Login or Register

Comparison of the Paleolithic Diet & the Vegetarian Diet

Jan 18, 2012 | By Christina Schnell
Comparison of the Paleolithic Diet & the Vegetarian Diet
Photo Credit Goodshoot/Goodshoot/Getty Images

The vegetarian diet and the paleo diet both center around building a natural, healthy lifestyle. But each diet embraces a different definition of "natural and healthy." Cultures throughout the world practice varying degrees of vegetarianism for moral, religious and health reasons. In contrast, the paleo diet, named for the paleolithic era, became popular during the past decade, though its dietary practices are millions of years old. Always consult with your doctor before significantly changing your dietary practices.

Founding Principles

In his book, "The Paleo Diet," nutritionist Dr. Loren Cordain explains how the human body has changed little during the past several million years. Humans, he argues, were never meant to consume the highly processed and refined foods that dominate the modern diet. The paleo diet claims to alleviate conditions ranging from heart disease to diabetes by following the dietary practices of paleolithic-era humans. Vegetarianism, however, focuses on excluding meat and, in some instances eggs, for a variety of reasons. Reasons for adopting a vegetarian diet range from the belief that killing animals for food is immoral to the belief that a vegetarian lifestyle is healthier and less damaging to the environment.

Food Restrictions

Two main types of vegetarianism exist. The first type, laco-ovo vegetarians, abstain from all meat products but still eat eggs and dairy products. Lacto-vegetarians abstain from all meat and eggs but still consume dairy products. By contrast, the paleo diet prohibits any beans, grain, dairy or refined sugars, because these foods were unavailable during the paleolithic era. Nuts, lean, organic meats, fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables form the basis of the paleo diet. Processed meats such as bologna or salami also are prohibited.

Weight Loss

You can lose weight on both the vegetarian or paleo diet, although neither diet touts weight loss as its goal or focus. A 2011 British study in "Diabetic Medicine" found that after 24 weeks, subjects eating a controlled vegetarian diet lost more fat than subjects eating a controlled, reduced-calorie diabetic diet. Similarly, a 2008 study published in the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that subjects lost an average of five pounds after eating a paleo diet for three weeks.

Nutritional Gaps

Any diet that excludes entire food groups requires thoughtful planning to avoid nutritional deficiencies. According to MedlinePlus.com, vegetarians must focus on eating sufficient amounts of protein, iron and B vitamins to compensate for the lack of meat in their diets. Conversely, because the paleo diet prohibits all dairy products, preventing calcium deficiency requires increasing your consumption of iron-rich vegetables and nuts.

References

Article reviewed by DonaldM Last updated on: Jan 18, 2012

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments