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.
This sounds good to me! I love veggies, except for raw tomatoes. I can't get past the texture.
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.
NO DAIRY?! Oh snap. I used to drink milk like crazy. Good thing they make Coconut Milk and Almond Milk or I might go nuts. I did hear that eliminating dairy from diet should improve your skin. I'll be really sad to say goodbye to TCBY and cheese!
Go Carnivore:Try to focus on moderate to high animal protein. Your body craves it and your waste line will thank you. If you don’t have serious PETA morals, eat 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 grass fed (as the hormones will mess up your system…have you seen how big kids are today??? Not. Natural.)
My body better thank me for doing this diet. I wasn't a huge meat eater, but I guess I will be now! Bacon? Ribs? Don't mind if I do.
Avoid Most 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! The exception here is tubers like sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and plantains – these are OK. Try to think “Can I Eat It Raw?” and if the answer is YES, then you can eat it on the Paleo diet. See our recipes for other ways to mimic the foods you may miss (including cookies!).
Gosh, this Do's and Don'ts is making me want and miss all that bad stuff. Trying to do an out of sight, out of mind approach to the sugary sweets of my past. I love chips and rice....what will I ever do without them?! I have found some alternatives.....Cauliflower Rice, Kale Chips, and Zucchini noodles. I'll have to try them out and let you know how it goes. I'm so glad I can still eat sweet potatoes, carrots and plantains. Yum!
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 grass fed and without nitrates).
This doesn't seem to bad. I don't eat that much frozen food except for fish and the occasional Totino's Pizza. I haven't bought bacon yet because I'm not sure what's a good type to get.
Oils: Good oils to use (and use them plenty) include coconut (our favorite for cooking), palm, avocado, sesame, grape seed (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).
I bought some coconut oil, which comes as a solid. I haven't used it yet. Hmm....what can I put in my tuna instead of mayo.
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.
No tortillas. No Chips. No flatbread. No wheat thins. Gotta think of alternatives, not what I can't have. Coconut pancakes could be substitutes for tortillas if it's a must. Kale chips, banana chips, and sweet potato chips sound good. Crackers....they make almond crackers that will hopefully be Paleo friendly.
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.
1Peanuts aren’t actually tree nuts like cashews, almonds, etc. In It Starts with Food, the Hartwigs note that peanuts are actually legumes—they grow underground, not on trees. They are in the legume family, and have protein structures that can be hazardous because of lectins. Cooking legumes kills lectins, but lectins in peanuts aren’t annihilated by heat. They enter your system with all that nastiness intact, so your body treats them like a foreign and unwanted substance, which causes an overreaction of the immune system.
This one really sucks. I love me some legumes! Are chickpeas legumes? I must figure this one out. Green beans are still okay. No more peanut butter. ...that means no more peanut butter cups. Boo! I have tried almond butter and sunflower seed butter....a different texture but still taste pretty good.
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. Remember, the sugar is natural, but its still sugar! Go organic. If you are drinking juices, go for organic, not from concentrate, non-blends. If you are in for the weight loss, see our Glycemic Index to see which fruits are higher and lower in sugar.
I am trying to lose weight so I will try to eat more veggies than fruit. Luckily I cut out fruit juices a long time ago when I tried MyFitFoods.
Nuts: If you can find it in nature, you can eat it. So cashews, pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc are ok. They have essential oils, fats and proteins that are good for you, but keep it to a minimum. The logic behind this is that nuts contain phytic acid (commonly found in grains and legumes), which interferes with enzymes we need to digest our food. Moderation is OK, but if you eat a lot, it can lead to mineral deficiencies like osteoporosis. Think Caveman: How many nuts could you find in nature, crack, and eat before you gave up? …about a handful I’m assuming, which is about right.
I love nuts. I don't really eat them that often but at least I like them. Could be a nice little source of protein for before workouts.
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.
I'm not a huge salt fan in the first place, and I've been using sea salt instead of iodized salt anyway. No problem!
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.
This one won't be that hard for me because I can still have fun without drinking. I think it might be more hard for my friends to accept than me. I know they'll be trying to get me to drink. Maybe I'll just hold a water with a lime and say it's vodka water.
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.
Adios Dr. Pepper. I used to hate soda when I was younger, the carbonation killed me. I can go without it again. Can I drink Ice Tea, or hot tea as long as I don't add sugar? What about crystal light to go packets??
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!
Yay, no more calorie counting!
Supplements: Are not entirely necessary, but we have several recommendations that have worked out great for us. See the supplements section for more details.
I'll have to go check out their supplements. I still want to take my daily vitamins and some other supplements. What about protein powder?
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.
Sounds good to me! I'm more worried about the food on the days that I'm running all over the place and need on-the-go foods.
The above information is from Paleo Effect Website - Quick Paleo Guide. I just added my own commentary.
I CAN do this!
Eat Your Vegetables: Eat as many and as much fresh or frozen vegetables as you want. Go organic and live it up.
This sounds good to me! I love veggies, except for raw tomatoes. I can't get past the texture.
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.
NO DAIRY?! Oh snap. I used to drink milk like crazy. Good thing they make Coconut Milk and Almond Milk or I might go nuts. I did hear that eliminating dairy from diet should improve your skin. I'll be really sad to say goodbye to TCBY and cheese!
