If this is the first you are hearing of the eating plan and you’re wondering ‘what is the Paleo Diet?’, the explanation is more simple than you’d think. The Paleo Diet, or gatherer diet as it is sometimes known, is a dietary plan based on foods that are similar in nature to those our ancestors may have eaten. Focusing on the same food groups and practices used by early humans in the Paleolithic era, which dates from approximately 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, the Paleo Diet guide sets out strict stipulations on what you can and can’t eat.

Where things can tricky when it comes to the Paleo Diet is understanding what you can and can’t have. Additionally, some variations of the dietary plan are more strict than others, but as a general rule, all follow the basic principles of natural, gatherer-obtained foods.

While you might be on-board for the Paleo Diet meal plan so far, the list of things you will have to give up might be a challenge. There are a number of key food groups and ingredients Paleo-specifically eaters are unable to ingest. These include;

While you might think staying on top of what you can and can’t eat on Paleo will be tricky, you’d be surprised how easy the process can get. Once you have a Paleo Diet meal plan sorted, switching proteins out and rearranging certain meal groups can be all it takes to add a bit of variety to the mix.

The best part about the Paleo Diet is that it encompasses rich, fatty foods that are high in protein. This means you’ll stay fuller for longer and as a result, will be less likely to snack. If you do feel you need to fuel up, however, there are a host of Paleo snacks that you can get into. These include;

One of the big looming questions surrounding the Paleo Diet is whether or not it is healthy. From a basic standpoint, crafting a diet around the food our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have eaten can be a major boost to your immune system and overall health. Avoiding processed foods is a good idea, whether you are choosing to go Paleo or not. That being said, if you follow the Paleo Diet to the extreme, it could put you at a heightened risk of calcium and vitamin D deficiencies. It is therefore important to supplement these nutrients.