Ultra-FIT magazine

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Quick Chocolate Pudding – serves two

By now you have probably realised that I really like desserts and especially chocolate. This pudding takes minutes to make, contains very little sugar and is also gluten and virtually lactose free. It’s so healthy it hardly counts as a dessert!

Ingredients

2 free range organic eggs
1 tablespoon organic Dutch process cocoa – unsweetened
100 grams ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons fructose
25 grams melted butter
100 grams Low fat plain Greek yogurt to serve

Directions

Whisk the melted butter and the eggs and then add the dry ingredients. Place in a microwaveable bowl on high for 3 minutes or until the mixture is springy on top. Alternatively, pour the mixture into two greased muffin tins and cook in a pre-heated 200 degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot and covered with the yogurt.

Nutritional Values per serving

Calories 333, Protein 13 grams, Carbohydrates 13 grams, Fibre 3 grams, Fat 23 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Sweet and sour is an oriental favourite and this version is so much better than any shop bought sauce in a jar as it contains very little sugar and no artificial colours or preservatives. Using cauliflower rice also means this meal contains far fewer carbs than if you made it with rice.

Sweet and Sour Turkey and pepper stir fry with cauliflower rice – Serves two

Ingredients

300 grams diced turkey breast
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
3 medium bell peppers – one red, one green and one yellow – thinly sliced
1 medium diced onion
10 lm white wine vinegar
50 ml water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon fructose
1 teaspoon tomato puree
1 medium cauliflower – cut into florets and hard stalks discarded
4 spring onions, finely shredded

Directions

Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a pan or wok and cook the meat over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Heat the last of the oil in a separate pan and sauté the peppers, onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the turkey to the vegetables and then stir in the fructose, white wine vinegar, water, tomato puree and soy sauce. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the cauliflower in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes until it becomes slightly soft. Drain thoroughly and then put the florets in a food processer and whizz up until the cauliflower resembles coarse rice. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also grate the cauliflower but this can be a bit messy and you’ll have to be careful not to burn your fingers.

Spoon the cauliflower rice into bowls and serve the turkey and vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the shredded spring onions.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 506, Protein 39 grams, Carbohydrates 40 grams, Fibre 10 grams, Fat 22 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

This low carb, high protein meal is packed with protein, vitamins, fibre and taste! Taking no more than 15 minutes to prepare, it makes a great meal when time is against you but you don’t want to resort to an unhealthy ready-meal or takeaway.

Spicy beef stuffed peppers with courgette noodles – Serves two

Ingredients

4 medium-sized bell peppers – any colour
300 grams of lean minced beef
1 medium onion – finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
chilli flakes/chopped chilli to taste
1 beef stock cube – crushed
1 clove of crushed garlic
4 medium/large courgettes
25 grams of butter

Directions

Carefully remove the tops from the peppers and remove any pips and white flesh. Place the peppers open-end up in a baking tray and keep the tops for later. If your peppers fall over because they have a rounded bottom, place them in individual ramekins for stability.

Heat the olive oil and fry the onion until soft and then add the mince. Stir in the garlic, the crushed stock cube and the chilli. Cook until the mince is browned but not burnt!

Spoon the meat mixture equally into the four peppers and then put the tops back on. Place on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven set to 200 degrees centigrade. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, top and tail the courgettes and then cut into quarters lengthways.  Cut each quarter into fine strips until they resemble noodles or thick spaghetti.

Melt the butter in the pan you used for the meat and onions (saving on washing up!) and add the courgette noodles. Cook over a medium heat until the courgettes begin to soften – around seven minutes.

Put the sliced courgettes in a shallow dish and place the peppers on top. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 475, Protein 32 grams, Carbohydrates 6 grams, Fibre 6 grams, Fat 35 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

High Protein Cheesecake – serves 2

While not especially weight-loss friendly, this lovely dessert makes a great treat and is far better for you than most shop-bought cheesecakes. And it’s gluten free!

Ingredients

For the base
¼ cup of dates – pitted
¼ cup of pecans – shelled
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

For the topping
200 grams low fat soft cheese
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
50 grams white chocolate
2 gelatine leaves
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoon agave or fructose syrup
1 tablespoon of chopped cranberries

Directions

Put the dates, pecans and coconut oil in a food processor and blend into a rough paste. Spoon the mixture into two individual ramekins and then pop them in the fridge for an hour.

Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate by placing it in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Once melted, add the gelatine leaves and stir until they are completely dissolved. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients, stirring all the time. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a few teaspoons of coconut milk. Continue stirring until you are left with a smooth and lump-free mixture.

Pour the mixture into the ramekins over the pecan and date bases and then sprinkle with the cranberries. Return the pots to the fridge and chill for two to four hours.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 742, Protein 43 grams, Carbohydrate 73 grams, Fibre 6 grams, Fat 31 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Meatloaf – Serves 4

Meatloaf is an American favourite and is great served hot with plenty of green beans and mash potato or cold with salad.

Ingredients

500 grams lean mince beef
½ cup organic porridge oats
1 large free range egg
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 beef stock cube
4 tablespoons BBQ sauce
½ cup boiling water

Directions

Place everything except the BBQ sauce in a large bowl and stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spoon the mixture into a well-greased deep-sided baking tray – around 9 inches by 5 inches or similar.

Press the fixture down with the back of a spatula and then spread the BBQ sauce over the top. Place in a preheated oven set to 175 degrees centigrade for 45 to 50 minutes until the top of the dish turns brown.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 407, Protein 29 grams, Carbohydrate 13 grams, Fibre 4 grams, Fat 25 grams

High Protein Cheesecake – serves 2

While not especially weight-loss friendly, this lovely dessert makes a great treat and is far better for you than most shop-bought cheesecakes. And it’s gluten free!

Ingredients

For the base
¼ cup of dates – pitted
¼ cup of pecans – shelled
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

For the topping
200 grams low fat soft cheese
2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
50 grams white chocolate
2 gelatine leaves
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoon agave or fructose syrup
1 tablespoon of chopped cranberries

Directions

Put the dates, pecans and coconut oil in a food processor and blend into a rough paste. Spoon the mixture into two individual ramekins and then pop them in the fridge for an hour.

Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate by placing it in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Once melted, add the gelatine leaves and stir until they are completely dissolved. Slowly add the rest of the ingredients, stirring all the time. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a few teaspoons of coconut milk. Continue stirring until you are left with a smooth and lump-free mixture.

Pour the mixture into the ramekins over the pecan and date bases and then sprinkle with the cranberries. Return the pots to the fridge and chill for two to four hours.

Nutritional Values per Serving

Calories 742, Protein 43 grams, Carbohydrate 73 grams, Fibre 6 grams, Fat 31 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Homemade Malt Loaf

Malt loaf is a staple of many endurance athletes diet. Packed with energy, tasty and sweet, malt loaf can be consumed before, during or after exercise. It also makes a great on the go breakfast as well as a handy high-energy snack any time of the day. It’s also very low in fat. This recipe is deceptively simple but completely delicious!

Ingredients:

1 cup All-Bran sticks
1 cup dried fruit – sultanas, raisins, dates or a mixture of your choice
1 cup of milk
1 cup self raising flour
½ cup of soft brown sugar – light or dark as preferred
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place all the ingredients except the flour in a large mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly and leave to sit for an hour or so. Meanwhile, grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper. After an hour, sift and add the flour to the wet mixture and stir until all the ingredients are combined. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, ensuring the mixture is distributed evenly. Place in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees centigrade and bake for 90 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove from the tin and place on a cooling rack. Allow loaf to cool, cut into medium thick slices and enjoy with butter, jam, chocolate spread or au natural.

Nutritional Values:
(For entire loaf – divide these figures by the number of slices you make)

Calories: 2154, Protein: 45 grams, Carbohydrate: 466 grams, Fibre: 41 grams, Fat: 15 grams

Each Friday we will be publishing a recipe for you to try over the weekend.

Roast Cabbage and Sausages

Sausages often have the reputation of being less-than healthy. While some sausages may well be full of the parts of animals we’re probably better off not thinking about, premium high meat sausages are packed with meat, spices and very little else. Choose your bangers wisely! Adjust the amount of cabbage to suit your appetite – while virtually calorie-free, it is very filling.

Ingredients:

6 premium high meat sausages
1 medium to large cabbage (around 600 – 800 grams)
50 grams salted butter
1 clove crushed garlic
1 vegetable stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Roughly chop the cabbage and then wash thoroughly. Place the cabbage in a deep baking tray. Place the sausages evenly on the cabbage and then place knobs of butter around the sausages. Crumble and mix the stock cube in half a cup of boiling water, stir in the garlic and then pour over the cabbage. Cover with tinfoil and place the dish in a pre-heated oven set to 200 degree centigrade. Cook for 45 minutes and then remove the tinfoil. Cook for a further 15 minutes or until the sausages are sufficiently brown. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Use the liquid from the cabbage to make gravy by simply stirring in one or two tablespoons of gravy granules according to the manufacturers’ instructions.

Nutritional Values:

Calories: 438, Protein: 17 grams, Carbohydrate: 8 grams, Fat: 34 grams

Fitness and nutrition author Anita Bean lists her top-10 fitness foods…

1) Bananas

Bananas are full of nutrients. You’ll get around 90 calories and 15g of carbohydrate from a mixture of three sugars (fructose, glucose and sucrose) and starch, which means that this fruit releases it energy supply moderately. The fibre in bananas is important for protecting against bowel cancer, lowering cholesterol and stabilising blood sugar levels. Bananas also deliver potassium, which is essential for regulating fluid levels in cells, maintaining blood pressure and minimising the risk of stroke. They’re also packed with magnesium, crucial for the formation of new cells and muscle contraction and vitamin B6, which is involved in the manufacture of red blood cells as well as the breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Fitness time:

30–60 minutes before exercise, during workouts lasting more than an hour or right after training. Eat them on their own or blend with some milk or yoghurt for a nutritious smoothie.

2) Beans and pulses

Beans digest slowly, and fill you up and supply longer-lasting energy than most other foods. Beans are a low-fat source of protein and are rich in the amino acid lysine, which is lacking in most other plant proteins. Eat with pasta, oats or rice to balance the amino acids of the meal and increase the overall protein quality. Beans can help reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels and the chances of developing diabetes. Beans may also help prevent cancer due to their high content of phytates and phytoestrogens (which have been linked to the prevention of breast cancer in particular). Beans are also rich in iron, which is essential for transporting oxygen around the body, as well as B-vitamins, zinc and magnesium.

Fitness time:

Try to include beans or lentils in your main meals at least once a week, but aim for four times a week.

3) Berries

Berries are densely packed with vitamins and other phytonutrients and are top of the antioxidant table (basically they’re good at preventing cellular damage). They contain compounds called anthocyanins – the pigment that gives berries their intense colour – that mop up damaging free radicals – this also helps prevent cancer and heart disease. Berries are also rich in vitamin C, which, together with the anthocyanins, helps to strengthen blood capillaries and improve blood flow around the body. Blueberries and cranberries have unique ‘anti-stick’ properties that help ward off urinary tract infections, ulcers and gum disease.

Fitness time:

Go for three to four portions of fresh berries a week.

4) Broccoli (and other green vegetables)

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, curly kale, cabbage, spinach and cauliflower, contain powerful antioxidants, which disarm free radicals. They’re rich in soluble fibre, which helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates from the intestines and promotes stable blood sugar levels. Broccoli provides vitamin C and beta-carotene, two powerful antioxidant nutrients that stop the damage caused by free radicals. One serving (85g) of cooked broccoli provides approximately 100 per cent of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C. Brussels sprouts contain a compound, which fights cancer by triggering pre-cancerous cells to die. Even one serving (nine sprouts) can have this effect!

Fitness time:

Aim for five to seven portions of green vegetables per week.

5) Breakfast cereal bars

Breakfast cereal bars are made from cereal, sugars or syrup, and oil. They contain around 100 calories per bar, 2–5g fat and 8–10g sugar. The small portion size of most breakfast cereal bars also makes them a lower calorie and lower fat alternative to chocolate and confectionery bars. Many breakfast cereal bars are deceptively high in sugar, containing around one-third of their weight in the form of glucose syrup, fructose, sucrose invert or brown sugar – check out the labeling and avoid the high sugar variety for everyday use.

Fitness time:

Great snacks for before, during or after training.

6) Cereal bars

Like breakfast bars, cereal bars are handy high- carbohydrate snacks that are lower in fat and higher in fibre than chocolate or confectionery bars. They are made from cereal grains, sugars, dried fruit, oil and various combinations of nuts, seeds, chocolate or yoghurt coating. Most bars provide between 120 and 180 calories but, as with breakfast bars, check the label carefully as many brands contain hydrogenated oil or fat as well as excessive amounts of sugar and glucose syrup. Choose bars that do not contain hydrogenated or palm oil and which list wholegrains (such as oats), dried fruit or nuts higher than sugars on their ingredients’ panel. Avoid ‘yoghurt-coated’ bars as the coating is mostly hydrogenated fats and sugar (not yoghurt!).

Fitness time:

Handy when you have to eat on the move or refuel after training to replenish your carbohydrate (specifically muscle glycogen) stores.

7) Smoothies

Smoothies made with fresh fruit are a great way to get your five-a-day. They are more nutritious than fruit juice because they contain all the fibre of the whole fruit. Make your own smoothie by mixing fresh fruit (such as berries, bananas and pears) with a little fruit juice or yoghurt in a smoothie maker, liquidiser or using a hand-held blender. Add milk, ground almonds or a little omega-3 rich oil for extra nutrients.

Fitness time:

Great for breakfast, as a snack on the go or as a refreshing post-workout drink.

8) Dried fruit

Raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, dried mangos, etc. – are a concentrated source of carbohydrate, which makes for a useful snack when you need a quick energy boost. As the fruit is dried, it provides concentrated fibre, potassium, phytonutrients and vitamins and minerals.  Apricots are rich in beta-carotene and five can provide one-sixth of a person’s daily vitamin A needs.

Fitness time:

Eat a handful after exercise (with water) to speed up glycogen re-fuelling.

9) Rice cakes with peanut butter

Rice cakes provide fast-absorbed carbohydrate so, on their own are good for boosting blood sugar levels immediately after training. Adding peanut butter, which releases its energy more slowly makes this snack even more effective for glycogen refueling. Peanut butter contains protein, fibre, heart-healthy monounsaturated oils and vitamin E – but don’t overdo the peanut butter because of its fat content – limit yourself to about 3 tablespoons a day.

Also try rice cakes with avocado or guacamole (avocado dip), hummus (chickpea dip), cheese or low-fat soft cheese for a nutritious snack.

Fitness time:

As a quick nutritious snack. Good for eating 30 minutes before training or immediately afterwards for a blood-sugar boost and rapid glycogen replenishment.

10) Porridge

Consumed daily, oats can help lower cholesterol, thus preventing blood vessels furring up. They contain beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that mops up the precursors of cholesterol and whisks them out of the body. The fibre in oats makes you feel full. Oats contain high levels of vitamin E – a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the heart, reduces the risk of certain cancers, helps prevent premature ageing and mops up free radicals produced during intense exercise.

Fitness time:

Breakfast.

A few weeks ago we posted an introduction to the Palaeolithic diet. This mini-article stimulated a lot of lively conversation! On one side of the fence, fans of Paleo eating expressed joy at the fact that we highlighted this often misunderstood and maligned nutrition plan whilst others expressed concerns over the lack of obvious carbohydrate and the effect this might have on your ability to exercise. It so happens that all of this Paleo talk started just after I had returned from a brief holiday from training and my usual restrained eating patterns and felt like I needed to “spring clean” my diet and so, after having done some research, opted to give Paleo a try for myself. This article is a brief outline of my Paleo experience to date.

What is the Palaeolithic Diet?

In very simple terms, the Paleo diet is based on what experts believe we used to eat 10,000+ years ago – a period referred to as the old Stone Age. That means no grains, sugar, minimal dairy and no processed foods. In a nutshell (and yes – you can eat nuts!) if you could catch it, kill it or pick it you can eat it. To help you with your food selections, try this – if you can picture what you are about to eat in the wild then it’s fair game. If you can’t imagine your intended meal roaming the plains or sprouting from the earth (is that a herd of donuts I see in the distance or maybe a Snickers tree??!) you can’t. Grey areas include dairy and grains. Both of these foods only really entered our food chain when we started to domesticate animals and raise crops so these are technically Neolithic or new Stone Age foods so they are therefore excluded from the Palaeolithic diet although some proponents allow small amounts of wild rice, quinoa and fermented dairy products such as natural yogurt and kefir. As with many types of diet, there are degrees of compliance and I have opted to include natural yogurt, quinoa and the small amount of milk I have in my daily coffee. Other than that, I’m grain and dairy free and have eliminated virtually all processed foods and sugar.

What happened next…

Unlike many of my friends, I generally do very well on low/no carb diets and have followed variations of the Atkins plan, Cyclic Ketogenic Diet and other high protein/low carb approaches before so I knew I wouldn’t experience any noticeable ill affects by going caveman. I was also coming off a period of overeating from my holiday where everything I ate was a yummy wheat-based carb and while I wasn’t fat, I was not as lean as I normally am. In truth, I was ready to embrace some cleaning eating as the novelty of rich, sweet, grain based foods had well and truly worn off!

I spent the weekend preceding my caveman conversion emptying my cupboards of bread, rice and cereals (and putting them in my belly) to eliminate temptations and encourage compliance figuring that if I didn’t have it, I couldn’t eat it. As a side note, I am a firm believer in the law of possession…if you have it in your cupboards, you will eat it! Not today, and maybe not tomorrow but at some point that high calorie “just for emergency” snack will end up being eaten and, if like me once the carb gremlin comes calling you find it hard to say no, this can throw a real spanner in the works of all your best intentions.

A Typical Paleo Day…

I start most mornings with eggs which I either scramble, fry or have as an omelette as well as fruit and/or vegetables. One of my favourite breakfasts is finely chopped courgette which I stir fry and then mix into my scrambled eggs and sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt. Tasty and filling!

Lunch consists of a large salad and some form of meat. Maybe it will be chicken drumsticks, homemade chicken liver and bacon pate, cold pork or beef; whatever else I cook the day before. I make sure my salad contains as many mixed leaves as possible plus tomatoes, cucumber, onion and olives as well as some grapes for added sweetness. For dressing I use extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Apparently sweetcorn is a grain so I don’t add these to my salad but do sometimes add some nuts if I feel like I need to bulk up the calorie content of my lunch.

Dinner usually consists of a big plate of roast vegetables (courgette, peppers, aubergines and tomatoes) served with a large portion of either meat or fish. Although not strictly a Paleo food, I may eat a few potatoes once a week and quinoa once or twice a week if I feel I need to eat a little more than usual. Quinoa is considered an “ancient grain” so I figure if it was good enough for the Aztecs, one or two servings a week won’t derail my efforts. After dinner I usually have a big bowl of homemade fruit salad with natural yogurt, honey and flaked almonds as I have a bit of a sweet tooth and enjoy deserts generally. For snacks, I usually consume a couple of pieces of fruit – mainly apples – and plenty of nuts with my favourites being Brazils and almonds which I eat with a few raisins for added sweetness. I also snack on cold meats, homemade beef jerky, coconut and raw vegetables. If I run low on snacks, I may have a whey protein shake but this is a rarity and whilst I realise my caveman ancestors wouldn’t have access to this type of food, I believe it’s a fair compromise and better than resorting to a candy bar.

Beverage wise, I drink around two litres of water a day which I sometimes flavour with pure lemon juice in place of the processed cordials I used to use. I also have one or two cups of filter coffee a day which, whilst not strictly Paleo is something I enjoy so won’t be giving up anytime soon! I also drink green tea most days but I’ve have all but eliminated all sodas – diet or regular.

Once a week, usually at the weekend, I indulge in some 70 – 85 percent dark chocolate. Again, not exactly Paleo approved but the lack of sugar combined with a high anti-oxidant content makes it, for me at least, a justifiable addition to my weekly food intake. I suspect my caveman ancestors would have liked it too!

The Results So Far…

Interestingly I haven’t really lost weight but I have lost a significant amount of fat while gaining some muscle. Prior to going caveman I could see my upper abs if I really REALLY squeezed hard  but now I can see all of my abs all of the time plus a whole bunch of muscles that I don’t think I have ever seen before! My energy levels and hunger levels are stable all day long – in fact, I don’t seem to get hungry very often at all which I put down to stable blood glucose and therefore insulin levels. I’m training as hard as ever and not experiencing any performance drop off despite only eating an average 150 grams of carbs a day.

Closing Thoughts…

Am I going to stay Paleo? Yes – I think so. I may choose to lapse for the occasional meal and enjoy some bread when I eat out or, in the near future, a large piece of birthday cake, but I am enjoying eating like a 21^st century caveman and certainly have enjoyed the truly effortless fat loss I have experienced thus far. Like any eating plan, there are times when it would be easier to grab a sandwich than make a salad but for me at least, the results – both how I feel and how I look – make the sacrifices well worthwhile. While not for everyone, the Paleo diet does seem to live up to some of the hype surrounding it.

The Paleolithic Diet is an approach to nutrition that is sometimes called the Caveman Diet, the Hunter Gatherer Diet or the Stone Age Diet and is based on the eating habits of humans over 10,000 years ago, prior to the beginning of the Neolithic or new Stone Age. First popularized by nutritionist and gastroenterologist Walter L. Voegtlin in his 1975 book “The Stone Age Diet”, a great number of other dietary experts have studied and written about what is often referred to as the Paleo Diet.

Background
Followers of the Paleolithic diet eat foods that were commonly available to our hunter gatherer ancestors. Modern—within the last 10,000 years—foods such as grains and grain products, sugar and dairy products are avoided and instead, followers eat meat, eggs, seasonal vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds, organ meats and seasonal fruits. The Paleolithic diet is not a raw food diet and food can be freely cooked but consumption of raw vegetables and fruit is encouraged. Proponents of the Paleo Diet recommend that, where possible, fruits and vegetables should be organic and meat should come from grass-fed free ranging animals.

Why go Paleo?
According to Paleo nutrition expert and author Mark Sisson, many of the diseases that affect modern society such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity and food allergies e.g. gluten and lactose, can be attributed to the over consumption of Neolithic foods such as refined dairy and grain based products and sugar. These foods, in evolutionary terms, are recent additions to our diet which, says Sisson, we are not equipped to process. Eliminating these “modern” foods and returning to a diet more in keeping with our evolutionary history is the key to preventing these common medical conditions.

Benefits—Blood Glucose
One of the main benefits of the Paleolithic approach to nutrition is blood glucose control. When you eat carbohydrates, your blood glucose levels rise and your body produces insulin. Insulin transports the glucose into your cells and your blood glucose levels fall. The modern diet includes a lot of carbohydrate—as much as 60 percent and often in the form of sugar—so blood glucose levels rise and fall frequently. This results in an ideal environment for fat storage, peaks and troughs in energy throughout the day, hunger pangs and also an increased risk of developing diabetes and coronary heart disease. The Paleo diet is low in carbohydrate but high in protein and fat which helps keep blood glucose levels more stable than a refined carbohydrate based diet.

Benefits—Increased Nutrient Intake
The Paleo diet is based around natural whole foods that you could pick or hunt or scavenge yourself. This means that processed foods such as candy, mechanically reclaimed meats, high sugar foods, readymade TV dinners and food containing artificial ingredients are effectively eliminated from the diet. The food consumed in the Paleo diet is nutritionally dense and contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber which are very beneficial and contribute to overall health and well being.

Opposition
Those opposed to the Paleo approach to nutrition suggest that the diet is too restrictive—possibly dangerously so. The lack of dairy means that there may be a calcium deficiency and the reliance on meats means that the diet can be very high in fat although some Paleo experts suggest trying to minimize the consumption of saturated fats by choosing lean cuts of meat. Other critics believe that the diet is not balanced, too low in carbohydrates, that it is not sustainable for long periods and is expensive to follow.

Conclusion
The Paleo diet might not be for everyone–vegetarians are certainly unlikely to embrace the prospect of eating lots of animal produce–but in terms of eliminating “food like substances” and focusing on the consumption of real, natural food, eating like a caveman is a real step forwards compared to the “modern” diet filled with sugar, additives and chemicals.  Although often called a fad diet, the Paleo approach offers simplicity as, when selecting food to eat, all you have to ask yourself is “could I have caught or picked this my self”. If the answer is no–don’t eat it! From a personal point of view, I like the Paleo approach…it’s appeals to my manly hunter/gatherer instincts but could I live on it for ever and ever? Like anyone else interested in changing their eating habits, the only way to answer that question is to try it!