Recommendations

The Paleo diet has a number of positive and negative aspects. As the diet meets the guidelines for protein, calcium, sodium, and iron, following a paleo diet could be considered good for an individual’s health, particularly in ensuring those key micronutrients are consumed in ideal amounts. It also encourages the consumption of raw and unprocessed foods, which in turn increases nutrient and vitamin intake.

While the Paleo diet meets some of the dietary guidelines, it also fails to meet others. Compared to the AMDR values, the Paleo diet causes an individual to consume too much fat and not enough carbohydrate. In addition to this, following a Paleo diet can be quite time-consuming and expensive, due to the higher costs of raw, unprocessed foods and protein (Dietitians Association of Australia).