What is it?
A Paleo-style diet emphasizes foods such as vegetables, fruits, eggs, meat, fish, nuts and seeds while avoiding many modern processed foods.
Foods removed:
Grains, legumes, most dairy products, refined sugar and many processed foods.
Potential health benefits:
The emphasis on vegetables, fruits, protein and minimally processed foods may improve overall food quality and reduce consumption of added sugar and heavily processed foods. Long-term evidence supporting strict Paleo diets is limited.
Who may benefit most?
Families looking to prepare more whole-food meals may use some Paleo principles without removing every grain, bean or dairy product.
How may it support an autistic child?
A whole-food eating pattern may support general nutrition, but Paleo has not been proven to improve autism. A strict version may be inappropriate for a child whose safe foods already consist largely of grains, dairy or other removed foods.
Important nutrients to monitor:
Calcium, vitamin D, fiber and sufficient calories for growth.