What is the secret of the paleo diet?

What lies behind paleo — and which ideas fit your daily life?

Paleo puts minimally processed foods, their origins and movement at the centre. Behind it is the desire to approach food and lifestyle more consciously.

This short article explores those basic ideas: paying attention to your body, buying seasonal produce and making full use of foods wherever possible.

The name is somewhat misleading: this is not about eating exactly as people did in the Stone Age, which would simply be impossible. Rather, the basic idea of the paleo diet is to eat and live as naturally as possible, in harmony with human physiology. Our bodies are made for plenty of movement and natural, unprocessed foods without chemical additives. That is the foundation of the paleo diet.

Why is it worthwhile?

Some pointers:

Eat instinctively: pay attention to hunger, fullness and training load. Greater activity usually brings greater energy needs.

Prefer local foods, for example because their origin is easier to trace and you can buy seasonally. Seek producers nearby who work transparently and care about animal welfare.

Pay attention to seasonal eating. Earlier hunters and gatherers ate only what was available to them; that is what natural eating means.

Use as much of the whole animal as possible. Using different parts can value resources and broaden food choices. This includes offal; liver contains particularly concentrated nutrients and is planned in moderate quantities. Variety remains the foundation.