The Paleo Diet for Strength/Power Athletes

The Paleolithic or “Paleo” diet derives from the superior cardiometabolic health and physical fitness of indigenous hunter-gatherer populations (Hills Jr & Erpenbeck, 2018). The Paleo diet is promoted across the world as a way of improving health of human beings and decreasing diseases that spread due to various risk factors (Sachdev et al., 2018).

Evidence suggests that this diet may lead to improvements in physiologic functions and metabolic effects compared with diets recommended by national and international nutrition guidelines.

However, the contribution of the Paleo diet to sports performance remains unclear with some researchers claiming the modern model of Paleolithic diet has an ergogenic potential (Bujko & Kowalski, 2014).

For more information on the Paleo Diet, check out our Navigating Diets Course. And if you want to become an expert in nutrition or training athletes, follow the links and sign up today. Knowing is growing!

The Paleo dieter is instructed to abstain from starches (potato, corn, refined cereal), all grains (pasta, rice, bread, flour, barley), processed foods, added sugar, and dairy products. A fist- sized portion of animal protein is recommended with breakfast, lunch, and dinner to attain fullness.

Pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed meat are encouraged for their higher omega-3 content compared to conventional grain-fed animals. Additionally, cold-pressed avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil are allowed rather than vegetable oils.

Strict Paleo dieters limit pseudograins (quinoa, buckwheat and chia) and legumes (beans, peas, lentils, chickpea, peanut) since they contain what they call “antinutrients” such as phytic acid. Tree nuts are allowed but only in moderation. While milk chocolate is not recommended, raw cacao can be consumed because of its high content of polyphenol antioxidants (Hills Jr & Erpenbeck, 2018).