To understand the Paleo diet, you’ve got to have a decent grasp of history. It gets its name from the Paleolithic era, and paleo participants eat only foods that were readily available and consumed back then: Fruits, vegetables, nuts, and meat were all go-tos. But before you go all caveman, make sure you actually know what you’re doing. You might be shocked to learn that these foods aren’t paleo.
White Potatoes
It depends who you ask, but most paleo eaters will give ‘taters a hard pass. They’re high in starch (and as such, high on the glycemic index), unlike the veggies eaten during the Paleolithic era. Plus, they weren’t something you could easily find back then. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, are more accepted as paleo since they are low on the glycemic index and lower in carbs.
Alexa Payesko
Sausage
Sure, it’s meat, but not grass-fed or free-range. Most processed meats and lunch meats contain sodium nitrates (salt is a no-no) and other preservatives.
Quinoa
Quinoa — along with barley, farro, and oats — is an ancient grain, but it’s just not ancient enough. They became popular in the Neolithic era, which followed the Paleolithic one. In general, they’re considered tough to digest, which goes against everything the paleo diet stands for.
Chelsea Lupkin
Peanuts
These suckers are legumes, not nuts, even if the word ends with -nut. Legumes weren’t popular millions of years ago, and they tend to be high in lectin, an antinutrient that plants use to ward off predators. Those two things kick them off the okay-to-eat list.
Dairy
Since following a paleo diet isn’t the same as becoming a vegetarian or vegan (so. much. meat), many people assume dairy is fair game. But Paleolithic people had little access to dairy, and it’s often inflammatory.
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Popcorn
Nothing seems more primal than a corn kernel, but when it’s harvested dry, it’s considered a grain. Those are off-limits on the diet.
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Sarah Weinberg is the deputy editor at Delish and has covered food, travel, home, and lifestyle for a number of publications, including Food Network Magazine and Country Living. She’s originally from the Bay Area, has an unhealthy affinity for the Real Housewives of Anywhere, and harbors strong feelings about fruit salad.
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Publish date : 2017-09-26 07:00:00
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