" do just change to processed foods without gluten. Processed foods are processed foods whether they have wheat or not. Personally, I think a diet based on processed foods sucks in general. And yes, there's some processed foods in my diet, especially cuz I'm Primal and have dairy.

However, I don't find much fault with the premises behind Paleo. I get annoyed that the lifestyle comes under so much attack and is so misunderstood. Chris Kresser talks about a "Paleo Template" today and I suspect he's addressing how people are distracted by the details/differences of each person's view of Paleo instead of the bigger picture. Which is just to eat a biologically appropriate diet.

I do a lot of research, including reading studies (almost all of which are conducted by agencies with financial or political interests in the outcome of the study-research costs money so who's funding it and why?) and I have yet to see any valid evidence against a Paleo lifestyle. There is ample research on the diets and disease rates of aboriginal populations both on their original diet and after switching to a grain-based diet. That research speaks VOLUMES but is somehow conveniently ignored or even outright dismissed (ridiculed in MFP forums!) when it comes to research on nutrition and disease. Illogical.

Can't say I've seen any science debunking it that holds up to anything more than a cursory look.