Question at Issue: Is a Paleo Diet more nutrient dense vs the MyPlate diet?

Definition of Major Terms in Issue:

Paleo Diet: a diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans,
consisting chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excluding dairy or grain products and
processed food.
Myplate: a diet based on all food groups, mainly concentrating on calorie counting and portion
control.

Elements

How they relate (PRO)

How they relate (CON)

http://robbwolf.com/what-is-thepaleo-diet/

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/

conclusion

Yes, the paleo diet is more

nutrient dense than the myplate
diet.

No, MyPlate is more nutrient dense than a

paleo diet.

reason and
evidence to
support
conclusion

-Research in biology,
biochemistry, Dermatology and
many other disciplines indicate it
is our modern diet, full of refined
foods, trans fats and sugar, that is
at the root of degenerative
diseases such as obesity, cancer,
diabetes, heart disease,
Parkinsons, Alzheimers,
depression and infertility.
Robb Wolf
-NO need to measure or count
calories, sugar levels, carb
intake, etc.
-Weight loss is increased and the
risk of blood pressure and
diabetes is reduced.
-Through the high intake of
protein and fats one will fill
fuller, especially in between
meals.
-Diet without additives,
preservatives, or chemicals

-MyPlate is a balanced diet(Kelly

Miterko, 2015)
-MyPlate has a calcium intake where
Paleo diets cut dairy, 1cup of milk has
350g of calcium(usda.gov/calcium)
-MyPlate allows for all fruits to prevent
certain diseases(Joyce C McCann and
Bruce N Ames, 2005)
-MyPlate allows for grain intake,
increasing carb intake creating better mind
function, which is a necessity for being
healthy (Joyce C McCann and Bruise N
Ames, 2005)
-A Paleo diet can be expensive(usda.gov)
-not Vegan/Vegetarian friendly like
myplate
-MyPlate has no withdrawal period, unlike
the paleo diet
-There is no record about what exactly
the Paleos ate

prescription

-One should only eat foods that

can be hunted and gathered such

MyPlate is a nutritious diet for a human

being, all ages and gender.

as our ancestors have done

before us.
- Average values of 19-35% of
protein found in hunter gatherer
diets.- Dr. Loren Cordain
-Non-starchy fresh fruits and
vegetables represent the main
carbohydrate source and will
provide 35-45% of your daily
calories.- Dr. Loren Cordain
- Non-starchy vegetables
contain 8 times more fiber than
whole grains and 31 times more
than refined grains.-Dr. Loren
Cordain
-The type of fat one consumes
dictates the kinds of diseases one
can become associated with.
Omega 3 and 6 fats are to types
to consume.
-Higher potassium and lower
sodium intake- unprocessed fresh
foods naturally contain 5 to 10
times more potassium than
sodium.-Dr. Loren Cordain

-Someone should continue to follow the

MyPlate diet for their wellness.
-Most foods are eaten plain, it can get
boring after a short time.

-It can be expensive foods that are

organically grown as well as grass-fed
beef and other meats typically cost more.
-Theres no scientific proof that the Paleo
or hunter-gatherer diet wards off disease.

Implications

By removing all grains, fats,

sugars, and especially processed
foods from ones diet it increases
ones bodily functions, fitness
and overall health.

People that follow Myplate as a diet live

healthy lives. It teaches good eating habits
for life-long eating.

Assumptions

-By strictly only eating foods

suggested in the Paleo diet, one
will live a healthy lifestyle in
terms of their food intake.
-Foods such as: grass produced
meats(lean meats), fish/ seafood,
nuts/ seeds, fresh fruit and
vegetables, eggs, healthful oils;
olive, walnut, flaxseed,
macadamia, avocado, coconut.
-Dr. Loren Cordain

That MyPlate is going to help people stay

healthy and lose weight daily.

warranted
inference

-Both sides can argue that the

more or less we consume of a

The holes in this research are that myplate

is a governmental agency that people do

certain type of food can benefit

us or increase risks to our health.
-The research and evidence are
clear that the less we eat carbs,
sugars, preservatives,etc that we
put in our bodies we will benefit
from a paleo diet. The paleo diet
can benefit some and not others
based on what their body
requires.

not question because it is our government.

I believe more experiments need to be
done in order to completely rule out the
paleo diet being more nutritionally dense.

Con websites:
http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/135?manu=&fgcd=
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/2/281.short
http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/Let%27s_Move_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Pro websites:
http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/
http://greatist.com/health/debunking-diets-paleo-pros-and-cons
http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/paleo-vs-standard-american-diet/
http://thepaleodiet.com/the-paleo-diet-premise/