This blog is part of the All About Fad Diets blog series. They’re not really fads, but more like lifestyles.
Self-described godfather of the Primal food and lifestyle, Mark Sisson, published his book ‘The Primal Blueprint’ (this is a recommended read) in 2009. This began the Primal movement.
‘Primal’ is a more flexible adaptation of Paleo. Many people confuse Primal with Paleo because they have similar principles, but they are not the same. The differences are that Primal includes dairy (preferably raw, fermented and/or from grass-fed animals, and full fat), the nightshade family of vegetables and fruit (potato, tomato, capsicum, eggplant and chilli – these are deemed inflammatory by Paleo advocates), coffee, and legumes are optional.
Primal is not just a fad. It is the diet that humans are believed to have eaten before the introduction of modern, processed foods (with a few sneaky tweaks from the more regimented Paleo diet). Based on only eating foods that were available during that time e.g. fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, nuts, seeds, and eggs. It omits grains, gluten, legumes, dairy, sugar, vegetable oils, and processed foods, therefore, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pastries, ice-cream, chips etc.
Followers of a Primal lifestyle are often fans of bulletproof coffee. Bulletproof coffee is not for the faint-hearted! It is a high-calorie coffee used as a breakfast-replacement – consisting of coffee, grass-fed unsalted butter, and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil mixed together in a blender. It is also popular with advocates of keto and intermittent fasting. The fat content and MCTs allow you to remain in ketosis, while the caffeine boosts metabolism.
Primal is sort of halfway between Paleo and keto because it is based on principles of a Paleo diet, but emphasises low carb like a keto diet. The ‘Primal Blueprint Carbohydrate Curve’ states: 0-50g = keto or intermittent fasting. 50-100g = weight loss sweet spot. 100-150g = effortless weight management. 150-300g = insidious weight gain. 300g+ = danger zone.
Pros and Cons
The Primal diet is quite flexible. If you eat more like a keto diet, the pros and cons will be similar to that of a keto diet. If you eat more like a Paleo diet, the pros and cons will be similar to that of a Paleo diet.
Liv’s Recommendations
This may be the diet/lifestyle for you if you like the idea of Paleo and keto, but you’re looking for a bit more flexibility to enjoy life without being so regimented.
To Wrap It Up
With a keto, Paleo, primal, Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free wrap of course (or not if you’re intermittent fasting!).
The purpose of this series of blogs isn’t to choose a diet to follow. It’s to inform you of the pros, cons and my recommendations, if you do choose to (or already) follow one of these diet trends.
I personally pick and choose what I like, and more importantly what suits my body, from each diet to create my own personalised diet. My motto is “Realigning Nutrition with Intuition”. Try N=1 Self Experimentation.
Intuition is now totally disassociated from Nutrition. We don’t eat what or when we feel like eating. We eat what and when we are told we should be eating. Realigning Nutrition with Intuition means being in-tune with your body and rediscovering what diet/lifestyle is most suited to you. As I trained as a Naturopath and Holistic Nutritionist, I am not about strict plans. That is for you to decide for yourself.
There is no one-size-fits-all baseball cap when it comes to diets.
Your Nutrition Mentor,
