Unless you are a real caveman or cavewoman, you would have heard about the paleo diet. Paleo diet has so many benefits, it can reduce blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and lead to weight loss in a short period of time. Thus, the popularity of the diet is not surprising since a professor at Colorado State University, named Loren Cordain published a book on the paleo diet and initiated a movement for the diet.
The purpose of this eating approach is to eat like our ancestors did, avoiding all forms of processed foods. Basically, the paleo diet is all about natural foods such as vegetables, seafood, seed, meat, eggs, fruits, nuts, and natural fat sources. The philosophy of this diet involves eating like our Paleolithic ancestors that existed before the invention of agricultural techniques.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid on the Paleo Diet
Most of the popular foods in the Western diet are to be avoided in paleo diets. The following are most of the foods that shouldn’t be included in paleo diets: bread, dairy products, rice, peanuts, pasta, beans, oats, lentils, refined vegetable oils, soda, refined sugar (candy, agave, white and brown sugars, syrup, artificial sweeteners, and corn), salty foods, soy, soda, processed foods (snacks, packaged foods, and processed or frozen dinners), sweetened beverages, peanut butter, beer, drinks sweetened with artificial sweeteners, wine, etc.
What to Eat or Drink on the Paleo Diet?
You just have to avoid most of the Western and processed foods and include the following:
- Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, Brussel sprouts, arugula, mushrooms, celery, carrots, squash, radish, beets, onions, cucumber, olives, pickles, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- Fruits such as bananas, grapes, apples, tomatoes, melons, berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries), peaches, citrus, and lychee.
- Protein sources like poultry meats (chicken, goose, turkey, and quail), meats (lamb, bacon, wild boar, pork, beef, etc.), game meat (moose, bear, duck, deer, rabbit, elk, etc.), fish (salmon, tilapia, sardines, haddock, bass, cod, trout, catfish, tuna, mackerel, etc.), wild-caught shellfishes, nuts and nut butter, and free-range eggs.
- Healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado, butter, tahini, etc.
- Sweeteners that can be added to paleo diets in moderation include; coconut sugar, raw honey, maple syrup, and date sugar.
- Drinks that are allowed on the paleo diet include coconut water, water, bone broth, herbal tea, moderate black coffee, low-sugar cider, unsweetened sparkling water, etc.
The benefits of paleo diets are numerous. However, it is important to make the paleo diet work for you by sticking to the regimes that suit your health goals.
