The Paleo Diet Recipes solution mimics our hunter and gatherer ancestors. So if you can find or kill it in nature, you can eat it…essentially. For those of you that would like the hard core rules ironed out, keep reading.
Eat Your Vegetables: Eat as many and as much fresh or frozen vegetables as you want. Go organic and live it up.
No Dairy: Nope. Did you know that humans are the only species to continue to drink milk after infancy? Did you know that dairy is an immune system stressor and everyone is allergic to cow dairy to some extent? The Bottom Line? Avoid all Dairy – this includes milk, butter, cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, etc etc.
Go Carnivore:Try to focus on moderate to high animal protein. Your body craves it and your wasteline will thank you. I used to be vegetarian and I must tell you, after 20 years of not eating beef or pork, I feel better now than I ever did as a vegetarian. If you don’t have serious PITA morals, go back to meat. And yes, that means even fattier cuts like bacon and ribs. We eat a variety of poultry, seafood, red meats and eggs – all wild caught or grassfed (as the hormones will mess up your system…have you seen how big kids are today??? Not. Natural.)
Avoid all Starches: No corn products, no potatoes, no rice, no breads. If you feel you need rice, try cauliflower. You can food process it and spice it up to help you get over the hump…its surprisingly good! See our recipes for other ways to mimic the foods you may miss (including cookies!).
No Processed Foods: If it comes in the freezer section or in a box, you probably can’t eat it. It is most important that you avoid nitrates. So watch out for those (especially in things like bacon and sausage, as they make some that is grassfed and without nitrates).
Oils: Good oils to use (and use them plenty) include coconut (our favorite for cooking), palm, avocado, sesame, grapeseed (also great for cooking without the flavor of coconut) and olive oil. Avoid corn, cottonseed, peanut, soybean, rice bran, and wheat germ oils. Avoid any foods made with these oils (yes, that means in foods like chips and mayo…whether it is organic or not).
No Grains: None. Nada. Not even corn (yes, corn is a grain). And I’ll tell you why. Wheat has gluten and all grains have a very high glycemic index – which means that these foods carry sugar too rapidly into the bloodstream. For more details, read “The Paleo Solution” by Robb Wolf. He details the internal effects of going Paleo in length and it’s really a fantastic read.
Legumes (Beans, Peas, Peanuts):You might be thinking these are ok, but consider: even though I can find it in nature, can I eat it raw? And the answer to legumes is no. Go ahead, eat a raw kidney bean and tell me if it’s tasty. Prior to agriculture, legumes were very rare and were not a staple in our diets. They contain lectins, saponins or protease inhibitors that are bad news for our hormonal and immune system. See Rob’s book again for more info.
Fruits and Fruit Juices: We eat all the fruits we want, but again, if you are trying to lose a vast amount of weight, I would limit your intake, as fruits contain a lot of sugar. Go organic. If you are drinking juices, go for organic, not from concentrate, non-blends.
Nuts: If you can find it in nature, you can eat it. So cashews, pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc are ok. And keep it to a minimum. How many nuts could you find in nature, crack, and eat before you gave up? …about a handful I’m assuming.
Salt: Do not use iodized salt, go for sea salt instead if you need it. Salt was not common in the Paleo era, nor should it be in your diet.
Booze: Let’s be honest. It’s hard to give up the booze. But you can’t give it up, you can do it Paleo-style. We drink wine (as it is gluten free) that is organically grown and beer that is gluten free or hard ciders. Some recommendations are Bards (made from sorghum) and Woodchuck (made from apples). Rob Wolf also recommends what he calls the “Nor-Cal” Margarita. Its soda water, lime and 100% agave tequila. This is also something that we drink occasionally.
Nix the sugars: No soft drinks, no koolaids, no processed fruit snacks, etc. Remember, if it comes ready made, you probably shouldn’t eat it.
Portion Control: Eat as much of these foods as you want! If you need to seriously lose some pounds, you may want to consider limiting you intake of fruits and nuts, but otherwise, go wild!
Supplements: Are not entirely necessary, but we have several recommendations that have worked out great for us. See the supplements section for more details.
Eating Schedule: Don’t keep a schedule. Eat when you are hungry, don’t eat when you aren’t. You will have days where you go all day with no food and others where you eat every few hours. This is normal. Just do what feels natural.
Great artical! thanks for your effort! I have picked up a simple to follow saying that helps me everyday! If you can’t pick it or kill it don’t eat it. I cant belive the rubbish people eat today! Things that don’t remotely resemble food at all! They wonder why they are so poorly or overweight. My family now grow a lot of our own greens. I try to live chemical free! (im not a hippy! I wear deodorant) I have never been more healthy. I have stopped alcohol as I see this as a main factor in society breakdown & many common aliments.
Thanks again
Meg
Meg,
Thanks for the comments! We’re always so glad when we can help make Paleo easier, as we really do see the benefits of the lifestyle for ourselves. I think its great that you have the ability to grow your own greens! I wish we could do that, but space does not allow. I think you definitely have the right idea and we share a similar ideology: If you can’t eat it raw without getting sick, you don’t need to be eating it at all. Kudos on eliminating alcohol from your diet…that is very hard for a lot of people (including myself, as I love a glass of wine every now and again). Maybe we’ll have to take a page from your book and see how that goes!
