What is the Paleo diet? It is a nutritious real foods diet that eliminates processed foods as well as grains. The Paleo diet is the original human diet, designed by nature itself, that we are genetically programmed to eat. The Paleolithic diet, also called the caveman diet, Stone Age diet, and hunter-gatherer diet, is a simple and healthy way of eating based upon the wild plants and animals that mankind ate during the Paleolithic era. It is the diet humans have subsisted upon for more than two million years.
Farming and Modern Civilization
Prior to the advent of farming, we were hunter-gatherers who lived on animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, and game, and we foraged for vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Our Stone Age ancestors were nomadic cavemen who roamed the earth. Then 10,000 years ago with the onset of the agricultural revolution, something drastic occurred. Farming was born and the ability to store food gave birth to modern civilization.
The Paleo Diet and Diseases of Affluence
The diet of our hunter-gatherer, pre-agrarian ancestors was free of the toxic processed foods of today. Paleolithic man did not eat modern foods including nutrient deficient, high-calorie grains and processed sweeteners like sugar and corn syrup. Hence, our Paleolithic caveman ancestors did not have junk food. While they surely dealt with other adversities, they did not contract the diseases of modernity.
Once modern foods were introduced into our diet we began to suffer from the “diseases of affluence,” including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and heart disease. Weston A. Price is a fabulous resource when it comes to investigating the diseases of modern man, and the foods we are biologically destined to eat. I bought a copy of his groundbreaking book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, in 2001 and keep it on my desk as I reference it often.
Why Do You Follow a Paleo Diet?
Everyone has their own reasons for going on the Paleo diet. Why did I choose the Paleo Diet? In 1998, I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I followed the gluten-free diet 100%, and saw little improvement. My digestive system remained in distress. So in 2001, I went on a strict grain-free diet. After two months, my digestive system felt dramatically better, and I’ve stayed on it ever since!
Here’s a link to my Paleo Recipes, there are hundreds on this site. Remember, all of my recipes are grain-free, gluten-free, and easy!
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What Foods are Allowed on the Paleo Diet?
The diet of Paleolithic man is as popular as ever. Still, “Is that Paleo?” is a question I encounter daily. I’ve compiled the list of foods below (in alphabetical order) that are do’s and don’ts for the Paleo diet to make things easier for you.
Paleo Do’s
Fats -bacon fat, duck fat, ghee, grass fed butter, tallow
Meat and Poultry –(grass-fed, organic) bison, beef, chicken, duck, eggs, lamb, pork, turkey
Fish –wild caught, not farmed
Nuts –almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts
Oils –avocado oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, macadamia oil, olive oil, walnut oil
Seeds –hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Vegetables and Fruit –local, organic
Paleo Don’ts
Grains –barley, buckwheat, corn*, oats, millet*, rice, rye, teff*, quinoa*, wheat (*grain-like seeds)
Legumes –beans, lentils, peanuts, soy beans
Refined Oils
Refined Sugar
Processed Foods –candy, chips, cereal, soda
For me, the Paleo diet or Primal diet, is easy when I think of it as avoiding grains, as well as modern processed foods, and sticking with the good whole foods listed above.
The Paleo Diet and Your Health
How does the Paleo Diet impact your health? I believe that some of the people who spend years going from doctor to doctor with undiagnosable and “untreatable” health conditions may simply be ill-adapted to eating grains.
I’m not saying that the Paleo diet is for everyone. All I can tell you is what I know from personal experience. The Paleo diet works very well for me. I eat basic foods including animal flesh, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and a lot of good fat. I sleep quite a bit. I allow myself to get plenty of fresh air every day. Some might call it Paleo. Others might call it common sense. Either way, it works for me.
What works for you? Leave a comment and let us know!
Chanda says
Hi Elana,
Thank you for sharing all of your amazing work and insights! What is your view on a good biodynamic wine? Thank you, Chanda
Elana says
Hi Chanda, thanks for your comment! I completely stopped drinking alcohol around the year 2001 as my digestion just couldn’t handle it. I do think that if you’re going to drink, a nice bio-dynamic wine (make sure it’s gluten-free) is a good choice :-)
Pamela Gibson says
I’ve been eating Paleo for about 7 weeks and I’ve notice a tremendous difference in my energy and general awareness level. The only thing I’m struggling with is the lack of any bread! I’ve allowed myself gluten free bread about once a week. Any suggestions? I love your recipes! Especially your energy bars.
Elana says
Hi Pamela, try my 5 ingredient Paleo Cashew Bread:
https://elanaspantry.com/rochels-cashew-bread/
I think you’ll love it!
Elana
Judy says
Hi Elana, Thanks for The good information I’m going to put a reference on my website to it… We must do a new interview in the next couple of months I have moved to my hometown of Ventura, CA… I lost all reference to time because that medium temperature here is 78 so I couldn’t adjust to not being in seasons :-) love all of your books have use them often and look forward to talking soon .
“Judy a la carte”
Elana says
Judy! Omigolly, it’s so wonderful to see you here!!! I’d love to go back on your show. Hope you are enjoying beautiful CA :-)
Cindy says
Hi Elana,
Love you! love your blog and that you share your recipes. I have gone Paleo recently and doing the whole 30 due to acute gastritis and numerous food sensitivities (according to ALCAT and Alletess testing). I’m quite sure I have leaky gut and did the gut bacteria test and am on two different probiotics now. If you were me would you do AIP Paleo even though I have no noticeable reaction to nightshades or nuts? Or do you think just Paleo is good enough. I’m also off any sweeteners for 30 days and no wine :( Thanks!
Elana says
Hi Cindy, thanks for your wonderful comment! Going Paleo can be great for your health, congrats on that decision! I haven’t done AIP Paleo, though I was nightshade and dairy-free for several years which was really good for me. When I went off sweeteners and gave up most fruit I was able to add nightshades and dairy back into my diet. Throughout all of these minor dietary adjustments, I have remained strictly grain-free (and potato-free) since 2001. That’s just my personal experience, of course everybody’s different, and it’s important to listen to your body to figure out what’s best for you :-)
Cindy says
Ah Potatoes! That’s another big question….Whole 30 allows potatoes and some say they are not Paleo and some say they are. What is the negative side of potatoes? Are we talking about sweet potatoes AND white varieties? You’re awesome to be available to people this way to help. Most doctors are so useless in this area.
Thanks so much Elena!
Elana says
Hi Cindy, I think potatoes are considered Paleo. Unfortunately, both white and sweet potatoes make me very sick and I have not touched them since I went grain-free in 2001.
Robyn Baldwin says
I noticed that you do not have Grapeseed Oil on your list and yet it is in some of your recipes. Have you stopped using it and what is the best oil substitute?
Elana says
Hi Robyn, the Paleo diet does not include refined seed oils like grapeseed because they are high in omega-6’s. Since I’ve been completely grain-free since 2001 my omega-6 levels are so low that I have to supplement them, but we’re all different! The recipes I’ve written for the last 5 years do not have grapeseed oil in them so that they are Paleo. Here’s a link to my Paleo recipes, none of which have grapeseed oil in them:
https://elanaspantry.com/diets/paleo/
Enjoy!
Elana
Heather McClees says
I love this and totally agree! It’s not what most people think it is and can be used for a variety of dietary reasons and works great for many people!
Stuart Harris says
You left out dairy products. Isn’t that a don’t?
Elana says
Stuart, yes, definitely a don’t. Dairy is an agrarian product that was not available to Paleolithic man. However, many Paleo bloggers now consider dairy to be a Paleo food and it has become controversial.
Sheila Perl says
Thank you, Elana, for explaining Paleo so clearly!! I am sending this post to my friends!! :)
Louise says
I am curious as to why buckwheat is included on the “no ” list.
Love your blog!
Louise
Texas
Elana says
Hi Louise, thanks for your question! The Paleo diet does not include grains, or “grain-like” seeds.
Jennifer says
Buckwheat is a grass not a seed or a grain. So still unsure why it’s left out?
Elana says
Jennifer, yes agreed, buckwheat is a grass, though so is wheat. The Paleo diet excludes all grain-like seeds and grasses as they were not part of the diet of our Paleolithic ancestors.
Judy says
Elana,
I disagree with the assumption that grass seed (grains) and legumes were not in our paleolithic ancestors diet. They ate whatever they could find that was eatable, whether it was bugs and larvae or scavenging some predator’s kill. I will agree they did not eat grains and legumes every day like we do today. They had to of ate them to know they stored well and will fill your stomach when you are hungry. Otherwise, why would agriculture have come into being?
Elana says
Thanks for sharing your opinion Judy! I think it’s great to have a healthy debate :-)
eleni says
Question? Are lima beans Paleo?
I love your blog and recipes…I share it often!
Elana says
Hi Eleni, thanks for your comment. As indicated above in the Paleo Do’s and Don’t section, beans are not Paleo.