"Paleo diet" - 70% fat???

believetoachieve
believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
Someone mentioned that the "Paleo diet" consists of 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs. According to this person, this is healthy and the way nature intended us to eat. They couldn't give me any actual sources though. I'm a university student in the midst of exam season, and I don't have time to read countless opinionated books - can someone please give me the lowdown on this method, and your thoughts? How can 70% fat be healthy?! And how do you manage to eat 5% carbs? Wouldn't 25% protein be extremely lacking, especially for someone building muscle? This seems to go against everything the nutrition/medical community advises.

I'd appreciate links/sources as well. (and not in the form of, "oh, go read this book!" - I will, but not at the moment). Thank you! :flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • cutelashawn
    cutelashawn Posts: 182
    yes that sounds fishy....lol..I wouldnt do that. It doesnt sound safe for your body. If you are considering that, then ask your doctor first. you dont want to damage your internal organs, its not woth it
  • monkeybelle83
    monkeybelle83 Posts: 141 Member
    As far as I can tell, the diet is supposed to mimic what we ate before the agriculture industry.Milk and eggs weren't consumed, neither was grain. I am not sure about the percentages.
  • moranimal
    moranimal Posts: 18
    The way nature intended it? I don't know you, but I can't think about a single natural food source with that high of a fat content. Sounds like crap to me.
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    I'm definitely not doing it yet (especially not with research!), but I was hoping I could get some insight into the reasoning before I invest hours of time reading a book that I may end up disagreeing with! I'm trying to learn more about alternate methods of eating (clean eating, etc), but this seems a little strange... I'd love to learn & be enlightened though!
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    The way nature intended it? I don't know you, but I can't think about a single natural food source with that high of a fat content. Sounds like crap to me.

    Lol, that's what I thought too!! But giving it the benefit of the doubt & keeping an open mind. :tongue:
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    the fat comes from healthy, natural sources (animal, avocado, coconut, etc). Low carb/high fat works just as well as Low fat/high carb.
    I'm a Primal Blueprinter/paleo gal. Feel free to ask questions :)
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    Bumping to read responses.

    Personally I couldn't do it, the carbs would be my problem but not from potatoes bread etc, From my veggies, I'm doing fairly low carb and the vast majority come from green vegetables (I love green beans will have them for breakfast!) But i'm also doing fairly low fat...working for me so far.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
    As far as I can tell, the diet is supposed to mimic what we ate before the agriculture industry.Milk and eggs weren't consumed, neither was grain. I am not sure about the percentages.

    They ate TONS of grains. Here just one off the top of my head:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tollund_Man
  • twistygirl
    twistygirl Posts: 517 Member
    Some one on here told me about the Paleo diet and I did read the book got it from the Library, I was looking for a free ride but I decided why am I spending all this time and money trying to find a quick fix. Duh all I have to do is do the work. No lasting short cut people do the work. Count your calories until you learn how to eye ball food do your exercise Heck just do the work.
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.

    Sources, please! I've NEVER heard that "eskimos" are the healthiest population with the biggest brains. In fact, calling someone an eskimo has NOTHING to do with regionality.
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
    It is also called the Caveman or hunter gather diet. The idea is that we were healthier before modern agriculture was created to feed larger groups of people.

    From what I can tell you are suppose to eat clean. Good fats, lean protein, lots of water, and very few carbs. You aren't suppose to eat anything you couldn't hunt or gather yourself.

    My biggest problem with this diet is that the basic logic of it is flawed. Yes in a world where our main objectives for a day was to hunt and gather food of course you needed more fat because you were burning so many calories. And there is no way to know how healthy people where back then.

    Personally it sounds like a fad diet to me. Here is a link to the wiki article if you have time to skim it.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    the fat comes from healthy, natural sources (animal, avocado, coconut, etc). Low carb/high fat works just as well as Low fat/high carb.
    I'm a Primal Blueprinter/paleo gal. Feel free to ask questions :)

    Thank you!! What nutrition percentages do you use for yourself? Do you have to actually cut out any food group (or severely limit) it?
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
    http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/diet-myths-are-the-inuit-healthy.html

    Read the comments

    Who argues with a doctor when you're not a doctor?
  • perko2501
    perko2501 Posts: 4
    HI there,

    I'm an elite athlete (rower) on the national team and I have come down from heavyweight to lightweight using the Paleo Diet. It is hands down the most effective way of eating and thinking. High level athletes do have to tweak this diet a little, due to the need for carbs to fuel workouts often burning more then 600 a session (I do 3 sessions a day). I don't consume 70% fat, but the fat intake is high (good fats ofcourse; nuts, avocardo, olive oil) and my protein level is also high (more then 25%) through eating lean/game meats, seafood and eggs. The body is quite capable of running on fat and with the such a high level of incoming fat and a low level of carbs the stored fats are used because the body thinks it doesn't need to have a store any longer.

