This is the short version of one of the 25 questions I submitted to an event organizer who asked me for questions that he could ask me during the panel discussions. The conference is mid-Sept in Orlando, where I will be speaking. Here is the longer version of that question that I sent last week to the event organizer, Steven Shore.
What do you say when a person on the Paleo Diet challenges you regarding your 4Leaf and Colin Campbell's definition of an optimal diet for humans?
Before answering that question, I would like to share the details about that health conference, just in case you, or someone you know, might like to attend.
As for the Paleo question. To me, it's just the latest version of the Atkins, South Beach, etc. type of diet. It is a combination of high protein and low carb that is unsustainable for most people. Three more comments:
It is probably superior to the Typical Western Diet in that it is likely to have more whole plants and fewer junk food carbs.
It has not been shown to be capable of reversing heart disease or type 2 diabetes or to slow or stop cancer growth.
Like Atkins and South Beach, it does enable people to lose weight in the short term, although most of them gain it back later.
The Bottom Line for Me. Even if "PALEO" was the absolutely most healthy way for humans to eat, it is grossly unsustainable for many reasons: not enough land and water on Earth (for starters) to feed even half the 7.4 billion people this meat-laden diet. If 3.4 billion people in the wealthier nations tried to eat this way, the other 4 billion less wealthy folks would starve. Just saying.