Starting just any kind of healthy diet can be difficult, especially if you don’t know what you can and cannot do.
Such is the case even for the Paleo Diet. Even in its simplest form, there are still a lot to thing about when it comes to what to include in your Paleo diet recipes.
Here are the rules when following a Paleo Diet.
- Eat lots of lean meats, fish, poultry and shellfish
- Eat lots of lean meats, fish, poultry and shellfish
- Enjoy eating vegetables except legumes
- Eat fruits moderately
- Avoid starchy tubers
- Avoid wheat and grain based food
- Avoid processed meats
- Avoid artificial sugars
- When cooking, it’s better to avoid frying your food
- If you have to fry your food, use coconut or avocado oil
Paleo diet rules: Eat these a lot
1. Lean meats - Lean meats provide a ton of protein for your body. Paleo diet enthusiasts support eating a lot of lean meats up until you’re stomach is full. The accepted percentage of lean meats in your daily diet should be around 40-50%. It is even acceptable to have meals that consist of 100% lean meat.
This ranges all the way from pork, poultry, beef, goat and lamb meats. The preferred choice is always grass-fed animal lean meats compared to grain-fed animal lean meats. The reason behind this is because grain-fed livestock usually produce more fat.
Lean meats are also a good source of protein. Protein is essential for overweight or obese individuals who accompany the Paleo diet with weight training and exercise. Protein from lean meats act as the building blocks of life and aid in growth and repair for muscles.
2. Fresh produce - Fresh produce means green leafy vegetables that are good ways to balance the amount of protein that you will most likely be getting from following the Paleo diet. These are also perfect sources of vitamins and minerals to aid your body when you’re working out.
The fresh produce included would be green leafy vegetables including bok choi, cabbage, lettuce, kale, cauliflower, turnip greens and more. Fresh produce not included are those that are starchy which include tubers like potatoes, sweet potatoes and cassava. Fresh produce is also easily accessible and inexpensive making them great snacks in case you’re looking for a quick bite.
3. Seafood - Seafood is also another good source for protein and also contains lots of Omega-3, which we know is good for the heart. Seafood ingredients include all kinds of fish, crabs, lobsters, scallops, oysters and more.
Paleo diet rules: Eat these not too often
1. Dairy products - The entire Paleo diet community has always been struggling with accepting or rejecting dairy products. Milk contains casein, a type of protein that is difficult for the human body to break down and digest. Poorly digested casein often leads to fat accumulation.
Several personalities still do support dairy as a healthy option, but it should be done in moderation. Dairy products include milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and more.
2. Fruits - Fruits are generally allowed in your diet since it is a great source of vitamins and minerals. The problem with fruits are that some of them contain high sugar levels, and although this is natural, it is advisable to limit your consumption of all fruits in general.
Paleo diet rules: Do NOT include these in your food
1. Vegetable oils – When cooking food, vegetable oils or grain seed oils should not be used. These include but are not limited to sunflower seed oil, grapeseed oil, canola, soy, etc…
When frying food, it is recommended that you use coconut or avocado oil.
2. All kinds of grain-based food – These include rice, wheat, grains, oats and barley, as well as crackers, bread, pasta and cakes. Flour and starch should be avoided.
3. Starch-based food - These include potatoes, sweet potatoes and other products related to them like mashed potatoes, hash brownies, french fries and more.
4. Artificial sugars – A big NO for all softdrinks, artificial fruit juices or anything that is processed for their high sugar content.
Phew, so we made it through the rules. What we have here aren’t the full-on detailed list, but this is generally complete with the most important rules you need to know about the Paleo diet. Don’t forget to share this with your friends and family by using the social bookmarking icons below.
