The Paleo diet follows the basic nutritional guidelines of our ancestors during the Paleolithic era. Focusing on whole foods, the Paleo diet has numerous restrictions on which foods to eat and which foods not to eat. One common question with the Paleo diet is whether it's OK to eat potatoes, including sweet potatoes and yams.
Function
During the Paleolithic era, humans were hunter-gatherers. They would hunt animals for the protein and gather wild fruits and vegetables. Potatoes and other starchy vegetables, however, require cooking and preparation to eat because they are inedible in the raw state. While potatoes provide energy, they also contain toxins and could make people sick when eaten raw.
Effects
Starchy vegetables have a negative effect on blood sugar levels. A typical Western diet, consisting of high carbohydrates of rice, potatoes and refined sugars, requires the body to store carbohydrates within muscle cells as glycogen. This causes the body to store less intra-muscular triglycerides--IMT. A Paleo diet controls the blood sugar levels and conserves the muscle glucose levels within normal ranges. The IMT stores will also increase, resulting in an increased breakdown of fat for energy.
Benefits
The Paleo diet offers several health benefits as a result of eliminating potatoes from everyday nutrition. By consuming the majority of the carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables, the Paleo diet controls hormone levels that can improve blood lipid levels, Type 2 diabetes and gout. According to Dr. Loren Cordain, professor at Colorado State University, the Paleo diet has the ability to reduce tissue inflammation and body acidity that can promote bone and muscle strength.
Athletes
Athletes on the Paleo diet are allowed to add occasional potatoes and starchy vegetables based on their training program and workout intensity. According to "The Paleo Diet for Athletes," athletes in Stage IV of nutrition--Eating for Extended Recovery--can consume potatoes and other high-glycemic foods to load on carbohydrates and promote the recovery and healing process. The nutrients found in potatoes are important to replenish the glycogen stores used for workouts, training and endurance events.
Considerations
During a normal Paleo diet routine, replace the carbohydrates normally gotten from potatoes with a colorful mixture of fruits and vegetables. Recommended fruits include bananas, berries, pineapple, pomegranate and cherries. Fresh vegetables can consist of asparagus, broccoli, spinach, peppers and carrots.
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