We’re so happy to hear from you and thanks again!
Meghan and Angel
Is quinoa an acceptable part of the Paleo diet? While it is cooked like a grain it is technically a seed so I feel like it is a more acceptable option. Thoughts?
Technically, quinoa is neither a grain or a grass. It is technically a seed, which by definition alone, is Paleo in my book. But here’s the part that makes us steer clear from it most of the time… Quinoa is packed with more carbs than any other redeeming nutrition, which causes an intense spike in insulin response. If you are watching your glycemic index, that means that 150g of quinoa has about the same glycemic index as a banana, which is high. It also contains a protein in it that causes a Celiac reaction in many people, as well as stomach issues.
But at the end of the day, if you don’t have issues digesting quinoa, I would say that yes it is Paleo, in moderation.
This is one of my first issues I have read on my quest to “investigate” paleo. i am a health nut and BIG on the science behind food and how it effects your insides, down to the cell level. I agree with many of the practices of paleo but I have an issue with one of the reasons you gave behind why not to eat legumes and grains, you said that they cannot be eaten raw so they are a no go. well how about meat? can you eat that raw? NO and i hope nobody tries to refute me on that…. Im having a hard time understanding why youre saying that legumes and grains, especially good grains with lots of soluble fiber (which is EXCELLENT for you and your GI tract) are not good for us. Please explain, im not trying to be argumentative but if i am going to be sold on the paleo thing then I need to understand and agree. Thanks!
When Angel came up with the idea, I told him the exact same thing – prove it to me. So I will recommend the same thing that changed my mind: The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf. This book dives into the science of Paleo in a BIG way, from hormones to digestion and if you are into that part, it will address all of your questions and more. I can only offer advice from what I’ve read in that book, and until you get your hands on it, here is the summation of what I grasped from the contents:
Grains and legumes have proteins in them called lectins. Lectins are found in animals and plants and have protective functions from recognizing pathogens to controlling protein levels in the blood. The problem here is that when they are found in plants, they do the same – protect the plant. So when you eat legumes, this lectin can cause intestinal distress including diarrhea, nausea, bloating, vomiting, etc. Cooking beans can help to lower lectins, but they are very heat resistant, so it doesn’t cook them all out. Now I’ll dive into what that really means…
Wheat contains a lectin called wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and these lectins like to glom onto the walls of your intestines. When they cross into your intestines, your body interprets the lectin as a foreign invader and creates antibodies to respond. The problem here is that lectins look a lot like other parts of your body, so the antibodies go crazy on things they shouldn’t. When the antibodies attack healthy tissue, this is where celiac disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis arise.
To top it off, as lectins make their way through your body, they damage the walls of your intestines, which creates holes in your intestinal tract, allowing particles to slip through and be released into your blood stream – this is how food sensitivities start. When this happens often, your immune system gets very overwhelmed and can start attacking things at random. The symptoms from this can range from migraines to depression.
Again, we are not physicians, just advocates of the Paleo diet. We highly recommend that you buy the book, and if you have any pre-existing conditions, consult with a physician before you make any drastic changes to your diet. That being said, Paleo has changed our lives for the better and we hope you find this information helpful.
Good Luck!
The Paleo Effect
Thank you!! Your response definitely caught my attention esp regarding the auto immune diseases, i’ve studied many of them and it makes sense. I am looking forward to checking out the book! Thanks again!
Anytime! We’re always available for questions either through our email or facebook. I think you will be very happy with the book too, let us know what you think! Good Luck! Paleo Effect :)
You guys are great and love this site. I started my paleo switch over the winter and lose some fat. I strayed from it around the holidays and was very sorry about that. I have been back into the lifestyle for about a week (took only a couple days to get over the fatigue and cravings for starches) and I feel awesome. I purchases the Paleo Diet Cookbook by Dr. Lorenzo Cordain and have found some great recipes; also drank my first paleo protein smoothie this morning. This gave me tons of energy to swim a half mile and run 3 miles a couple hours later (of course I ate other paleo foods between).
I have one last hurdle to get over….cream and raw sugar in my coffee. I am going to work my way to black coffee, but this is something I need to work on. I am not a big beer drinker by any means, but I am going to switch to Woodchuck Cider when I do.
Tones of great information on your page! Keep it up….you inspire!
Thank you!
Michael,
You inspire us with your story and that is why we keep on posting! Thank you so much taking the time and for the kind comments! If you are looking for an alternative to cream and sugar, try coconut milk (its sweeter than regular milk, which resembles cream in taste and texture – the stuff in the can (Thai Kitchen is our favorite) is thick and fantastic. For sweetener, you can cut it altogether, or try green leaf stevia. It’s a plant, it’s Paleo, and its a million times sweeter tasting than sugar, so you only need a pinch. It also has an incredibly low glycemic index, which is great. Of course, if you want to cut out the sweeteners altogether, we’re all for that as well ;)
Thank you again and good luck on your Paleo journey!
~The Paleo Effect
YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve recently “gone Paleo” and I happen to love woodchuck… Until I saw your recipe for the chicken with woodchuck, I had no idea that I was already making a good choice! I thought it probably had sugar in it… but apparently it has no added sugar?