Following a caveman’s diet is not easy for a modern man. The Paleo diet is a high-protein and high-fiber diet that helps in weight loss and brings other healthy changes in the body. It strictly follows the diet plan of the Palaeolithic era and includes whole foods that are easily available like nuts, fruits, locally-grown vegetables, lean meat, and eggs. Let’s take a look at some advantages of the Paleo diet:

1. Attaining a clean diet plan
When following a Paleo diet, you can eat fresh vegetables and fruits that are sourced locally. This means the diet is very simple and helps in cleansing the body of the effects of unhealthy eating habits as no preservatives or chemicals are present in the food consumed.

2. Rich source of nutrition
The foods under the Paleo diet are rich in fat and proteins. Protein helps in building stronger muscles, bones, and cartilage, and protein obtained from lean meat balances insulin levels, controlling diabetes. The fat is obtained from natural resources, so it helps maintain healthy body weight.

3. Helps in weight loss
The limited choice of food options helps in reducing weight. Also, the fats are obtained in a natural form, without the consumption of processed or refined food, which helps in forming healthy lipids in the body. An increased intake of fibers combined with fewer carbohydrates also results in weight loss.

4. Potassium-rich diet plan
Obtaining healthy potassium levels with the intake of fruits and vegetables helps in healthy kidney and muscle function. It also helps in controlling blood pressure levels.

Disadvantages of the paleo diet include:

1. It is expensive
The restricted diet plan makes it difficult to follow if the food options turn out to be expensive. If you skip the expensive food options, the diet plan is shrunk further, which does not enable you to have a wholesome meal.

2. Lack of calcium
Dairy products are known to be the primary sources of calcium for a large number of people around the world. The Paleo diet strictly says no to dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter, which leads to a deficiency of calcium and weaker bone and teeth. Also, you might need to shell out more money to get dairy substitutes like soy milk or almond milk.

3. Lack of carbohydrates
This diet recommends avoiding the consumption of lentils, wheat, grains, and rice, which results in a lack of carbohydrates in the body. Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of nutrients as they provide energy, and a lack of those can cause fatigue until the body gets used to the change.

4. The adverse effect on weight loss
This diet plan only mentions the type of food to choose from and does not have guidelines for the portion sizes. Since this plan does not place any restrictions on the portion size, there are chances of overeating or overindulging, which may lead to weight gain if the foods are high in fat or proteins.