    It's not hard to reduce carbs following the Paleo diet because you do not eat grains, dairy or beans...so no milk, porridge, bread, yogurt, pasta, rice or any of all that other stuff that really isn't as good for you as people think. The main difficulty of keeping carbs down is in the amount of fruit you eat, but if you concentrate on eating mainly lean meats and veggies, some nuts/seeds and fruit sparringly then its doable. The excellent thing about the paleo diet is that it reawakens your palate to subtle flavours and there is no restriction on quantities...

    Hope this was helpful.
  • jknops2
    jknops2 Posts: 171 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.

    Ok, Based on what study?? Any source?? Or are you just making this up?
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.

    I guess by saying "eskimo" what you really mean is Inuit. (You should know that "eskimo" is a rude term, by the way). From the link posted by a member:

    Inuit Greenlanders ....... have the worst longevity statistics in North America. Research from the past and present shows that they die on the average about 10 years younger and have a higher rate of cancer than the overall Canadian population.

    Source:
    1. Iburg KM, Bronnum-Hansen H, Bjerregaard P. Health expectancy in Greenland. Scand J Public Health 2001;29(1):5-12. Choinere R. Mortality among the Baffin Inuit in the mid-80s. Arctive Med Res 1992;51 (2):87-93.
  • labgirl3
    labgirl3 Posts: 171 Member
    I'm also Paleo or Primal, but I would guess that for most adherants, 70% fat is rather high. I stick to 40% fat, 40% protein, and 20% carbs (from non-starchy veggies and a small amount of fruit).

    If you want more info, try www.marksdailyapple.com
  • believetoachieve
    believetoachieve Posts: 675 Member

    It's not hard to reduce carbs following the Paleo diet because you do not eat grains, dairy or beans...so no milk, porridge, bread, yogurt, pasta, rice or any of all that other stuff that really isn't as good for you as people think.

    Very helpful, thanks. But doesn't this mean that we're essentially cutting out major food groups? Grain is important, but it seems as if all you can eat on this plan is vegetables/fruit/meat - is that correct? Soy is a bean, so no soy either? What about nuts?
  • labgirl3
    labgirl3 Posts: 171 Member

    Very helpful, thanks. But doesn't this mean that we're essentially cutting out major food groups? Grain is important, but it seems as if all you can eat on this plan is vegetables/fruit/meat - is that correct? Soy is a bean, so no soy either? What about nuts?

    The typical Paleo diet will consist of eggs, meat (including fish), veggies, nuts, seeds, a little fruit, no sugar, and no grains. For the record, I am not 100% Paleo. I have artificial sugar (protein shakes and the very occasional bar), and I also eat Greek yogurt almost daily.

    Why is grain important? Our body certainly doesn't need grains.
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.

    I guess by saying "eskimo" what you really mean is Inuit. (You should know that "eskimo" is a rude term, by the way). From the link posted by a member:

    Inuit Greenlanders ....... have the worst longevity statistics in North America. Research from the past and present shows that they die on the average about 10 years younger and have a higher rate of cancer than the overall Canadian population.

    Source:
    1. Iburg KM, Bronnum-Hansen H, Bjerregaard P. Health expectancy in Greenland. Scand J Public Health 2001;29(1):5-12. Choinere R. Mortality among the Baffin Inuit in the mid-80s. Arctive Med Res 1992;51 (2):87-93.

    Just to add to that:

    edit: Bad source, not proven
  • labgirl3
    labgirl3 Posts: 171 Member
    Just to clarify, before things get totally derailed, the Paleo diet was never intended to mimic or be modeled on an Inuit diet.
  • moranimal
    moranimal Posts: 18
    I wrote out a long frustrated rant, but then decided it was unnecessary to berate anybody for their illogical opinions.

    I do however have a couple simple points.
    -cavemen had a life expectancy of 30 yrs.
    -The Inuit people are from a sub-zero climate and required a higher fat content in their diets
    -to maintain 80% fat content though, they would have to consume solely the blubber and discard the meat of every other kill because NO animal is 80% fat
    -the idea of an H-G diet makes sense as whole foods will always be healthier than processed foods, but it still needs to be balanced
    -there are no vitamins or minerals in fat and though many people take a daily, natural sources will always be more beneficial

    Lastly, we all know the right way to diet. Some people are just too lazy to make the effort to do it right. I am not trying to change anybody's mind, I am just giving a logical argument against a high fat diet. Stick to the right half of a Fresh and Easy store and do the work. The hard way is proven already. Don't bother looking for an easy way. All you will find is somebody trying to make a buck selling you a magic pill or their book that tells you what you only pray to be true.
  • perko2501
    perko2501 Posts: 4

    It's not hard to reduce carbs following the Paleo diet because you do not eat grains, dairy or beans...so no milk, porridge, bread, yogurt, pasta, rice or any of all that other stuff that really isn't as good for you as people think.

