A primal diet is a way of eating that's based on the way early humans are believed to have eaten. It's a diet high in protein and fat and low in carbohydrates. The primal diet was codified by Mark Sisson, a former elite athlete and health coach.
What Are the Principles of the Primal Diet?
Meat and vegetables. The foundation of the primal diet, according to Sisson's website, is eating a lot of vegetables, meat, and eggs. You should eat a wide variety of vegetables to get as much color in your diet as possible. Eating different types of meat is encouraged as well, including organ meats and bone broth. Meat, poultry, and seafood are all included in this category. You should focus on eating high-quality organic food if possible.
Healthy fats. The primal diet promotes animal fats, avocado oil, coconut oil, olive oil, nut oils, and sesame oils in moderation. Nuts and nut butters are also in this category. You should avoid the following types of fats:
- Canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Corn oil
- Safflower oil
- Rapeseed oil
- Soybean oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Hydrogenated oil
- Trans fats
- Margarine
- Vegetable shortening
Full-fat dairy products. These should be eaten in moderation. You don't want full-fat dairy to make up the bulk of your diet since they don't offer as much nutrition as meat and vegetables.
Fruits. Fruits should be eaten in moderation. The carbs in fruit can add up quickly, so you're not encouraged to eat a ton of them. Fruits are a good source of fiber and micronutrients. High-carb vegetables like sweet potatoes and squash, as well as dark chocolate, are also included in this category.
Spices. You should include plenty of spices in your diet. According to the primal diet, spices and herbs help prevent the breakdown of nutrients in your food as well as adding flavor.
Foods to avoid. The primal diet is low in carbohydrates, including whole grains and sugar. Foods to avoid on this diet include all grains, processed food, and artificial sweeteners.
Lifestyle recommendations. The primal diet isn't just a list of foods you should and shouldn't eat. It also includes exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, getting some direct sun every day, and participating in active play every week.
What Are the Benefits of the Primal Diet?
The primal diet is similar to other high-protein, low-carb diets that have shown mixed results in studies. Some possible benefits include:
May help with weight loss. A study of 70 obese, menopausal women randomly assigned them to either a paleo diet or a low-fat, high-fiber diet. The women on the paleo diet had lost more weight and abdominal fat at a 6-month follow-up. However, both groups had regained some weight 2 years later, although the group on the paleo diet didn't gain back as much.
May help reduce risk factors for heart disease. Several short-term studies have shown improvement in heart disease risk factors on a low-carb, high-protein diet. These results included:
- Reduced waist circumference
- Lower triglycerides
- Lower blood pressure
- Lower HDL cholesterol
- Lower fasting blood sugar
May help control type 2 diabetes. A small study of 13 people over 3 months showed that people following a diet similar to the primal diet had better control of their blood sugar. They also improved several risk factors for heart disease compared to people on a standard type 2 diabetes diet.
Mixed results. While the above studies showed some benefits with diets similar to the primal diet, an analysis of studies that compared low-carb, high protein diets to other healthy diets showed no overall benefit in controlling blood sugar.
What Are the Risks of the Primal Diet?
While the primal diet can be healthy, there are health concerns with some of its recommendations. The most significant problems with the primal diet include:
Too much saturated fat and protein. Because of the emphasis on eating meat, including organ meat and red meat, protein and saturated fat may far exceed the recommended amounts on the primal diet. Diets high in saturated fat have been linked to heart disease, kidney disease, and some types of cancers.
Not enough whole grains. The primal diet excludes most healthy whole grains. Whole grains have been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and inflammatory diseases.
