Paleolithic (also known as paleo) diet

Diet Guide Paleolithic diet At a glance Star Rating:* 15 Remember to consult your doctor before starting any new eating plan if you have an underlying health condition or history of an eating disorder. Overview Think back to what foods humans may have found when they were living as ancient hunter gatherers – fruit, green vegetables, eggs, poultry, meat and seafood – and you have the basis for this modern-day Stone Age diet. Sample menu Breakfast: omelette with spinach, parsley, fruit and herbal tea Snack: sliced lean grass-fed beef, fruit Lunch: salad and chicken, with an olive oil and lemon dressing, herbal tea Snack: apple slices, walnuts Dinner: grilled turkey, tomato and avocado slices, broccoli, carrots and artichoke, plus blueberries, raisins and almonds Expert opinion The foods available to our ancestors were very different from those available to us and in practice, we can no longer eat a true paleo diet. Experts in evolutionary biology and archaeology note that our ancestors ate a varied diet, according to what was available in different areas of the world, with evidence showing grains, legumes and foods related to the modern potato were consumed at least 30,000 years ago. Note, however, that the many top scientists who review evidence for the World Cancer Research Fund now rate the evidence as 'convincing' that a high intake of red meat increases the risk of bowel cancer.