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Too many diets place heavy restrictions on foods you can’t eat, which leads to cravings and hunger, dissatisfaction and frustration. While certain foods are encouraged over others, the Paleo lifestyle is more about making better choices and enjoying fresh, high-quality foods that other eating plans restrict, including: lean proteins; fats like avocados, eggs, and nuts; and sweet treats, too. With so many options and by eating balanced meals, you should never feel deprived. Here’s a closer look at the Paleo-approved foods.
Meat and Eggs
• Beef
• Bison
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Lamb
• Pork
The meat and seafood that our cavemen and women ancestors ate didn’t come shrink-wrapped and pumped full of antibiotics, hormones, and added sodium. That’s why the Paleo lifestyle encourages choosing grass-fed, pastured meats; wild-caught fish; and wild-caught or farmed shellfish from sustainable, environmentally conscious producers over more commercially produced beef, chicken, pork, and eggs, where animals may have been raised in confined spaces and fed less-than-ideal diets.
For all recipes that call for meat ingredients, assume that free-range, pas- tured, and antibiotic- and hormone-free are best. Organic does not always mean pastured, but at the very least, it suggests the animal ate a healthier diet. When selecting eggs, look for free-range or pastured ones, which naturally have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
Farmers’ markets are the best sources for high-quality proteins, but shop- ping this way is not always financially or geographically possible. If available, sign up for a share in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program to buy meat, vegetables, fruits, and eggs in bulk. Some Paleo-supportive gyms and other outlets work directly with local, sustainable farmers to offer such food shares. When shopping at the grocery store, watch out for false claims and always read the labels and ingredient lists carefully (see the “Learn to Read Food Labels” section in Chapter Two).
The Paleo Beginners Guide
When purchasing bacon, make sure it is nitrate-free and watch out for the excess use of sugars and salts in the ingredients. Try to select bacon made from pastured, free-range pork.
Sausages and hot dogs often contain excess sodium, nitrates, and other additives. A Paleo-friendly sausage will use natural animal casings and contain good-quality meat, some spices, and minimal amounts of salt.
Seafood
• Arctic char
• Cod, trout, and other whitefish
• Halibut
• Lobster, mussels, oysters, and other shellfish
• Salmon
• Tuna (canned tuna in moderation)
Choose sustainably sourced seafood, which means fish and shellfish that’s either wild-caught or farmed using environmentally safe practices. Watch out for seafood coming from countries outside the United States, where many fish- eries have come under fire for ocean destruction and poor food handling. Look closely at aquarium “watch lists” to know which seafood is more sustainable than others.
Non-Animal-Based Proteins
Though the Paleo lifestyle discourages dairy, whey-based protein powder is considered acceptable because it does not contain potentially harmful lactose and other acids. Paleo and other nutritionists often suggest avoiding dairy products containing lactose because of the potential gastrointestinal effects on digestion—diarrhea or constipation—and because dairy products have high acidity levels, which have been shown to increase inflammation in the body. Still, not all protein powder is considered equal when following Paleo. When choosing whey-based powders, look for brands made with grass-fed dairy products, and be leery of added sugars, stabilizers, and preservatives. Many natural food stores, Paleo-friendly gyms, and online sites carry these powders. Hemp seed powder is a good alternative to whey, but some brands have a bitter taste. If you are exercising and lifting weights regularly, supplementing your protein intake with some amino acid powders and blends can be benefi- cial for muscle building and repair, but again, read labels carefully.
Vegetables
• Alfalfa and other sprouts
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Bell peppers
• Bok choy
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Green and yellow beans
• Greens: kale, spinach, Swiss chard, mustard, beet, turnip, watercress
• Jicama
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Lettuces: Bibb, escarole, red leaf, arugula, Belgian endive, romaine
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions and green onions
• Peppers
• Pumpkin
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Squash: summer, yellow, spaghetti, butternut*, delicata*
• Sweet potato*
• Tomatoes
• Turnips*
• Zucchini
Note: Vegetables marked with an asterisk (*) should be eaten in moderation because of their
higher sugar levels.
When purchasing vegetables, sustainable sources, such as local farmers and markets, are best, but organic is also preferable.
If your budget is too tight to purchase all organic produce, try to at least buy organic for vegetables and fruits with peels or skin you plan to eat rather than remove, such as apples, cucumbers, bell peppers, and in some cases, sweet potatoes. Avocados, lemons, limes, and onions with peels to be removed, for example, can be sourced in the commodity aisle. Once at home, use a natu- ral vegetable wash (with citric acid, not chemicals) to remove waxes that are applied to many fruits and vegetables, including even organic produce. Also, opt for vegetable-storage or mesh bags for enhanced freshness when storing produce in the refrigerator.
Fruits
• Apples
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cherries
• Dried fruits, unsweetened and unsulfured or with no sugar added, such as cherries, cranberries, and blueberries
• Goji berries
• Lemons
• Limes
• Strawberries
Some Paleo purists choose to eat only berries, since they were once the only fruits gathered by our ancestors, but others include additional low-glycemic, high-fiber fruits like apples and cherries. Melons, stone fruits, grapefruit, and oranges in whole, not juice, form are also allowed, but The Paleo Beginners Guide excludes those. When adding fruit with higher glycemic indexes to your diet, do so slowly and note your body’s response. If you feel a sudden sugar “high” or feel hungrier even after eating some, you may have a low tolerance for these fruits. Watch out for bananas, too, which are starchier and have higher levels of sugar. When eating fruit, have a little protein or healthful fats with it to prevent your blood sugar from spiking.
