Paleo and Raw Foods

I've noticed recently that many of my friends and extended family members have been into finding a "natural" or a "wholesome" diet plan. Maybe it is living in Colorado that to go on a diet not only do you have to find a diet, but it has to emphasize "green living", "organic foods" or "gluten-free". Mostly, they each talk about one of two diets: Paleo and raw foods diet.

Paleo

It seems many are drawn into the Paleo craze. What is it? And why does it appeal to so many people?

The Claims

The Paleo diet states it is based on the human genes. It promises to decrease the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The authors claim it will improve athletics, decrease acne, increase energy, and improve your sleep. As most diets, it also promises weight loss if the principles in the diet are followed.

The "Diet"

The Paleo diet focuses on what the author considers to be our natural eating pattern. They suggest increasing protein in our days- stating this is how our hunter-gatherer forefathers ate. The diet also states you should avoid grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods.

Raw Foods

Another diet that has many followers is the raw food diet. It sounds self-explanatory. Yet what are the specifics?

The Claims

This diet claims it is a way to reach whatever outcome you are searching for. The diet asks you to choose what your end goal is: weight loss, healthy living or detoxification from the toxic food we eat.

The "Diet"

Each version of this "diet" are slightly different. However the basics are you only eat foods that are raw and unprocessed. It focuses on alkaline foods to decrease stress on the body. It also states you should only eat organic foods. It is very focused on keeping food in as natural of a state as you can.

How they "Sell" the "diet"

These two diets each have ways of selling the diet. Both diets use polarization: they give lists of "good" foods and "bad" foods. The Paleo diet even claims that some foods cause everything from headaches to auto-immune disorders. 

The raw foods diet uses filtering as a basis. The raw food diet states that heating or processing food destroys nutrients and enzymes in foods. It states altering the food makes it toxic. It is true that some of nutrients can be lost in cooking. But many are not, and some nutrients are more available for the body to use after cooking. Some foods (such as raw meat and eggs) are made safer for the body when they are cooked. The paleo diet 

The Paleo diet uses expert opinion to help justify the diet. It states scientific research "proves" this diet is the best. This is also an overgeneralization to help those who may not fall for other diets by saying this isn't some "fad diet" and it is scientifically backed. While there are good parts of the diet, this overgeneralization makes it sound like the perfect diet, which it is not. 

The Pitfalls of "natural"

Each of these two diets are based on natural eating. Interestingly, both have many followers that publish recipes for cupcakes and brownies, making sure they still follow the "rules." They try to play by the letter of the law, not the essence of what the diet is trying to teach. 

Both diets also rely on the idea of eating only "alkaline" foods. This is leaving out a large number of foods that are beneficial to the body. The diets state that eating too many acidic foods puts a strain on the kidneys and can lead to osteoporosis. However, the body has mechanisms to maintain acid-base balance. Diet does not need to be controlled to protect this mechanism. 

The Bottom Line

Each of these diets have good qualities. They both emphasize fruit and vegetable consumption, which is often lacking in society. However, each has potential problems and deficiencies. Any diet that tells you to avoid whole food groups should not be strictly followed. The Paleo diet steers clear of grains which are on of the food groups that provide many important nutrients (including folate, thiamin, and niacin) as well as being a good source of carbohydrates, the fuel for our bodies. The raw foods diet avoids many meats and animal products, which could lead to deficiencies in calcium and vitamin B12. While these have sound advice, the main key to a healthy diet is moderation in all things.