Is Paleo a Fad?

Real, True Paleo isn’t.

What is, however, very likely a fad, is the growing trend of more and more companies using the word at leisure to describe foods (in some cases, more along the lines of food by-products) that may have once been kind of Paleo but are now so far outside the scope of being a balanced meal with a focused on fresh veggies, wild proteins and natural fat that calling them Paleo is really stretching it, to say the least.

No one ones the word ‘Paleo’ so any company can realistically use the word without risking anything.

I have seen protein powders containing pea and rice protein called Paleo, bread called Paleo, wraps called Paleo, muffins, cakes and cookies called Paleo and the list goes on and and on.  I was just referred to a website with ‘paleo recipes’ using canned tomato paste, butter, and white sugar!  Not kidding.

Is eating these foods once in a while a big deal?  Probably not if we’re talking about a few times per year on a birthday or anniversary, but the issue is that far too many people have the misconception that replacing the standard American diet foods with these foods means they’re suddenly following the Paleo diet.

They’re not.

One of the main focal points of my brand is to continue to demonstrate what real Paleo is and for some, that may mean coming across as being a purist, perfectionist or being dogmatic.   So be it.   That’s not my intention.

Nor is it my intention to force people to go Paleo against their will or argue about it with anyone feeling skeptical about it.

There are many, many ways that one might approach eating, ranging from very healthy to very unhealthy.  

Yes, adopting even some of the principles of Paleo is a step in the right direction even if it means someone is not completely Paleo.  It’s not all or nothing and taking it in stages can sometimes be the best way to go about it.

However, replacing your IHOP Grand Slam Breakfast with ‘Paleo’ banana pancakes and bacon, your regular whole wheat bread with ‘Paleo bread’ and eating a packaged ‘Paleo muffin’ as part of your daily regime, eating dairy and continuing to barely eat any veggies or wild protein is simply just not the Paleo diet.

Please, call it something else!  

It’s just not fair to call the above example Paleo as too many people who would otherwise benefit tremendously from eating a diet comprised largely of fresh, local veggies balanced with healthy fats and proteins and lacking in fillers or additives of any kind (ie True Paleo) are never even given the chance to accurately do so.

‘Replacing’ rather than rethinking still leaves us with an inflammatory type eating regime which will not help much with weight loss, skin conditions, auto immune symptoms or many of the other health issues that real Paleo can alleviate or even cure.

Again- sure, have those things a few times per year but not as part and parcel of the daily plate.   

Or do it, but don’t say it’s Paleo!