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Following a Paleo lifestyle is not that hard. Over time, once you understand foods you can eat, you can look at meals and judge if it is Paleo friendly.
The modern era and food go hand in hand. If you live in a developed country, food is everywhere, and we have a nonstop attraction to sugar-laden foods.
You cannot travel back to Paleolithic times thousands of years ago, so we have no idea how people lived.
It is fair to say the world was completely different.
Most people would know that all processed, junk foods are off limits for Paleo. Men and women ate wild plants or captured wild animals to survive.
Many people love the idea of a Paleo nutrition plan to help improve health and well-being.
It gives you a massive selection of meat, fruit, vegetables and more. Notwithstanding that, there are many foods out of bounds.
There are restrictions for foods you can eat on a low carb or keto diet while others are more questionable and should avoid in the Paleo community.
Compact Paleo Foods to Avoid List
Here is a simple small list of what is not allowed on a Paleo diet plan or your shopping list.
- Dairy
- Grain-related seeds (including amaranth quinoa, buckwheat.)
- Legumes (including lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, and soy.)
- Cereal Grains
- Peanuts
- Fruit juice
- Starchy Vegetables
- Processed Oils
- Store-bought condiments
- Store-bought deli meats
- Salty bearing foods
- Sugar
What Makes Glucose Levels Rise and Fall?
Carbohydrates convert to glucose in the body with the aid of insulin, glucose uptake into our body cells and used for energy.
Any excess glucose is stored as fat if cells can no longer use the remaining glucose.
A lack of exercise will also affect glucose levels. Short-chain carbohydrates are available directly to the body as an energy source.
If too many carbs are present at one time, the body cannot use them all.
It is hard to say what too many carbs mean as it varies from person to person.
In general, the busier and more active you are during the day, the more short-chain carbohydrates your body can use wisely.
Another vital factor is insulin resistance.
If glucose blood levels are too high for an extended period, an increased insulin secretion takes place.
Insulin helps cells to take in glucose to be used for energy. The trouble is over time our body can develop resistance to insulin.
If this glucose surplus is permanent, it can lead to severe consequences.
Some symptoms are an increased risk of diabetes, obesity and struggle to lose weight.
Here we look at what food and products are not allowed on a Paleo diet in more detail.
Cereal Products
Cereal products contain very high carbohydrate and sugar content. Pseudo-cereals, like quinoa, do not include gluten, but they contain many anti-nutrients that negatively affect gut health.
Most cereals consist of short-chain carbohydrates. Sugar also has only two chain links.
In addition to the glucose surplus, there are other disadvantages to grain consumption.
The gluten contained in cereal protein triggers incompatibilities in many people and affect gut health.
Avoid gluten found in barley, wheat, and rye as it can cause celiac disease and other digestive problems?
Dairy products
There are disadvantages to eating dairy products with one of the primary consequences of lactose intolerance.
Anyone with lactose intolerance should completely avoid dairy products. Other common symptoms such as diarrhea, flatulence, and stomach cramps, are not the only signs of possible lactose intolerance.
For many sufferers, these extreme side effects do not transpire, and rather, they suffer from fatigue, sleep, and skin diseases.
Symptoms such as those mentioned earlier are more difficult to attribute to dairy products, and lactose intolerance may go unrecognized.
With dairy products and Paleo, the bottom line is to eliminate it. One way of doing this is to exclude foods from your diet for 1 month and including it back slowly one food at a time.
If you notice a particular dairy product that causes your body distress then look to replace it completely.
Try substituting cow’s milk for unsweetened almond milk or grass-fed butter for coconut oil.
Legumes
Although pulses are strictly forbidden according to the Paleo diet, the risks compared with peas and lentils are not as dramatic as those of cereals and simple sugars.
The main problem with legumes is the anti-nutrients lectin and phytic acid.
Amongst other things, lectins can cause digestive problems. Phytic acid binds minerals such as calcium, magnesium or iron making the minerals unusable for the body.
However, you can avoid these problems with proper preparation. If the legumes are soaked in water for a sufficient amount of time (overnight) before being boiled, they are edible without hesitation. That’s why pulses are more in the gray area of Paleo.
Another forbidden products in the Paleo diet is Soy. In addition to anti-nutrients, they contain other substances that can cause gas, indigestion, and problems with the mucous membrane.
Highly Processed Oils
Like the ketogenic diet, the Paleo diet relies on the benefits of a high-fat diet. However, fat consumption is problematic when it comes to processed vegetable fats.
Trans fat is in many foods in the modern age. Foods include margarine, vegetable spreads, baked goods and ready meals. They are everywhere, and you should avoid trans fats at all costs.
Tran saturated fats lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and weight gain. But not only finished products should be careful.
Even when roasting too high temperatures, trans fatty acids can form.
Minimally processed chemically extracted vegetable oils are acceptable. The more processes the food goes through, the worse it is nutritionally.
Also, the ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids must be balanced.
For example, you should avoid oils such as sunflower, peanut or grapeseed oil. Avocado or coconut oil are decent choices.
See our Paleo diet food list for a more detailed guide what to eat.
Paleo and Supplements
Those who eat a Paleo nutrition diet should not need supplements. The idea is a balanced diet with healthy, fresh foods provides the body with all the essential nutrients it needs.
All diets such as low carb or keto should include whole natural food over processed varieties.
People with busy work schedules, families with young children, or those who workout can find it challenging to meet this nutritional needs with freshly prepared or prepared dishes.
With today’s hectic lifestyle people consume ready prepared meals more than ever.
Even the nutrients in the fruits and vegetables contain much fewer nutrients than many years ago.
It makes it extremely hard to get the required nutrients your body craves.
You must avoid any supplements that contain sweeteners or preservatives on a Paleo diet.
If you exercise regularly and top up with protein powder, you want one free of chemicals.
PaleoPro or Paleo Protein powder does an excellent job by eliminating soy, sugar or artificial sweeteners, preservatives, gluten and more.
I would much rather eat seeds, nuts, and fish in its natural state to acquire healthy omega 3.
Over the years our bodies build up inflammation and find it hard to consume enough omega 3s to combats inflammatory omega 6 fats.
Taking a good an omega 3 fish oil or krill oil is helpful to speed the healing.
If you live in a cold region of the world or worried that you do not get enough sunlight, you are welcome to support your dilemma with the appropriate vitamin D3 tablets.
There is only so much fatty salmon fish or eggs you can eat every day to get your vitamin D naturally.
Supplementation, therefore, is necessary to bring your levels up.
Artificial Additives and Drinks
The Paleo Diet relies on natural, unprocessed foods. Those artificial additives, such as sweeteners, food colorings, or dyes do not fit into a Paleo nutrition plan.
Many chemical additives trigger an increased risk of allergies or over the long-term more serious illnesses, even cancer.
Overall it is best for people of all ages to avoid or limit artificial food substances from the earliest age possible.
It is possible that too many processed foods are the reason for not losing weight.
It should be clear by now, but alcoholic drinks and soft drinks are not in a Paleo lifestyle.
What are your favorite meals to eat on a Paleo diet and what foods do you struggle to avoid, if any?
