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Foods to Avoid On The Paleo Diet
Grains
As far as research can tell, the paleo hunter-gatherer consumed a diet rich in raw foods including meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and plants, and avoided foods which involved cooking in order to be edible; this included grains. When it was discovered around 100,000 years ago that cooking grains made them edible, they were quickly seen as a fantastic food source; not only could they be stored for longer periods of time (especially good for the winter periods), but they could be easily transported and were also calorie dense.
As time progressed, grains became rather popular, the farming of grains increased and new technologies were developed which increased the speed of production. But if there is one thing that has stayed the same during this period it’s our bodies, and our body’s ability to digest and assimilate this food source that is doesn’t recognise.
It has been a chaotic period for the human body trying to adapt to grains and other foods recently introduced through modern farming and processing technologies, but it hasn’t stopped the fact that more often than not grains are thought of as a healthy nutritious food source by most people, including physicians and nutritionists.
But grains are not the health promoting food so often advertised on TV and in popular health literature. Grains contain anti-nutrients which interact with our bodies function, producing adverse toxic effects inhibiting nutrient absorption and attacking enzymes needed for digestion. Grains also contain lectin and gluten; both linked to inflammatory problems and digestive diseases such as leaky gut.
The Glycemic Index of grains is also much higher to that of un-processed fruits and vegetables. A consistent rise in blood glucose levels leads to many health concerns, including diabetes, weight gain and cardiovascular diseases. Types of grains to avoid on the paleo diet include wheat and all processed foods made with wheat or wheat flour, rye and all processed foods made with rye, barley, rice, oats and corn.
Dairy
The reason dairy is not part of the paleo diet is because people did not eat dairy products before animals were domesticated. In my opinion, fresh dairy products from healthy animals (cow, goat or sheep) can be a beneficial addition to one’s diet. But the problem with the majority of dairy products lining up supermarket shelves comes down to two factors; the over-all health of the animal and the processing factors.
The environment and living conditions that commercial cows are placed under is not one that promotes good health. They are kept in a confined individual cell on cement floors in an over-crowded building, forced to produce milk ten months of the year. The cows are fed a diet consisting of grains, corn and soy and are more often than not pumped full of antibiotics and growth hormones. An un-healthy cow cannot produce healthy milk, and considering the life span of commercial cows is 42 months (compared to 12-15 years of a pasture cow), the milk is defiantly anything but healthy.
Most dairy items we are able to purchase easily at supermarkets are heavily processed. The pasteurisation of milk significantly denatures the milk proteins and kills beneficial enzymes and bacteria. This same process is associated with yogurt; but to make things worse yogurt will also contain high traces of added sugar.
Legumes
Legumes have a similar story to grains; they weren’t consumed by the paleo hunter-gatherer because they needed to be cooked in order to be edible. Legumes also have similar traits to grains in their make-up; they contain phytates which inhibit nutrient absorption and cause inflammation. They also contain lectins and play with healthy hormonal functions.
Types of legumes to avoid on the paleo diet include lentils, all beans (such as kidney beans, pinto beans and broad beans), peanuts (peanuts are a legume not a nut), soy beans and chickpeas.
Sugars
It is fairy easy to see how sweets weren’t part of the hunter-gatherer diet; most candies and desserts are the result of modern technologies and heavy processing combining sugars and chemical flavors together.
For many thousands of years the paleo hunter-gatherer survived without consuming any traces of sugars apart from those found naturally in fruit such as berries. Refined sugars are only a recent introduction to society but its consumption is rapidly increasing every year; in 1900 the average person consumed 10pounds of sugar a year, in 1985 the average person consumed 124pounds a year, by the year 2000 the average yearly consumption of sugar was 160pounds per person.
The list of negative health effects sugar plays on the body is endless, not only is sugar nutrient deficient, but it also acts as an anti-nutrient inhibiting and draining nutrients from the body. Sugar is the leading cause of diabetes, weight gain, tooth decay, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and immune dysfunction.
With the addition of advanced food technologies, calorie-free sugars such as Aspartame, Equal and Splenda were created.
These artificial sugars aren’t the solution to the negative health effects of refined sugars because they play their own role in harming the body. Artificial sugars are made up of table sugar and modified with chemicals such as chlorine and phosgene gas, they act as an excitotoxin in the body which leads to the destruction of cells.
