Logically, the most intelligent diet is one which provides enough calories, but no more, and which consists entirely in foods which are as filled with nutrients as possible. The most intelligent weight loss diet is one which does NOT consist in enough calories to maintain your body weight, but which ALSO consists entirely in nutrient dense foods.
In my considered view, for OPTIMAL health, you need a lot of good quality protein, and other than milk, meat is the only solid resource. Hemp, chia and the like: they will keep you alive and reasonably healthy, but not optimally healthy.
Obviously, the quality of the meat matters as well. One of the more interesting things to come out of the whole Paleo thing is the observation that the fat content of grain fed meat differs qualitatively from that of grass or vegetarian fed. The fatty acid content shifts from something naturally healthy, to something unnatural and unhealthy. The same would likely apply to milk from grass fed cows versus grain fed.
Paleo causes weight loss because it is a reduced calorie diet. I have tracked calories on FitDay, and if you eat a normal Paleo diet, you are likely consuming way fewer calories than you would have on SAD–the good acronym for the Standard American Diet.
Where does insulin fit in? Here is the thing: what consuming simple carbs does is bring about a near certainty of overeating. Carbohydrates are not the enemy: overconsuming food is. When science was corrupted to nearly the level seen in the Global Warming scandal in the 1980’s, and fat was made the enemy, compliance with “science” induced a global obesity epidemic that is still with us.
Those no fat chips? You eat ten, you want to eat twenty. Food becomes an addictive drug.
You need protein and you need good quality fat. You do not need carbs to survive. But I would argue you do need some carbs for optimal functioning. The body prefers to use carbs for most energy needs. That has been my experience.
You don’t need much fat, and of course you can survive on a wide range of protein intakes. This means that many, many diets can be made to work both for survival and for weight loss.
And for weight loss, it is always, always, always about reducing calories. It is simply the case that reducing carbohydrate intake at the same time reduces the risk of binge eating. Both protein and fat rich meals induce satiety well.
I continue to think the Zone diet is the smartest one out there, but Paleo is much simpler. I think Paleo intermittant fasting would work quite well as well.
I had a reason for posting this, but I can’t remember what it was.