The premise behind the Paleo Diet is that the only foods eaten are those that your great-great-great-great-grandmother would have had access to. If there is a hint of the food having been processed in any way, then it’s not in your meal plan.
Of course the Paleo plan goes beyond that simple explanation . . . but it’s fun to think of eating only what 4great grandmother Annabella ate as she was canning tomatoes on the farm. In fact, one of the commentaries about the Paleo Diet is that if a caveman couldn’t eat it, then you can’t either.
The Paleo Diet consists of foods that you can hunt, grow or find. This includes grass fed, antibiotic free meats, fish, nuts, vegetables, fruits, seeds and greens. It totally removes anything from a box, made with with white sugar or processed.
No more cereal, spaghetti, potatoes, dairy, cakes, cookies, chocolate or ice cream, and your convenience foods are now apples, oranges and grapes!
You might notice that the majority of the ways that we’ve gotten carbohydrates over the years – from wheat and gluten based products, sugars and potatoes – have been eliminated from the diet. Carbohydrates however, are essential to the optimal function of your body. So where will they come from?
Well, there are actually good sources of carbohydrates and bad sources. The bad sources are the sugar based products and wheat and gluten based products that offer little to no nutrition. On the other hand, fruits, vegetables and sweet potatoes have plenty of carbohydrates to fuel our brains and carry energy throughout the body.
Although strong advocates of the Paleo Diet stay away from dairy products, the camp is actually split. There is a number of people who are lactose intolerant, meaning that the protein in dairy will create gastrointestinal distress and can be pretty painful. Humans are also the only animal on earth that drinks milk or eats products made from milk after infancy and definitely the only mammal that drinks the milk of other mammals.
Resources:
Mother Jones: Michael Pollan Explains What’s Wrong with the Paleo Diet
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/01/michael-pollan-paleo-diet-inquiring-minds
The Paleo Diet: What to eat on the paleo diet
http://thepaleodiet.com/what-to-eat-on-the-paleo-diet/
Nerd Fitness: The Beginners Guide to the Paleo Diet
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/
US NEws: Paleo Diet
http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/paleo-diet
US News: How to Follow the Paleo Diet on a Budget
Paleo Plan: Is Almond Milk Paleo
http://www.paleoplan.com/2012/07-26/is-almond-milk-paleo/
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