For all those paleo diet devotees, I have some health news to share.
While there’s been some buzz to suggest paleo diets are heart healthy, the research is at best inconclusive. Until recently, most studies were very small and lasted a short period of time. Read on to learn about the connection between the paleo diet, aka the caveman diet, and heart health.
[Read: Good Fats vs. Bad Fats for Healthy Heart.]
Can the Paleo Diet Prevent Heart Disease?
Short answer: Maybe?
Part of the reason is the lack of good studies around this question. Second, the lack of a clear and consistent definition of the diet’s guidelines means people are following this diet differently. For example, while the paleo diet tends to be high protein, high fat and low carb, the specific proportions can vary. Nor is there any guidance about portion sizes or exercise recommendations.
Back in 2019, a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition revealed that individuals following the paleo diet had higher levels of a compound that’s associated with an increased risk of heart disease, compared to those following a more traditional diet. The compound, trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO), is an important biomarker produced in the gut. Furthermore, the paleo group in the study had less beneficial gut bacteria overall. According to the lead researcher, Dr. Angela Genoni, “the paleo diet excludes all grains, and we know that whole grains are a fantastic source of resistant starch and many other fermentable fibers that are vital to the health of your gut microbiome.”
But the study’s sample size was small — just 44 paleo dieters and 47 traditional dieters — and only followed people for three days. In addition, the three-day diet records were self-reported. As a nutrition expert, I always prefer studies conducted on larger sample sizes and where diets are controlled.
In 2022, another study was published in the European Journal of Nutrition that assessed the association between adherence to the paleo diet and the risk of cardiovascular disease in a Mediterranean population. It consisted of 18,210 participants over 12.5 years — a nice cohort size and length of time. The study concluded that the paleo diet may have cardiovascular benefits in participants from a Mediterranean country. Specifically of note, however, was the avoidance of ultra-processed foods. When consumption of ultra-processed foods was removed from the equation, the results were not seen as significant.
So maybe the heart benefits were simply a result of the lack of ultra-processed foods?
[See: How to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease]
The Paleo Diet and Heart Health
The paleo diet is basically a way of eating that’s supposed to be similar to the way our ancestors of the paleolithic age ate. That means avoiding ultra-processed foods, legumes (including peanuts), grains, dairy, alcohol, coffee, refined and added sugar, and artificial sweeteners. In other words, anything that cavemen couldn’t eat during the hunting and gathering times should not be eaten now.
This is what always throws me off with the diet because:
1. Cavemen didn’t live very long, right?
2. Are you telling me that all paleo followers aren’t going to Starbucks?
Anyway, this diet restricts too many foods that have health benefits, especially related to heart health. Research will support that whole grains — as well as legumes/beans — are associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. We also know that consumption of high-fiber foods, such as 100% whole grains and legumes, may help decrease heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, prevent constipation and help stabilize blood sugars.
Furthermore, many dairy foods, for example yogurt, kefir and cheese, are good sources of probiotics, which have been found to aid in digestive health.
I will admit that the one plus of the paleo diet is that it encourages the intake of plenty of fruits and veggies, and we certainly need to be eating more of those. Grass-fed beef, fish, poultry, nuts/seeds and healthy fats are also on the approved list. The diet also stresses avoidance of ultra-processed foods, which can aid in limiting intake of added sugars and saturated fats, another plus in its corner.
But that brings up another question for me, in some reports of the diet they don’t decipher between processed and ultra-processed. When the diet states, “no processed foods” and yet they recommend nuts and seeds, it gets confusing. Technically nuts and seeds are processed, and so are the oils they recommend. But maybe I am just being a stickler for details.
As for refined sugars, I have never been on board with total avoidance — limit, yes – but not denying yourself an occasional piece of cake, pie or any other indulgent sweet. Hey, we all know chocolate, in moderation, comes with its own health benefits.
The American Heart Association rates the paleo diet as one of the lowest scoring diets for heart health. Instead, it recommends the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, pescatarian diet and vegetarian diet as better options for heart health.
[READ: How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally]
Other Health Benefits?
There have been some new review studies that have shown the paleo diet might be beneficial for glucose metabolism and lipid profiles, exercise performance and decreasing the risk for colorectal cancer. However, these studies have not been double-blind controlled, which is the gold standard for research. More conclusive research is needed, especially one that controls for daily diet intake versus a food questionnaire.
Bottom Line
Whether or not the paleo diet will lead to heart disease is still non-conclusive.
More importantly, are you really learning anything about developing a healthy relationship with food by simply eliminating food groups? I might suggest a more successful, long-term plan would be to lose the diet mentality completely. Instead of demonizing foods as good or bad or eliminating foods you love, one might try simply focusing on eating foods that provide more nutritional benefits. I call it the 85/15 rule: Try and choose healthy foods 85% of the time, and not worry so much about the other 15%.
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Is a Paleo Diet Heart Healthy? originally appeared on usnews.com
