So you’re convinced you want to try Paleo but are terribly confused about the foods allowed and disallowed on it? You have come to the right place. There are some known benefits of Paleo, such as preventing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, but just remember: any form of restrictive dieting must be green signaled by a doctor first, and you should always listen to what your body is trying to tell you, if it gets too stressful, something needs correction.
Let’s see what you can eat on a Paleo diet first.
Central to the Paleo diet are meats—be it beef, pork, chicken, turkey, or lamb. Opt for grass-fed, pasture-raised, or wild-caught varieties to align with our ancestors’ ways.
Next up are fish and seafood, with a preference for wild-caught options. Eggs, too, find their place in the Paleo plan as reliable protein sources.
In the realm of fruits and vegetables, the Paleo diet focuses on non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, carrots, and a splash of color with fruits like apples, bananas, berries, and oranges.
For a crunch, you can reach for nuts and seeds—think almonds, walnuts, cashews, and chia seeds. To ensure your meals aren’t devoid of flavors, herbs and spices like garlic, ginger, basil, and turmeric are not just allowed, but encouraged.
And let’s not forget about fats. Healthy oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and ghee are in, ensuring your Paleo meals are as hearty as they are healthy.
But there are certain foods you’ll need to bid adieu to.
Grains—be it wheat, rice, or oats—are off the table, as are legumes like beans, lentils, and peanuts. Dairy products are typically omitted due to their late introduction into the human diet and potential for digestive troubles.
Additionally, it’s time to say goodbye to the conveniences of modern-day processed foods and the empty calories of refined sugar. High in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, these items contrast starkly with the Paleo diet’s philosophy.
Here’s a neat table you can refer to:
| Have | Skip |
| Meats (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, preferably grass-fed, pasture-raised, or wild-caught) | Grains (wheat, rice, oats) |
| Fish and seafood (preferably wild-caught) | Legumes (beans, lentils, peanuts) |
| Eggs | Dairy products |
| Non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, carrots) | Processed foods |
| Fruits (apples, bananas, berries, oranges) | Refined sugar |
| Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, cashews, chia seeds) | Sodas and sweetened beverages |
| Healthy oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee) | Most vegetable oils |
| Herbs and spices (garlic, ginger, basil, turmeric) | Processed meats |
Ultimately, the Paleo diet is a journey back in time, simplifying our meals while enriching our health, and it really boils down to mindful and responsible choices. If it gets hard, you can always bounce back to the good old, non-controversial “balanced diet.”