Why the paleo diet isn’t the answer for weight loss

IF YOU’VE jumped on the paleo bandwagon to lose a few kilos, you might be barking up the wrong tree. Here’s the truth about this diet.

THE “primal eating” trend is everywhere.

However, if you’re a part of this food tribe and the scales won’t budge, here are the real reasons why.

YOU OVERDOSE ON PROTEIN

When it comes to caveman cuisine, many have come to the conclusion that protein is king. Some researchers say more protein is better with some advocating a very high intake of up to 38 per cent of a person’s daily energy (roughly 187g of protein per day based on 2000 calories). This is well above the current Australian government guidelines of 15 to 25 per cent (roughly 98g of protein per day).

Just because a 1.2kg steak is #paleo doesn’t mean you’ll lose weight eating it. Picture: John Appleyard

Granted, protein is beneficial for appetite suppression and helps to preserve muscle (which can help boost your body’s calorie-burning potential), however loading up on extra steak, bacon (and a sneaky protein bar) at the expense of vegetables can result in weight gain most likely be in the form of fat.

Tip: Don’t assume that “eat more protein” means “eat more meat”. Beef, poultry, and pork (as well as dairy and eggs) can certainly provide high-quality protein, but so can many plant sources with low or no saturated fats, such as pulses, beans, chickpeas, nuts, and wholegrains, which also provide a good source of fibre.

AGAINST THE GRAIN

The idea of cutting out grain-based foods and legumes is not backed by science. Quite the contrary, with a wealth of sound scientific evidence indicating that restricting high-fibre grain foods, within a low-carb diet does not appear to offer long term advantages for maintaining a healthy weight.

In fact, research shows that people who eat more wholegrains are lighter in weight. Why? Wholegrains, like barley, quinoa, oats, teff, amaranth and buckwheat provide belly-filling fibre and quality carbs for longer lasting energy — and when you’re feeling full and energised, there’s less room for junk.

Don’t be afraid to have some wholegrain toast with your eggs.

Tip: Just like fruit and veggies, we need wholegrains to provide a wide array of nutrients and help to prevent weight gain.

TOO MANY CALORIES

I’m a foodie and I love a bit of food porn splashed all over Instagram, however I’m amazed at the amount of #paleo baked goods. Although these treats are made with acceptable paleo ingredients, they are not necessarily doing justice for your waistline — and certainly not something a caveman would have dined on!

Mmm #paleo caramel slice. Picture: Mark Stewart

These supposed “guilt free’ treats contain large amounts of energy-dense nut flours, dates, rice malt syrup and coconut oil. Together these ingredients not only pack a calorie punch, but all of the healthy labels attached to “less-processed” sweets lure people into eating them more often than they should.

I’m sure nobody considers paleo salted caramel brownie as nutritionally equivalent to broccoli.

Tip: Let’s face it, a raw paleo brownie is still a brownie hence why getting too many calories from these innocent sounding treats can contribute to weight gain.

Kathleen Alleaume is a nutrition and exercise scientist and author of What’s Eating You?

Originally published as Why the paleo diet isn’t the answer for weight loss