    Very helpful, thanks. But doesn't this mean that we're essentially cutting out major food groups? Grain is important, but it seems as if all you can eat on this plan is vegetables/fruit/meat - is that correct? Soy is a bean, so no soy either? What about nuts?

    Yes; meat must be lean though...you can't eat delly meat, processed meat, or fatty cuts.....no bacon, ham etc
    When they say high fat, they don't mean animal fat, with the exception of fish....fat is from nuts, avocado, coconut, oils.
    And yes you cut out the 3 big food groups that many people think are essential when they are in fact just hindering our bodies.
    Cut out all grains (including corn), all legumes (including peas and peanuts), all dairy.

    Your fuel as an athlete comes from starchy veggies....baked kumara (sweet potato/yams in the US) is what I use to replace pasta/rice/bread....pumpkin and squash are also good.

    One thing about this diet is, when you first start it you may feel a bit lethargic for 2 weeks as your body get used to not having what its currently used to processing; and then you will feel so much more energetic and be able to complete more at a higher level.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.

    I guess by saying "eskimo" what you really mean is Inuit. (You should know that "eskimo" is a rude term, by the way). From the link posted by a member:

    Inuit Greenlanders ....... have the worst longevity statistics in North America. Research from the past and present shows that they die on the average about 10 years younger and have a higher rate of cancer than the overall Canadian population.

    Source:
    1. Iburg KM, Bronnum-Hansen H, Bjerregaard P. Health expectancy in Greenland. Scand J Public Health 2001;29(1):5-12. Choinere R. Mortality among the Baffin Inuit in the mid-80s. Arctive Med Res 1992;51 (2):87-93.

    I am talking about the Eskimos that live in Southwest Alaska. They eat 80% whale and seal blubber.
  • totalimageguy
    totalimageguy Posts: 62 Member
    Human beings ate this way for 2 million years, so I always laugh when people call Paleo a "fad diet"
  • sbchasin
    sbchasin Posts: 14
    Bump to monitor
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member

    It's not hard to reduce carbs following the Paleo diet because you do not eat grains, dairy or beans...so no milk, porridge, bread, yogurt, pasta, rice or any of all that other stuff that really isn't as good for you as people think.

    Very helpful, thanks. But doesn't this mean that we're essentially cutting out major food groups? Grain is important, but it seems as if all you can eat on this plan is vegetables/fruit/meat - is that correct? Soy is a bean, so no soy either? What about nuts?

    Yes; meat must be lean though...you can't eat delly meat, processed meat, or fatty cuts.....no bacon, ham etc
    When they say high fat, they don't mean animal fat, with the exception of fish....fat is from nuts, avocado, coconut, oils.
    And yes you cut out the 3 big food groups that many people think are essential when they are in fact just hindering our bodies.
    Cut out all grains (including corn), all legumes (including peas and peanuts), all dairy.

    Your fuel as an athlete comes from starchy veggies....baked kumara (sweet potato/yams in the US) is what I use to replace pasta/rice/bread....pumpkin and squash are also good.

    One thing about this diet is, when you first start it you may feel a bit lethargic for 2 weeks as your body get used to not having what its currently used to processing; and then you will feel so much more energetic and be able to complete more at a higher level.

    Um yes Animal fat is exactly what they mean. No vegetable fats AT ALL.

    I eat bacon, just not the processed cured stuff. Farm Fresh uncured fresh bacon. I also eat some nuts, coconut oil, coconut milk and avocado on occasion.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Human beings ate this way for 2 million years, so I always laugh when people call Paleo a "fad diet"

    Me too.
  • jknops2
    jknops2 Posts: 171 Member
    Eskimos eat about 80% FAT daily and they are some of the healthiest people on this earth. They don't have the heart disease, Diabetes or other ailments that burden us Americans...............

    They also have the largest brains.

    I guess by saying "eskimo" what you really mean is Inuit. (You should know that "eskimo" is a rude term, by the way). From the link posted by a member:

    Inuit Greenlanders ....... have the worst longevity statistics in North America. Research from the past and present shows that they die on the average about 10 years younger and have a higher rate of cancer than the overall Canadian population.

    Source:
    1. Iburg KM, Bronnum-Hansen H, Bjerregaard P. Health expectancy in Greenland. Scand J Public Health 2001;29(1):5-12. Choinere R. Mortality among the Baffin Inuit in the mid-80s. Arctive Med Res 1992;51 (2):87-93.

    I am talking about the Eskimos that live in Southwest Alaska. They eat 80% whale and seal blubber.

    Ok, where do you get this from? Reference please. An do you have any health statistics for the same people? Or are you just making this up?
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