If you've ever wanted to eat like a caveman, then the Paleolithic diet is for you. The Paleolithic diet -- also commonly referred to as a hunter-gatherer diet or the Paleo diet -- is an eating plan that only allows foods that were available to primitive humans during the Paleolithic era, which began in approximately 8,000 BC. The diet includes foods such as eggs, fish, meat, nuts and fruits. Calcium-rich dairy is not allowed on the Paleolithic diet.
Calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral crucial for optimal bone health, blood pressure regulation, cell signaling and the structure of teeth. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, adult men and women should consume 1,000 mg of dietary calcium per day. Women above 50 years or age should aim for 1,300 mg per day to preserve bone mass after menopause. Paleo-friendly foods that are also abundant in dietary calcium include kale, sardines, turnips, bok choy and broccoli.
Evidence
A research team from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine investigated the effects of a Paleolithic diet on a number of health parameters in a group of healthy volunteers. Their results appeared in the December 2008 "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition." The scientists found that dietary calcium intake didn't change significantly after the subjects switched from typical diets to a Paleolithic diet, despite not consuming any dairy products. Additionally, the researchers noted that the excretion of calcium -- a risk factor for bone loss -- decreased after eating a Paleolithic diet for 10 days. They added that a decreased excretion of urinary calcium may have boosted calcium levels in the subjects.
Absorption
Although several calcium-rich foods are acceptable on the Paleolithic diet, your body is not able to absorb calcium from non-dairy calcium sources as well as it does from dairy, reports Pierre J. Meunier, M.D., in his book "Osteoporosis: Diagnosis and Management." You can boost the absorption of plant-based calcium by increasing dietary protein intake and getting adequate vitamin D from food and sunlight exposure. Also, avoiding foods that contain the calcium-blocking compounds phytates and oxalates, including seeds, rhubarb and sweet potatoes.
Considerations
As with any change to your eating regimen, discuss the Paleolithic diet with your doctor before trying it for yourself. Also, you may want to supplement with calcium to meet your calcium targets if you can't obtain enough through diet alone.
References
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet; L.A. Frasseto et al.; December 2009
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- History-World.org; An Overview of the Paleolithic; Robert A. Guisepi; 2000
- Linus Pauling Institute; Calcium; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; April 2003
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