Go Carnivore:Try to focus on moderate to high animal protein. Your body craves it and your waste line will thank you. If you don’t have serious PETA morals, eat 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 grass fed (as the hormones will mess up your system…have you seen how big kids are today??? Not. Natural.)
My body better thank me for doing this diet. I wasn't a huge meat eater, but I guess I will be now! Bacon? Ribs? Don't mind if I do.
Avoid Most 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! The exception here is tubers like sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and plantains – these are OK. Try to think “Can I Eat It Raw?” and if the answer is YES, then you can eat it on the Paleo diet. See our recipes for other ways to mimic the foods you may miss (including cookies!).
Gosh, this Do's and Don'ts is making me want and miss all that bad stuff. Trying to do an out of sight, out of mind approach to the sugary sweets of my past. I love chips and rice....what will I ever do without them?! I have found some alternatives.....Cauliflower Rice, Kale Chips, and Zucchini noodles. I'll have to try them out and let you know how it goes. I'm so glad I can still eat sweet potatoes, carrots and plantains. Yum!
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 grass fed and without nitrates).
This doesn't seem to bad. I don't eat that much frozen food except for fish and the occasional Totino's Pizza. I haven't bought bacon yet because I'm not sure what's a good type to get.
Oils: Good oils to use (and use them plenty) include coconut (our favorite for cooking), palm, avocado, sesame, grape seed (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).
I bought some coconut oil, which comes as a solid. I haven't used it yet. Hmm....what can I put in my tuna instead of mayo.
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.
No tortillas. No Chips. No flatbread. No wheat thins. Gotta think of alternatives, not what I can't have. Coconut pancakes could be substitutes for tortillas if it's a must. Kale chips, banana chips, and sweet potato chips sound good. Crackers....they make almond crackers that will hopefully be Paleo friendly.
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.
1Peanuts aren’t actually tree nuts like cashews, almonds, etc. In It Starts with Food, the Hartwigs note that peanuts are actually legumes—they grow underground, not on trees. They are in the legume family, and have protein structures that can be hazardous because of lectins. Cooking legumes kills lectins, but lectins in peanuts aren’t annihilated by heat. They enter your system with all that nastiness intact, so your body treats them like a foreign and unwanted substance, which causes an overreaction of the immune system.
This one really sucks. I love me some legumes! Are chickpeas legumes? I must figure this one out. Green beans are still okay. No more peanut butter. ...that means no more peanut butter cups. Boo! I have tried almond butter and sunflower seed butter....a different texture but still taste pretty good.
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. Remember, the sugar is natural, but its still sugar! Go organic. If you are drinking juices, go for organic, not from concentrate, non-blends. If you are in for the weight loss, see our Glycemic Index to see which fruits are higher and lower in sugar.
I am trying to lose weight so I will try to eat more veggies than fruit. Luckily I cut out fruit juices a long time ago when I tried MyFitFoods.
Nuts: If you can find it in nature, you can eat it. So cashews, pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc are ok. They have essential oils, fats and proteins that are good for you, but keep it to a minimum. The logic behind this is that nuts contain phytic acid (commonly found in grains and legumes), which interferes with enzymes we need to digest our food. Moderation is OK, but if you eat a lot, it can lead to mineral deficiencies like osteoporosis. Think Caveman: How many nuts could you find in nature, crack, and eat before you gave up? …about a handful I’m assuming, which is about right.
I love nuts. I don't really eat them that often but at least I like them. Could be a nice little source of protein for before workouts.
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.
I'm not a huge salt fan in the first place, and I've been using sea salt instead of iodized salt anyway. No problem!
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.
This one won't be that hard for me because I can still have fun without drinking. I think it might be more hard for my friends to accept than me. I know they'll be trying to get me to drink. Maybe I'll just hold a water with a lime and say it's vodka water.
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.
Adios Dr. Pepper. I used to hate soda when I was younger, the carbonation killed me. I can go without it again. Can I drink Ice Tea, or hot tea as long as I don't add sugar? What about crystal light to go packets??
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!
Yay, no more calorie counting!
Supplements: Are not entirely necessary, but we have several recommendations that have worked out great for us. See the supplements section for more details.
I'll have to go check out their supplements. I still want to take my daily vitamins and some other supplements. What about protein powder?
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.
Sounds good to me! I'm more worried about the food on the days that I'm running all over the place and need on-the-go foods.
The above information is from Paleo Effect Website - Quick Paleo Guide. I just added my own commentary.
I CAN do this!
Hey chicka! Just saw this blog on your Facebook and am reading your posts while enjoying my financial conference calls today. Ha. All makes sense, I've seen a few of my other friends talking about eating Paleo and was wondering what it was! The only thing I would say is about the iodized vs sea salt, I've read that lack of iodine (e.g. Iodized salt) can contribute to thyroid issues... I can tell you how fun that is!! :P Good luck, and I won't tell if I see you drinking a clear liquid with lime! Haha
ReplyDeleteGood to know! I'm following as close as I can do their guidelines, but I'm still researching about it. I've been looking into it for a while now and after my road trip and all the bad but good eating we did, I decided now was the time to go for it! Haha, thanks!! You know they will hound me to get a shot if I don't hold my fake drink. :)
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