Consider taking vitamin C supplements in lieu of citrus fruits or juices to help with muscle repair and to boost your immune system. Because vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, you don’t have to worry about taking too much. Your body will naturally flush out what’s not used.
Healthful Fats and Oils
• Almond
• Avocado
• Coconut
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Flaxseed (unfiltered)
• Grape-seed
• Hazelnut
• Walnut
Choose unrefined oils rather than processed ones when choosing health- ful oils. Avocado has also been applauded as a healthful fat, with its high level of vitamin E, which is great for improving skin, hair, and nails. Coconut, once thought to have too much saturated fat, is now accepted as a healthful fat. Choose unrefined coconut oil and unsweetened coconut flakes and meat when selecting this fat.
Paleo Diet Basics
Some Paleo purists avoid butter altogether, while others eat butter sourced from grass-fed or pastured cows because of its higher omega-3 fat lev- els. Ghee, a form of butter in which the whey has been removed, is acceptable in some Paleo circles. Like coconut and avocado oils, ghee has a high smoking point, which is great for searing, baking, and high-temperature broiling and roasting. Grape-seed oil also has a high smoking point and a neutral taste, but some Paleo purists find it to be too refined.
Reserve nut oils for salad dressings and flavoring vegetables and other foods after they have been cooked. Nut oils are too delicate to retain their nutritional properties when cooked.
Nuts and Seeds
• Almonds (raw, roasted and unsalted)
• Brazil nuts (raw)
• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Hazelnuts (raw, roasted and unsalted)
• Macadamia nuts (raw, roasted and unsalted)
• Pistachios (raw, roasted and unsalted)
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts (raw)
Purchase unsalted nuts and seeds, which may be found at many natural grocery and health food stores. Raw nuts rather than roasted ones have been shown to have more nutritional properties, but they can be more difficult for some people to digest. If you have such a sensitivity, soak raw nuts before con- suming them whole or using them in nut butters and desserts. Soak almonds for eight hours, walnuts for four hours, and cashews for two hours. Allow nuts to dry thoroughly before use or use a dehydrator to speed up the process.
Like walnuts and walnut oils, chia and flaxseeds have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and serve as great supplements to seafood and fish.
Natural Sweeteners
There have been various debates over which natural sweeteners are consid- ered Paleo. Some new research suggests that all sweeteners, from honey to sugar, have the same effect on the body, so some Paleo purists try to reduce
The Paleo Beginners Guide
all sweeteners, regardless. Others choose raw honey, raw agave nectar, grade B pure maple syrup, and dates over refined sugars because some studies suggest they have less impact on insulin levels and contain trace amounts of antioxi- dants and minerals.
Some Paleo eaters use coconut sugar or crystals in baking because they have a low-glycemic index and work like regular sugar. Others consider molas- ses acceptable for Paleo because it is less refined and contains some minerals and nutrients. Dates are an even better choice. They are naturally sweet and great for baking because of their consistency when pureed. As with sweet pota- toes and fruits, consume these sweeteners in moderation.
Herbs and Spices
Keeping a variety of fresh herbs and spices on hand will spruce up meals with- out the need for extra salt. Certain herbs have been shown to have nutritional properties. For example, ginger has been shown to aid in digestion, while gar- lic and parsley have strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Herbs should be stored in the refrigerator like flowers—place the herb stems upright in a glass with cool water. Ginger may be peeled, cut up into smaller pieces, and frozen for last-minute needs.
Condiments
Certain condiments like vinegars, mustards, and hot sauce may fit into the Paleo lifestyle and are a great way to add flavor to your food. However, it’s important to read labels carefully and avoid brands with added sodium, sugars, and stabi- lizers like guar gum as well as preservatives and additives you can’t pronounce.
Beverages
By far, water is the best beverage when following the Paleo lifestyle. Aim for at least eight glasses a day. Some people drink far more than this amount to flush toxins from their body and ensure ample hydration.
Squeezing a little fresh lemon and/or lime juice in your water may make it more palatable. Though lemon and lime juices taste acidic, they actually have the opposite effect on the body, improving alkaline levels, which can help reduce inflammation.
Other Paleo-friendly beverages include:
• Carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon or lime: Drink this in moderation, however, because too much bubbly may cause digestive issues and bloating for some people.
• Coffee: Some Paleo purists avoid caffeine, but others allow small amounts, which can improve workouts and mental clarity.
• Tea: Choose from green, black, oolong, and herbal teas, again in modera- tion to monitor caffeine levels.
• Unsweetened coconut water: This is naturally low in sugar. It’s also high in potassium, which can prevent muscle cramping and aid in hydration. Make sure to read labels carefully and choose brands without added sugars.
• Unsweetened nut milks
Supplements
Many Paleo eaters incorporate supplements to further enhance nutritional absorption and stabilize hormone levels. Taking a multivitamin can fill in nutrition gaps, but taking certain vitamins individually can have even stronger health benefits.
• Calcium strengthens bones.
• Fish oil (mercury-free) repairs muscles, boosts brain activity, improves emotional health, “greases” joints, clears skin, and strengthens hair, eyes, and nails.
• Probiotics aid in digestion and removing toxins from the body. Taking a probiotic supplement is more effective than consuming yogurt with live cultures, which would require consuming large amounts of yogurt for the same health benefits.
• Vitamin B boosts metabolism and energy levels.
• Vitamin C helps repair muscles and boost immunity.
• Vitamin D strengthens the immune system’s ability to ward off illness, especially when the supplement is combined with the sunlight’s natural source of vitamin D. 16 The Paleo Beginners Guide
