It’s a question I have asked a lot during this time of transition from the SAD (Standard American Diet) to a new, healthier diet. This is just a short guideline to help with your change to this lifestyle. The web has plenty of more detailed information. Two authorities in the field are Loren Cordain, Ph, D., considered the father of the Paleo Diet, and Mark Sisson, the creator of the Primal Blueprint. There are some differences between these two lifestyle choices, but these differences come down to interpretation.
The Paleo diet is based upon the idea of eating the foods our bodies were designed for through thousands of years of evolution. These foods were available to early people through hunting and gathering (meat and fish, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables). They include whole, unprocessed foods that resemble what they look like in nature. Our ancestors were genetically the same as we are today. They thrived eating such foods and were free of diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
“Primal” generally refers to Mark Sisson’s Primal Blueprint way of eating which is very similar to the Paleo diet, but allows some leeway with certain types of dairy and has fewer restrictions on saturated fat intake. He also notes that whole grains are not very healthy for human beings. Grains contain toxic anti-nutrients (lectins, gluten, and phytates), and we are not designed to digest these anti-nutrients.
Which foods do you avoid?
All Grains, Pasteurized Dairy, Soy, Legumes, Refined Sugar, and Alcohol.
Grains—especially wheat and any products containing gluten.
Legumes—beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
Processed cooking oils and fats
Refined sugars and carbohydrates
Dairy—especially milk and low-fat dairy (for those with lactose intolerance).
Try to choose grass-fed, pasture raised, and organic (if you can afford it). Otherwise, go for the least processed option. A simple guideline: If it looks like it was made in a factory, don’t eat it!
Base your diet on these real, unprocessed Paleo foods.
Grass-fed Meat, Fish & Seafood, Eggs, Vegetables, Healthy Fats, Fruits & Nuts, and Spices.
Meat and poultry—select grass-fed, free range meat which is much higher in nutrients because of the way they’re fed and raised.
Fish and seafood—choose sustainable, wild fish and seafood when possible.
Eggs—free-range, pasture raised when possible.
Vegetables—non-starchy and starchy tubers and root vegetables.
Fruit and berries—stick to low sugar fruit and berries.
Nuts and seeds—nutritious but many are high in Omega-6 fatty acids.
Spices and herbs—the more the better.
Healthy fats—coconut oil, coconut milk and cream, ghee, butter, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, fish oil, sesame oil as well as fats from grass-fed meats, poultry and fish.
Condiments—mustard, vinegars, olive oil mayonnaise, low sugar tomato sauces and paste.
For baking—nut meals, coconut flour, tapioca and arrowroot flour—use in moderation as they either contain high amounts of Omega-6 fatty acids or are high in carbohydrates.
For more information about all these categories, check out our FAQs.
Items in the Questionable Zone
Dairy, Natural Sweeteners, Alcohol, Fermented Soy, and Pseudo-grains.
Dairy—should mainly be avoided. Avoid cow’s milk as it’s got high GI unlike cheese or yogurt. Better options are goat’s and sheep’s milk products.
Natural sweeteners—honey, maple syrup, stevia, molasses, dried fruit, dark chocolate, palm sugar, rice malt syrup.
Alcohol—dry wines, clean non-grain based spirits.
Fermented soy—such as miso, tempeh in small amounts, wheat free soy sauce
Pseudo-grains—like quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat are less harmful but they are still dense sources of carbohydrates and should be prepared carefully. Chia seeds also fall in this category.
Need a more organized shopping list? You can find several lists on the internet. Here’s my favorite paleo shopping list. Another good one is the Primal Blueprint Shopping List.
This lifestyle diet focuses on unprocessed, whole foods, lots of healthy fats (including saturated fat), grass-fed, free-range meat and eggs, plenty of fish and seafood, vegetables, fruit, berries, nuts, seeds and some natural sweeteners. It excludes grains, legumes, processed sugar and most dairy. Some may include healthy dairy foods like kefir, full fat natural yogurt, some aged cheese and butter. It is a flexible lifestyle that really depends on your personal sensitivities.
What Can I Eat On The Primal/Paleo Diet?
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