Paleo Diet

How-to Guide

Paleo Diet

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Table of Contents

INTRO

What is a Paleo Diet?

Fundamentally, a Paleo diet is designed to broadly replicate a dietary pattern of our ancient ancestors living in the Paleolithic period (~2.6 million years ago up to around 12000 years ago). This was a time before the introduction of large-scale agriculture, animal domestication, and the industrialization of the food supply.

Since the beginning of the Agricultural Revolution (and even more dramatically over the past one hundred years), there have been major changes in our lifestyles, especially our diets, since the time before the agricultural revolution. However, there have been relatively few changes in our genes, especially related to nutrition and metabolism. In other words, at this point today, we live in a digital world, but our genome is essentially Paleolithic. And many researchers believe that our health has suffered as a consequence of this mismatch between our environment and our genes.

Okay, this seems like a perfectly plausible argument for eating in a more primal fashion. But how do you get started? This guide will help you figure out what to eat and what to avoid on a Paleo diet, tips to keep cooking and food preparation simple, and ways to personalize the diet to work for your lifestyle and preferences.

PRINCIPLES

Paleo Diet or Paleolithic Nutrition Pattern?

For the sake of brevity, we are calling this the Paleo diet. But the truth is that there is no one Paleo diet. People living in this vast period of prehistory obviously would have eaten different foods in different proportions based on geography, climate, etc. So, it’s helpful to think of this more as a nutrition pattern, rather than a diet.

With that said, here are some key features to keep in mind when you’re shopping and preparing food:

Go “wild” - One major difference between Paleolithic and modern people is our reliance on cultivated plants. Generally speaking, wild fruits and veggies are higher in protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, and nutrients, and lower in sugar, compared to agricultural produce.

Eat fresh - People of the Paleolithic consumed fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables when they were ripe and at their peak in both flavor and nutritional content. This also implies an absence of preservatives and other additives.

Whole Foods - Paleolithic humans would have eaten whole foods that were only minimally processed. Why does this matter? Think of the difference between three whole oranges, with membranes and insoluble fiber intact, versus an equivalent amount (8 ounces) of filtered orange juice. More phytochemicals, more dietary fiber, and better nutrition overall in whole vs. processed foods.

Dietary diversity - Ancient humans consumed literally hundreds of different plant species. We need a diverse diet to meet our essential nutrient needs and to ensure a complement of antioxidant-inducing phytochemicals. Monotonous diets based around processed staple crops like grain and corn, which is the norm today, are probably not ideal.

High fiber - Paleolithic people are generally thought to have taken in 80-150 grams of fiber per day. Fiber fuels beneficial bacteria that occupy the digestive tract, modulate blood sugar levels, enhance satiety, and does many more good things for the body.

Authentic Paleo versus Popular Paleo

People will approach dietary patterns in different ways, depending on their own needs - and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Paleolithic diets are no different in this regard. With that in mind, the Paleolithic nutrition pattern can broadly be divided into two tracks:

Authentic Paleo is a stricter approach, one that is arguably closest to its “true” form. It not only includes the appropriate food substrates (and excludes those that are verboten), but it also takes into account how they are processed and prepared. For example, a Paleo cupcake, made with coconut sugar, almond butter, and almond flour, would not be authentically Paleo because of how the ingredients have been processed and reconstituted(not to mention the questionable nutritional value of such a concoction).

Popular Paleo is further in nature from an authentic Paleo diet. This version should maintain the same food substrates and restrictions, but it may also include processed and refined foods that aren’t truly Paleolithic (like said Paleo cupcake). This item is obviously ultra-processed, but it can help individuals and families stick to their plans for nearly all occasions. Indeed, it may be challenging to serve grilled sardines for your 5-year-olds’ birthday party. Just trust us on this one.

WHAT NOT TO EAT

This dietary approach is defined, in large part, by what it excludes.

For most of our history as a species, humans hunted, fished, and gathered all of their food. However, with the advent of large-scale farming, several categories of novel foods were added to the food supply and ultimately took over the world (now constituting more than 80% of global dietary intake). Furthermore, nearly all of these foods are subject to modern processing methods, which often render them less healthy than before. White bread is perhaps the epitome of this trend.

