“The Paleo Diet” is a term originally coined by Dr. Loren Cordain in 2010. For the purpose of this article, I will use the term “paleo lifestyle” to encompass the many different approaches that now exist.
The term paleo is derived from paleolithic, as the key concepts take us back to what our caveman ancestors ate. You can read all the details here, but in summary, paleo prioritises meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Or basically, natural nutrition. What you don’t eat with a paleo lifestyle is gluten, grains, refined sugar, refined seed oils, dairy or legumes.
Personally, I am grateful for the popularisation of the paleo lifestyle as it has brought to our attention that the food pyramid is wrong. Yes, it was created by the agricultural industry with simply their own interest in mind.
Here are some of the facts that the paleo lifestyle has helped support, and as a result, bust the top food myths of the last five decades:
- There is in fact no requirement for wholegrains, when fibre can be found in higher quantities in fruit and vegetables, accompanied by essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Two of my favourite resources are It All Starts With Food and already, the newly released Grain Brain.
- Pasteurised cow’s milk is devoid of nutrients as they are destroyed by the heat treatment. If you want calcium, eat green leafy vegetables, bony fish and sesame seeds for a start. Recap this here.
- Saturated fat does not cause heart disease. More on that here.
- Low cholesterol is not an indication of health. Cholesterol is one of the most vitally important substances. Every cell is made from it, and all steroid hormones are synthesized from it, including all sex and adrenal hormones. Cholesterol is also essential for the formation and function of each memory synapse in our brain. Elevated cholesterol is not the problem, it is a symptom of the real cause of heart disease – inflammation. Grab yourself a copy of Cholesterol Clarity by Jimmy Moore for more information.
- Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. They contain 11 vitamins and minerals and are one of the highest sources of vitamin D. Eggs do not cause heart disease (refer to point 4). Please eat your yolks.
So why don’t I prescribe to a paleo lifestyle?
Personally, I don’t need a dietary label. I just eat real food. When “The Paleo Diet” first became popular it was quite restrictive, dogmatic and almost militant. It’s great to see this has now changed. Two of my favourite influential bloggers, Diane Sanfilippo from Balanced Bites and Danielle Walker from Against All Grain, are teaching moderation and non-judgement, and denouncing perfectionism. And I couldn’t be more happier about this. If you don’t have both of their cookbooks, you must.
I’m happily gluten, refined sugar and seed oil free, but I don’t eat paleo per se as I feel the following foods have their place. I enjoy them and I’m more than happy for you to include them in your natural nutrition lifestyle too.
- Rice malt syrup. As it is made from rice, a grain, it is not an approved paleo sweetener. The great thing about rice malt syrup is that it is fructose free and therefore a better choice than honey or maple syrup (which are both paleo approved). Read more about why I use rice malt syrup here. It is the only grain derivative I do eat though, and you can read more on why in the aforementioned Grain Brain.
- Goat’s feta. As it is dairy, it is not paleo. Personally I choose to eat Goat’s feta as it is a more tolerable form of caesin (A2). If you have a lactose intolerance, you may also find you can tolerate Goat’s feta, but this will come down to individual tolerance.
- Chickpeas. Legumes (and yes, peanuts are legumes) are not consumed on a paleo diet, due to the supposed high phytic acid content. Paleo supporters believe this interferes with nutrient absorption, but new research now shows this may only be an issue in situations of poor gut health. I happily prioritise gut health and enjoy hummus on occasions. More on gut health coming soon.
In summary, there are many great aspects of following a paleo lifestyle. As you know, I believe everyone should be gluten free, refined sugar free and refined seed oil free. Find an approach that works for you and ensure it is one that is nutrient dense, sustainable and enjoyable. As I always say, food is to nourish, share and enjoy and certainly not a quest for perfectionism.
Do you follow a paleo lifestyle? Or do you choose not to because of your favourite foods?
[…] This is my favorite pin I ran across on Pinterest right now because it shows how industrialization of food has made our bodies even worse rather than better. As in the Paleo diet, Hu believes in good fats like olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter. Good fats are a great source of fuel for your body to keep you energized plus keep you from craving sugary empty calorie items that leave you craving more an hour later. The goal is to eat foods that are good for you and keep you satisfied without unhealthy cravings. The more I follow this diet the less cravings for sugary items I have. And the less I have sugar the more severe the headaches I have when I do eat sugar. It has made me more aware how bad refined sugar really is for you. These are some of the healthier option Hu has and they look delicious. […]
Thank you For your knowledge as I have more insight about Paleo.
This has been my first week and I am excited and at the same time feeling light. I’m enjoying the foods and researching recipes. Thank you also for your information about Rice malt syrup. The two sweeteners I use are Rice malt syrup and Coconut Sugar.
Great to hear Eileen.
I love your approach. So many people love to ‘label’ ‘diets’ but don’t realise you can’t go wrong if you eat real food.
Hi, Thanks, it’s good to hear I’m not alone. I avoid grain or legumes and most dairy (though I still have butter and sometime lactose free milk). I try to eat lots of vegetables with each meal. I try to include anti-inflammatory type food like sardines, salmon, ginger, turmeric and bok choy. I avoid high fructose food, and also don’t eat some of the things that Paleo folk sweeten with including honey and maple syrup. I use stevia and rice malt syrup as sweeteners. I’ve been doing this for 2 months. Have lost 8 kilos while never being hungry and have no cravings for sugar anymore. It is a lot more cooking and prep than I’m used to, as almost everything in store (in Australia) contains sugar, soy, or grains or some combination of those.
[…] thing that the paleo diet, Born to Run and stand up desks have uncommon is that they recognise: our body wasn’t […]