What Is the Paleo Diet?

Claims
By eating a diet of meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables—foods that were most abundantly available to our hunter-gatherer ancestors—people can not only lose weight but also cut their risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions through restriction of dietary choices. This diet may be considered the ultimate in "back to basics," because it bars foods that became popular with agricultural advancements—namely, all grains, refined or processed foods, salt, trans fats and high-glycemic carbohydrates.

How It Works
Carbohydrates are believed by some to cause inflammation in the body, so by restricting this food group and consuming only nutrient-dense protein and produce, individuals are thought to stave off weight gain, heart problems, diabetes and other conditions.

Overview
This diet is popular among people trying to build muscle, because it allows for all the protein you want. People following the paleo lifestyle can eat their fill of shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, meat, vegetables, roots, berries and fruit. Strictly excluded from this diet are dairy, grains, sugar, legumes, processed fats, added salt and anything that people wouldn't have recognized as food hundreds of years ago. Additionally, individuals on this diet can drink only water, green tea or coconut water.