Consequently, a Paleolithic dietary pattern will generally omit the categories of foods listed below, all of which would have been largely inaccessible for hunter-gatherers in natural environments. Many who shift their diets away from these staples -and more toward fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds - will likely observe improvements in health and performance.

Of course, we are all different in how we respond to foods, so your mileage may vary - experiment with eliminating them and see how you do. For instance, many individuals report that they do well incorporating fermented dairy products in their diet, though it’s not technically Paleo.

Grains

Includes wheat, barley, oats, rice, rye, spelt, millet, and corn (maize).

May also encompass pseudocereals, like amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa. These are technically seeds, but they are prepared in similar ways to grains and exhibit a fairly similar nutritional composition.

Legumes

Includes beans, lentils, peas, soybeans (and soy-derived products), and peanuts.

Dairy

Includes milk, cheese, butter, cottage cheese, and yogurt.

Other industrial / processed foods and additives

Refined sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages

Refined vegetable oils

Trans fats (look for hydrogenated oils on labels)

Artificial sweeteners and diet sodas

Preservatives

Limit added salt as much as possible (and the processed foods that contain it)

WHAT TO EAT

First, a caveat: we cannot perfectly replicate what humans consumed in the Paleolithic, because these foods either do not exist any longer or have been dramatically altered by human cultivation (check out these blogs to see what watermelon and corn, as well as peaches, used to look like prior to human intervention!).

That having been said, a Paleolithic nutrition pattern should be based around modern foods that could (at least in theory) have been hunted and gathered at a time prior to large-scale agriculture. This includes meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Below is a more detailed breakdown of what you’ll be eating.

Plants

More than half of your plate will be occupied by edible plants (as well as fungi and algae). Plants are essential in the diet for vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fiber. Both fresh and frozen are good choices.

Veggies: Dark leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, summer squash, and more. Eat as many of these as you like. Consider having a big vegetable salad with dinner every night to ensure you get plenty in your diet.

Fruits: All edible berries, cherries, olives, avocados, tomatoes, grapes, apples, melons, peaches, plums, kiwis, bananas, and more.

Tubers and root veggies: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beets, parsnips, carrots, etc.

Herbs and spices: Cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, cumin, mint, cayenne, etc. They are very rich in vitamins and phytochemicals, especially relative to their size. Add a handful of parsley, mint, cilantro, or whatever herbs you like into a soup or salad for an added phytochemical-rich punch.

Seaweed: Technically these are not plants, but can be situated here. They are excellent sources of minerals, particularly iodine. They were likely consumed regularly by our ancestors, as many hunter-gatherers lived by rivers and seashores where they could be harvested.

Mushrooms: Again, not plants but fungi certainly fit the category from a culinary perspective. A few types include: Oyster, shiitake, straw, golden needle, white jelly, wine cap, velvet popping, lion's mane, monkey head, and the list goes on. Try to incorporate a diversity of mushrooms into your diet.

Going Wild

Make no mistake - we are fortunate to live in a time when most of us never need to fear starvation, and we owe much of that security to industrialized agriculture. But one insidious consequence of the modern food supply is that the fruits and vegetables we eat have gradually become less nutrient-dense.

When you look at cultivated produce at the grocery, it is pretty obvious that have been bred to be sweet, bulky, and easy to transport. Wild plants, in contrast, are subject to greater environmental stressors (and no pesticides to shield them) and thus must self-generate a barrage of nutrients and phytochemicals to defend themselves.

Consequently, compared to produce at the grocery store, wild fruits and veggies tend to be higher in fiber, essential fatty acids, and phytochemicals, and somewhat lower in sugar. Consequently, our Paleolithic ancestors didn’t just eat more plants the plants that they ate were also probably more nutritious.

But maybe you’re not the outdoorsy type. How, then, can you take advantage of wild fruits and vegetables - without foraging in the woods?

