The Cons and Risks of the Paleo Diet

by: Dylan Barton 10/7/14

The concept of the Paleo Diet is to return to eating the types of foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors did. The basic food groups included in the diet are fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood and nuts. Another concept within the diet is eating foods that aren't overly processed and full of chemicals. For a large majority of people, this way of eating will have positive effects on their weight and overall health. There are, however, some scenarios and groups of people who won’t experience the expected positives and benefits.

One of the most prominent and most written-about concerns with the Paleo Diet is the possibility of not getting enough calcium. While an educated user of the diet would possibly know that calcium doesn't come from just dairy foods, it is safe to presume that a large amount of people who jump on board with this diet wouldn’t consider the other food options for absorbing calcium. Within the concept of the Paleo Diet there is no place for dairy under the premise that hunter-gatherers didn't have domesticated animals to milk. Those ancient ancestors had to find other sources for nutrition, and so will you if you choose to follow the Paleo Diet. Some allowed sources for calcium include spinach, kale and other leafy green vegetables.

If healthy levels of calcium are not reached, then your body will eventually develop a deficiency. Dr. Andrew Weil describes the effects of calcium deficiency as follows: “Symptoms of calcium deficiency (also known as hypocalcemia) range from minor -- numbness or tingling of the fingers, muscle cramps, lethargy and poor appetite -- to more severe, including mental confusion, skeletal malformations, dermatitis, and in infants, delayed development. Illnesses such as osteoporosis (brittle, thin, porous bones that easily break) and rickets are also associated with a deficiency.”

While it isn't directly a problem with the Paleo Diet, but more of a debate over its benefits, experts disagree over whether or not eating this way will help you avoid some of the diseases and disorders that plague our society. It is true that the hunter-gatherers didn't suffer from nearly as much cancer or heart disease. It is up for debate, however, that our modern way of eating is entirely the cause of these malities or if other environmental factors are to blame. Scientists are routinely finding new causes of cancer and other diseases.  For example: Bpa, an additive that strengthens many of the plastic food and drink storage items (among other things) we use in our daily lives has been found to cause cancer. This shows that the total picture of what causes our health problems is yet to be found and finalized.

Athletes and other people who are highly active are likely to find problems with the Paleo Diet. The reason these possible dieters should reconsider following the diet is that they will not find themselves having the same amount of energy because the diet doesn't allow many of the sources of carbohydrates that are available to non-dieters. While the high amount of protein will provide an abundance of long-lasting energy, the lack of grains will have eaters finding a deficit in terms of the quick energy that is associated with carbohydrates. This will result in a noticeable change in the performance of these highly active dieters, which especially in the case of professional athletes isn't something you want to be contending with while competing.     

High amounts of saturated fats create another risk that Paleo dieters will have to weigh out when deciding whether or not to subscribe to this way of eating. While there are some health problems that are avoided with this diet, it does raise the risk of developing other issues. Examples of the health problems that could be experienced because of the Paleo Diet’s heightened amount of saturated fats include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. These are long-term diseases however, and are still possibilities for non-Paleo Dieters.  Most of these problems can be avoided without drastically changing the diet you are currently following by being mindful of what you eat and how you exercise.

The cost of the Paleo Diet is yet another aspect that should be considered before switching the way you eat. While eating the way hunter-gatherers did can have health benefits in the short term, sourcing the foods you are allowed to eat is pricier than filling your stomach conventionally. To see this point’s validity all you have to do is walk through a supermarket, tallying up the cost of a week of Paleo Dieting versus the comparatively low cost of the processed foods that the diet bars you from eating. There is also another “cost” in terms of the time it takes to purchase and prepare meals allowed by the Paleo Diet. You cannot simply swing by the nearest drive-through restaurant if you are following the concept of the diet. So your convenience is going to be sacrificed for the hopes of trimming your waistline measurement.

In addition to the Paleo Diet being questionable for athletes and the general public, the diet is also potentially rough on vegetarians. Sports nutritionist Leslie Bonci states, “This diet can be really hard for vegetarians, especially since the diet excludes beans.” With beans being an important element of a vegetarian diet, as they provide protein and other nutrients, embarking on the Paleo Diet is a decision that shouldn't be made without further research and planning.

With all of these downsides and cons considered, the best step to take may be to reconfigure your diet to allow the benefits of the Paleo Diet while also limiting risks and costs that come with being a full-time follower of the diet. While not a perfect diet as many of it’s supporters claim, the knowledge found while researching the Paleo Diet has helped to better inform us of both the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors and how the differences in our modern diets affect people today. No knowledge is bad knowledge, as long as we use it to better our lives and health.   

Sources

Is the Paleo Diet Right For You? http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/paleo-diet/story?id=22821385

Debunking Diets: Paleo Pros and Cons http://greatist.com/health/debunking-diets-paleo-pros-and-cons

Pros and Cons of the Paleo Diet http://www.upmc.com/services/sports-medicine/newsletter/pages/paleo-diet.aspx

Pros and Cons of the Paleo Diet http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/pros-and-cons-of-the-paleo-diet

How the Paleo Diet Works http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/diets/paleo-diet1.htm

Supplements and Herbs: Calcium

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02814/calcium

How Environmental Exposure May Affect Your Child http://www.webmd.com/children/environmental-exposure-head2toe/bpa

Video on cons of the paleo diet: