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Many people promptly dub the Paleo diet as a low carb diet. Since grains and legumes are forbidden, that would be the only source for a high amount of carbohydrates. Correct?
For some, this very train of thought makes complete sense. Unfortunately, it is not the case.
It is correct that grains such as cereal products have a particularly significant carb content.
If you want to eat cereals, you can pretty quickly take on a vast quantity of carbohydrates.
On the other hand, it does not mean that people who do not consume grains eat low carb as various paleo foods are high in carbs.
Natural and nutritious vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and squash contain carbs as the majority.
These types of foods are useful for low carb or ketogenic dieters who exercise regularly or have an active lifestyle.
By practicing carb cycling, you can replenish glycogen stores and create an insulin spike post workout.
Now, Paleo does not immediately mean low carb. As in other nutritional notions, there are guidelines concerning carb intake on a Paleo diet to bear in mind.
Similar to the Paleo diet, low carb diets such as an Atkins diet requires omitting food high in sugary carbohydrates and foods low in nutrients.
The number of carbohydrates you should eat will vary greatly depending on the activity level and the specific goals you want to achieve.
In general, you want to avoid overconsumption of fruits if the goal you have set is losing belly fat.
When the target is weight maintenance or general health, then the amount of fruit you eat does not matter.
Carbs and Paleo
When following a Paleo diet, it does not necessitate you get a certain percentage of carbohydrates for your daily macros.
Depending on your goals, the role of sugars is different.
For those with an aim to lose weight the Paleo way, then you should apply a high-fat system.
The method of eating is comparable to a ketogenic diet where you eat between 20-50g net carbs per day then the rest of the calorie requirement from healthy fats.
Many studies indicate restricting carbohydrates is one of the best ways to lose weight. The difference to the keto diet, in this case, is the further limitations.
People who only want low carb but do not want to live such a strict ketogenic lifestyle with Paleo are welcome to consume additional carbohydrates.
The number of carbs could range from 100g to over 200g. You have to find the ideal amount and what works best for you.
When it comes to exercise and training, you could use the opportunity to practice carb cycling or a targeted ketogenic diet.
It is where ketone fuelled athletes, and typical gym-goers take on additional carbohydrates before or after a training session.
Consuming the majority of carbs and sugars around workout times can help you to energize and power through workouts.
You can remain in a state of ketosis or enter ketosis quicker after finishing the exercise.
Paleo dieters support the concept that they are eating whole and natural foods by not tucking into processed carbohydrates containing manufactured ingredients.
The focus is not necessarily carb intake but proper nutrition.
An Example Daily Diet for Low Carb Paleo
Here are a sample menu and an example of what low carb Paleo meals might look like if aiming for fast and effective weight loss.
Breakfast
2 egg omelet with black pepper, spinach and avocado.
Lunch
Green leafy veggie salad with salmon and pumpkin seeds.
Dinner
Fistful of your chosen meat, such as beef or chicken with broccoli and asparagus.
Snack, Pre or Post Workout Meal
Healthy smoothie consisting of avocado, your choice of berries and a handful of brazil nuts.
If you were to practice intermittent fasting with your Paleo nutrition plan, then you would simply push your first meal of the day up to midday (or after).
To help you stick to your fasting window, you could drink bulletproof coffee in the morning or late morning mixed with coconut oil and MCT Oil.
Technically it is breaking your fast, but it will help keep you satiated and on track to reducing sugars from your diet.
Is Fructose a Problem for Paleo Dieters?
Many fruits are known to have a high fructose content. As with glucose, fructose is not immediately available to the body for energy.
In order to use fructose for energy, the body must convert it to glucose in the liver. The process is only possible to a limited degree.
As fructose forms fatty acids from excess quantities, it can sequentially lead to fatty liver in the long-term.
Excessive fruit consumption is not advisable when combined with a high-fat nutrition plan.
It is particularly important not to eat large portions of fruits containing high amounts of fructose content.
Limit foods and fruits from your food list such as apples, mangos, watermelon, and pears. Focus more on low fructose fruits such as honeydew melon, cantaloupe, berries, bananas, and oranges.
The reason for limiting fruit consumption is the fact that too much sugar can lead to high blood sugar, then progress to diabetes.
An excess amount of sugar in the bloodstream leads to increased fat storage and most importantly insulin resistance which is a predecessor to type 2 diabetes,
Fruit contains a lot of essential vitamins and minerals and should be a part of any healthy diet.
You do not have to remove sugar entirely from your nutrition plan.
If you want to lose weight and reduce belly fat, then bear in mind the more sugar you take in, the more fat you store.
Paleo, Low Carb and Weight Loss
Paleo, by nature, forces you to eat real and whole foods.
If you are beginning a new chapter in your life by changing your nutrition, then with carb limitation, you can also expect to achieve normalized blood pressure, lose weight, and improve well-being.
Everyone has a different level of carb tolerance, and health benefits of clean eating is a joy to experience.
The majority of people in developed countries have problems with their blood sugar, and many do not realize until health problems arise.
By the time symptoms begin to appear, your body over the many months and years was building up to pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, from excessive carbohydrate consumption.
Children nowadays are eating processed, sugary meals on a daily basis. Malnutrition is building up over many years, and we do not realize until a major problem occurs.
Conclusion
Although we live in a hectic, fast-paced world, we must pay more attention to the amount of carbohydrate and ready meals we are consuming if we want to preserve our health and well-being.
A low carb Paleo approach takes us back to the Stone Age and controls eating to some degree by centering on real food.
In turn, it leads to natural weight loss, but there are no set instructions on how many carbohydrates you can take in.
As a rough guide, eating under 100g net carbs on a daily basis is suitable for those looking to lose weight.
If you stay between the 20-50g carb, then being in a state of ketosis can help support weight loss to a greater extent.
You will also experience all the other benefits of ketosis with increased energy, better mental clarity, and disease prevention with less inflammation.
Whether you eat high carb Paleo vs. low carb diet plan, expect to see an improvement in health compared to eating a typical modern-day diet.