Look for cultivated plants that are relatively similar to wild counterparts. Examples include scallions, arugula, and mixed spring greens (like dandelion, mizuna, radicchio, etc). Check out this book to learn more.
You may also be able to find wild berries in the freezer section of your grocery (almost all wild blueberries that are harvested are flash-frozen). They are generally very affordable and easy to add to smoothies, or just defrosted and eaten as they are. Try putting them in a container with a built-in strainer - like this - while defrosting to separate out the water.
Try visiting a farmer’s market, or even an international grocery. They will often carry unique products that either are wild or has more wild characteristics, like wild onions, garlic scapes, stinging nettles, purslane, lamb’s quarters, mulberries, etc. You can also find interesting varieties of mushrooms there.
If you can’t find wild stuff at stores, grow it yourself! Consider cultivating a garden if you have the space (or use something like this to grow plants indoors, year-round). Alternatively, you can look for a community garden near you if you’re short of space.

Animals

Most of your protein intake will likely come from animal sources in the diet. Protein from animal sources will make up 15-30% of your daily energy intake. This is based upon estimates of Paleolithic macronutrient ratios, as well as some of the inherent advantages of protein for satiety, and for building and maintaining strong muscles and bones.

The exact right amount and proportion for you will vary depending on body mass, physical activity patterns, age (older people need more), and personal preference.

Seafood: Clams, oysters, mollusks, crabs, and pretty much any fish. Ideally select cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, etc. Limit fish higher on the food chain that bioaccumulates toxins and heavy metals, like tuna and swordfish.

Meats: Beef, pork, lamb, bison, venison, chicken, turkey, duck. This includes the organ and muscle meat as well as bone broths from the animal carcasses. Choose leaner meats whenever possible, and ideally seek wild, grass-fed, or pasture-raised. Grass-fed meat is both leaner than meat grain-fed animals and can have a more favorable fatty acid ratio.

Eggs: Look for eggs that are enriched in omega-3 fatty acids (typically from chickens fed flax seeds).

Bugs: That’s right, insects. Cricket flours, and products infused with cricket flours, are readily accessible on Amazon now. Or if you are feeling adventurous, you can just harvest and eat them yourself! Here is a helpful reference if you’re interested in giving it a shot.

Fats

Total fat intake in a Paleo diet has been broadly estimated at around 20-25% of the diet, with less than 10% coming from saturated fats. Additionally, certain saturated fatty acids are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease, so it makes sense to rein them in.

Limit added fats in the diet where possible, and try to consume sources of lipids in their “natural” unprocessed form (like whole coconut rather than coconut oil or butter, almonds rather than almond butter, and so on). This will limit any undesirable effects of processing on nutrient content, and curb overeating.

Animal fats - Naturally occurring fats from meats, fish, and eggs. Generally shoot for leaner cuts from land animals (wild if you can get it) and avoid marbled/higher fat fare.

Olives and olive oil - Excellent source of monounsaturated fats and polyphenols. Olive oil is perfect as a salad dressing.

Nuts and seeds - Includes all tree nuts (walnuts, Macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews, Brazil nuts, etc) and seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, hemp, chia, flax, etc), but not peanuts or soy, both of which are legumes. Generally, you want to try to favor whole nuts and seeds over nut butter.

Avocados and avocado oil - The fruit is a great source of monounsaturated fats and fiber, and the oil is very heat stable. Excellent for cooking!

Cacao butter - Cacao butter is unique among fat sources in that it is high in saturated fat but primarily in stearic acid, a fatty acid that does not share the problems associated with other saturated fatty acids, like palmitic acid which is high in beef fat.

Coconut (unsweetened dried coconut, coconut butter, milk, and oil) - Try to stick to the whole form of coconut (fiber intact) as much as possible, and be judicious with processed coconut products.

Omega-3 to Omega-6 Ratios

Diets in industrialized societies differ not simply in the amount of fat in the diet, but the type and relative amounts of fat. Most Westerners consume more saturated fat, more omega-6 fatty acids, and less omega-3 fatty acids. Indeed, the Western diet has been characterized as “deficient” in omega-3 fatty acids, with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 of 10-20/1. In contrast, we see a roughly equal ratio of 1-4/1 in preindustrial humans. Why does this matter? Too much omega-6 - combined with not enough omega-3 - has been linked to an increased risk of depression, chronic inflammation, etc. Omega-3s are particularly crucial for optimal mental performance.

Keep in mind, both omega-6 and omega-3 are essential! We don’t want to wholly avoid omega-6 fatty acids - but we do want to get more omega-3s in the diet, both relatively and absolutely. So how can you shift your ratio in a more Paleolithic direction? Here are a few tips:

Limit processed seed/vegetable oils that are very high in omega-6 (and foods that contain them). Major offenders include corn oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, and to a lesser extent soybean oil. Use olive oil or avocado oil instead where you would typically use these oils.

Consume more plants that are naturally higher in omega-3 fatty acids. This includes flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, purslane, Brussels sprouts, and hemp seeds. Most green leafy veggies - especially wild types - contain some omega-3s as well.

Choose animal foods that are higher in omega-3. Examples include cold-water fatty fish (like mackerel, salmon, and herring), oysters, sardines, anchovies, caviar, and (to a much lesser extent) meat from grass-fed ruminants and pastured eggs.

Supplement with preformed long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). This is most commonly sourced from the lipid components of marine animals, but you can also find EPA/DHA supplements made from algae. We recommend, in total, at least 500 mg of combined EPA and DHA.

Sweeteners

I know, sweeteners probably don’t seem particularly Paleolithic, and you’d largely be right in thinking that. However, when used intelligently, they can boost the flavor of nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods and help you eat more of them. Furthermore, some of these sweeteners may bring some modest health-promoting properties to the table. Note that any sweetener that contains a form of sugar is relatively high in added calories (honey is the most energy-dense food in nature), so you probably don’t want to go crazy with them.

Honey: Believe it or not, in some modern-day hunter-gatherer communities, honey constitutes as much as 15% of calorie intake! You likely won’t want to rely quite that heavily on it. Fortunately, it is twice as sweet as sugar, so a little goes a pretty long way.

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup contains a complex mixture of phytochemicals, which are thought to influence how it’s absorbed and metabolized in the body. It is also very high in sucrose (table sugar) so use it wisely!

Blackstrap Molasses: This is the dark, viscous byproduct of sugar extraction from raw sugar cane. It is relatively rich in micronutrients and has a lower glycemic load than most sweeteners. The taste is pretty strong.

Date Syrup: It’s exactly what it sounds like - just dates simmered in water, then pressed and strained. Date syrup is surprisingly rich in antioxidants and minerals. One tablespoon of date syrup may contain double the potassium, magnesium, and calcium of either maple syrup or honey.

Stevia: Stevia is a sweetener from a South American plant (Stevia rebaudiana). Compounds derived from the leaves have up to 150 times the sweetness of sugar, though the taste is a little different.

Monk Fruit: Monk fruit, (often referred to as luo han guo) is a South Asian plant, whose refined extract is ~300 times sweeter than sugar. Because of the intense sweetness of the mogrosides, it is usually mixed with other components, like the sugar alcohol erythritol or fiber inulin. Mogrosides seem have antioxidant properties, but little is known about them.

Sweeter Spices: Certain spices can be used to add a warm, sweeter flavor to foods. Good examples include cinnamon, anise, licorice, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and others. As an added bonus, these are all very rich sources of phytochemicals and antioxidants.

Treat Yourself

Dark Chocolate: The darker, the better - look for chocolates that are 75% or higher in cocoa solids. Dark chocolate has less sugar and more health-promoting catechins than milk chocolate.

Trail Mix: Excellent as a treat, or when you’re on the go and need a quick snack. Look for simple ingredients - dried fruits, nuts, and seeds - and skip the ones with candy or cereal added. Also, avoid ones with added sugars and refined oils.

Fruits: Naturally sweet fruit can make a perfect healthy dessert. Apples with almond butter, or mangoes with non-dairy yogurt, the list goes on.

