8. Special nutritional considerations: trendy diets

From greek.doctor

Palaeolithic diet (paleo diet)

  • Tries to replicate the diet of hunters and gatherers during the stone age
    • Assumes that people in the stone age didn’t consume starchy carbohydrates like potatoes and grains
    • Based on the premise that human genetics haven’t adapted to the change in agriculture, and so a diet similar to the cavemen is best
      • However, recent studies have shown that genetics can and have changed in response to changes in agriculture
      • Recent studies have also shown that people in the stone age did actually consume starchy carbohydrates
  • Diet is characterised by eating
    • Fish
    • Grass-fed pasture-raised meats
    • Eggs
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
    • Fungi
    • Roots
    • Nuts
  • The following are not consumed
    • Grains
    • Legumes
    • Dairy products
    • Potatoes
    • Refined salt
    • Refined sugar
    • Processed oils
  • The diet is generally
    • Low in calories
    • Rich in micronutrients
    • Rich in fruits and vegetables
    • Low in salt
  • Special nutritional considerations
    • Calcium
      • Lack of diary can lead to calcium deficiency and is commonly seen
    • Iodine
      • Lack of table salt and dairy products can lead to iodine deficiency

Atkins diet

  • Characterised by:
    • High protein
    • Very high fat
    • Very low carbohydrate
    • Unrestricted calories
  • Forbidden foods
    • Grains
    • Vegetables
    • Fruit
  • Promoted foods
    • Meat
    • Cheese
    • Eggs
    • Fats
  • Disadvantages
    • High saturated fat intake
    • Low fruit and vegetable intake
    • High meat intake