What Is The Paleo Diet?

The latest diet fad making the rounds is often called the caveman diet.  That's because people adopting the Paleo lifestyle eat like our cavemen ancestors did.

While some claim it's the healthiest diet trend, others say it leaves out important food groups.

Chef Nic Zahasky loves cooking all kinds of food, but his passion is the Paleo lifestyle.

"There's no grains. There's no legumes," Zahasky said.

You also won't find any dairy products in a Paleo diet.

"It's just eating real food," Zahasky said.

Zahasky only eats food that caveman would have been able to hunt or gather. That includes vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruit and meat.

"We're looking for meats that are coming from grass-fed animals or free-range animals that are hunted," Zahasky said.

The emphasis is on whole foods, which means Zahasky spends more time in the kitchen and less time at fast-food restaurants.

"It is hard to eat out," Zahasky said.

While it might seem like it takes a lot of time to prepare food in the Paleo lifestyle, Zahasky says it doesn't have to be that way.

"You cook once and you eat six to seven times, not two to three times. It's just all about setting up your day. What's your priority though--your health?" Zahasky said.

Zahasky has been sticking to the Paleo diet for two years. He says he's lost weight, gained muscle and improved his overall health.

"Abs are made in the kitchen. They're not made in the gym," Zahasky said.

But the main conversation Zahasky hopes to cook up among people is that everyone starts paying attention to what they're putting in their mouth.

"We try to get people to look at their food as their medicine," Zahasky said.

We asked a Registered Dietitian what she thought about the Paleo diet.  She says while she agrees with the recommendation to eat more whole foods and lean meats, along with *less processed foods and sugar, dairy, legumes and whole grains should also be an important part of a healthy diet.

Review some of Zahasky's recipes online.