Beverages

Water, of course, is the quintessential Paleo diet beverage. However, these other liquids are generally considered acceptable on a Paleolithic nutrition pattern.

Try to drink around 2 liters of fluid daily, more if you are physically active or exposed to heat.

Teas (black, green, white, and various herbal infusions)
Coffee
Coconut water
Water-based kefir
Kombucha tea
Vegetable and bone broths

Alcohol

What about alcohol? Well, alcohol is probably not strictly Paleo, based on archeological evidence. But for those of us who are going to drink alcohol anyway:

Dry Farm Wines: natural, lower-alcohol, low-sugar wines are an ideal choice.

Hard cider: made from the fermentation of apples, typically, so they are naturally gluten-free. Look for dry ciders that are lower in sugar.

Higher-alcohol kombucha: These are relatively new products. We’ve seen alcohol levels around 7%. These drinks contain probiotics and are gluten-free.

Distilled liquors: a fine choice for those looking to imbibe, just skip the sugary mixers.

COOKING METHODS

This is pretty self-explanatory. In general, you will want to stick to “gentle” cooking methods to retain nutrients and to avoid generating toxic compounds that sometimes develop in response to high heat. Make sure to incorporate a mixture of both raw and cooked vegetables in your diet (there are different health benefits associated with each).

Stewing
Steaming
Stir-frying / sautéing
Braising
Roasting
Slow cooking/pressure cooking

What Do We Mean by Processing?

“Processed” is a pretty broad term. Indeed, merely cooking food is a form of processing, and anthropologists now argue that cooking, in effect, drove the evolution of anatomically modern humans. This is why nutrition researchers have moved toward classifying foods based not simply on whether or not they are processed, but for what purpose they are processed.

On one end of the spectrum, minimally processed foods are single basic foods that have been subjected to physical changes, like chopping, freezing, fermenting, heating, etc. Minimal processing is performed with the goal of making whole foods easier and safer to consume.

On the other hand, we have ultra-processed foods. Better known as junk food. These are products designed to be durable, convenient, attractive, and hyper-palatable. Such modifications typically result in a product that is less nutritious (and usually more fattening) than in its original form.

To illustrate how and why this is the case, consider some of the fundamental elements of a snack cake. Refined flour. Sugar. Butter (or some other refined fat). None of these is particularly nutritious. And you probably wouldn’t eat any of them by themselves. But when they are combined, they form an energy-dense, highly palatable, and wholly unnatural product, that is designed to be irresistible.

Humans have been engaged in minimal processing for the past two million years, at least since the advent of stone tools. But ultra-processing is quite novel and decidedly not Paleolithic. When you are shopping and preparing for your Paleo diet, contemplate what type of processing is being done to the food that you consume, and at what potential cost from a nutritional standpoint. Are you moving your diet toward more fresh, whole foods, rich in nutrients, like they are found in nature? Or are you continuing to consume highly processed, energy-dense food products - just with slightly different ingredients?

Baking

We’ve already established that grains are not used on a Paleo diet. And frankly, baking itself is kind of a violation of the spirit of the Paleolithic dietary pattern, right? Paleolithic hunter-gatherers didn’t eat anything resembling a cupcake, regardless of the constituents.

However, we all live in the modern world, and many of us, especially those on the Popular Paleo end of the spectrum, will likely want or need to create some kind of baked good or dessert. For most kinds of Paleo baking, you’ll need the following:

“Paleo” flours: there is a wide array of alternative flours out there now, generally made from ground nuts or milled starches. These include cassava, sweet potato, almond, coconut, cauliflower, and even banana.

Sweetener: Refer to the list above.

Nut butter: Peanut butter is not Paleo (peanuts aren’t nuts!), but there are plenty of options to choose from: walnut, almond, pistachio, cashew, coconut, and sunflower (but a very high fraction of omega 6 so use sparingly).

You may also want to have some cocoa powder or dark chocolate (at least 70% - higher is better). Coconut flakes can be a nice addition for texture.