Trans-Fats
The only type of fats healthy for the body is essential fatty acids; essential because the body needs them in order to stay healthy. These fats can be found in meat, nuts, seeds and some vegetables.
The problem again when it comes to un-healthy fats comes down to modern food technologies; when oil is heated above 200 degrees Celsius the shape of the fatty acid molecules change, turning it into a toxic fat called trans-fat.
Some fats can turn rancid and cause free-radical damage in the body if applied to high temperatures, an article I wrote. titled Best Oils to Cook With will give you an idea of some oils to avoid placing under high temperate when cooking.
Our bodies use fat in many ways, but one of the more essential uses of fats in the body is to create cell membranes. Consuming the wrong types of fats (i.e., trans-fats) will cause the membranes to be un-healthy and ultimately mal-function and die.
Types of oils to avoid on the paleo diet include supermarket oils such as canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil.
47 Responses to Foods to Avoid On The Paleo Diet
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Leanne Key said on April 10, 2011:
Can you use grapeseed oil to cook with?
Paleo said on May 21, 2011:
Grapeseed oil should be used minimally in paleo cooking, it is a highly processed oil that ultimately does not hold many nutritional properties that an alternative oil such as olive oil, coconut oil or nut oils will have.
Patricia said on January 15, 2012:
I am sadden to know that chickpeas are a legume ;(
I love hummus. If the chickpeas are organic certified then is that ok?
Grok said on February 19, 2012:
Well, legumes were probably still eaten, just not as a regular part of the diet.
I mean these were still people like you and me, only more tribal and a lack of knowledge concerning farming and preservation methods. So I’m sure they had seasonal foods as well that they enjoyed.
So if legumes are no no, well, that’s just concerning it being a regular ingredient. If you want to eat it like once a month or something, I’m sure it’s not any different than our paleo ancestors who ate whatever the could find to eat. Also, learning the skill to create fire at will might be difficult, but the idea of letting plants soak or be heated in water so that they are soft and chewable was probably rather intuitive once they figured out how to make a dish and that they could make fire whenever they wanted.
Jake said on April 25, 2011:
One major category (so to speak) not mentioned is coffee. Comes from a bean (legume) and thus should be avoided, even though we aren’t ingesting much of the bean and the nutrition value is negligible. Just a thought.
Jibs said on August 2, 2011:
Coffee “beans” are seeds from a berry. It’s not a legume.
Robyn Sproston said on April 28, 2011:
read.
Sheng said on June 1, 2011:
Can I eat honey?
Paleo said on June 6, 2011:
Honey is a natural food source, but keep it to a minimum as sugar should not be over-consumed on the paleo diet.
Alek said on June 15, 2011:
I do not cook with canola oil and use only Ghee and sometimes olive oil. However, it is listed in the ingredients in some of the canned fish that I eat. Is this a problem if I eat it at a minimal amount? Especially since I am not cooking with it and really only eating just the trace amounts left on the fish?
Alek said on June 15, 2011:
also, the coffee bean is NOT a legume
david said on June 22, 2011:
We are jumping right in to the Paleo diet. I have high Cholesterol and just feel blah.
What are your thoughts on raw cheese. Living in Northern California – we have a pretty good supply of quality dairy.
Thanks
Living Paleo said on June 28, 2011:
If you want to include cheese in your diet, you will want to see how you feel when eating it. Many people include dairy into their diets while also following paleo, it comes down to personal preference and ensuring your health is not suffering because of it. It may be a good idea to find out if you have an allergy to dairy, as allergies can be hidden for years then come out suddenly and play a huge impact on your health, due to the years of build up damage.
Jess said on July 4, 2011:
Um…coffee is not a legume. It is a seed. just sayin’.
Maurine Tiedeman said on September 19, 2011:
Wondering if anyone has any info on grapeseed oil that is expeller pressed vs solvent extracted and heat treated.
Would a natural cold press method of extraction minus the solvents extraction process be a good choice within the paleo diet in some cases? I’ve been using it a lot and really like the high heat cooking I do with grapeseed oil. I’m seeing a lot on the paleo diet that says stay away from grapeseed oil for various reasons. Looking for some more info on this oil for cooking and in dressings etc.
Azza harwood said on September 27, 2011:
I been trying the paleo diet for a week now I’m seeing result already just out of interest is a muesli and granola allowed in the diet Mix with fresh fruit and some almond milk?
Paleo said on September 29, 2011:
You will want to avoid grains when going paleo. You can look at a paleo friendly gronola which is healthy – nuts and seeds with natural sweetner. With almond milk it will be 100% paleo friendly.
Megan said on October 18, 2011:
I am going Paleo for fitness and health reasons. I am curious is whey protein ok to have? If not what is the best source for a protein supplement (after workout recovery)?
Devon said on November 7, 2011:
Hey I recently read an article in the Journal of Archaeological Science, therein it is shown that legumes were consumed and even cooked by the middle paleolithic hunter/gatherer. This article was published in 2005. See “Mousterian vegetal food in Kebara Cave, Mt. Carmel” in the jas 32 (2005) 475 484. Based on this evidence, I’m keeping beans and peanuts in my paleo diet. Perhaps you should delete your “legumes” section? Anyway, just use Google scholar, copy, and paste the article title in the search bar.
JenniferJuniper said on November 11, 2011:
Interesting information Devon! Thanks for passing that on!
Sion said on April 5, 2012:
YES! Justification for keeping beans and pulses and peanuts in a ‘paleo’ diet.
Woohoo, munch, munch, munch, pass me the falafel.
JenniferJuniper said on November 8, 2011:
I just wanted to say that while it’s true coffee beans are not true beans (or legumes) and are only labeled as such because of their resemblance to true beans, the distinction is not that they are seeds and therefore not legumes. Legumes too are seeds contained inside legume fruit (typically referred to as a pod). The key difference is that coffee berries are not pods and so-called coffee beans are the endocarp or “pit” of the fruit.
Now, in spite of this coffee has all the same properties that that land legumes on the “No” list. They too (like most fruit seeds) must be cooked to be edible and also contain antinutrients (phytic acid, lectins, and enzyme inhibitors).
They only beverage that is truly Paleolithic is water (free of chlorine or fluoride).
This is all just for informational purposes. Many people who embark on a Paleolithic diet choose to consume coffee moderately. It is a matter of personal preference.
JenniferJuniper said on November 8, 2011:
Also, Alek mentioned cooking with ghee and I’d like to point out that ghee (which is made by clarifying butter) is a dairy product. Some Paleo eaters do choose to include modest amounts of dairy (particularly raw/unpasteurized non-homogenized dairy products), but it’s just something to think about.
JenniferJuniper said on November 8, 2011:
Personally, I deviate from the Paleo diet when it comes to the consumption of fermented foods. I don’t quite understand why these items are excluded. [Note: That would make cheese, by the way, doubly unacceptable as it is both dairy and a product of lacto-fermentation]
I’m pro fermentation because it is one of the oldest methods of food preservation, has several proven health benefits, and is a great way to add more probiotics.
Anyone else have thoughts on this? Any insight as to why fermented foods are being ostracized on this diet?
Paleo said on February 26, 2012:
Agreed, fermented foods have some fantastic health benefits. We need to consider our lifestyle and envorinment is far different from our hunter gatherer ancestors, sometimes we can benefit from not being so strict on paleo guidlines, and accept the benefits of otherwise non-paleo foods to increase our health. Some more information: http://www.livingpaleo.com/probioticsgood-bacteria-part-1
Gene said on November 20, 2011:
I don’t believe we came from cavemen so where does that leave me. It’s referred to as the caveman diet right.
Science said on January 12, 2012:
It has nothing to do with belief. It’s a scientific fact that human progression goes back way way way way before cavemen. Evolution is a well documented process with all missing links filled in, there are numerous fossil records, it’s not really up for debate. The debate is rather; how much have our digestive systems evolved and when did they stop evolving?
Criticalthinker said on February 2, 2012:
And, sorry,I meant to add this before, but Why should our digestive systems have stopped evolving? They are subject to novel stresses today, are they not? If Darwinism is “beyond debate” surely we would be seeing some evidence of adaptation to Cheerios?
Whit said on March 25, 2012:
@CriticalThinker: You have introduced the notion that a single person’s digestive system would evolve to Cheerios within a single lifetime, to prove the validity of evolution over the course of all of humanity. Because evolution occurs over the course of hundreds of generations, and Cheerios were introduced in 1941, your analogy is inherently flawed.
On second thought, I can even endulge your challenge and offer some food for thought (pun intended). The entire purpose of Activia and ‘good bacteria’ yogurt is to adapt a person’s digestive system through diet. Although not part of the Paleo diet, foods like beans, which are digested in a secluded part of the digestive tract, are more readily digestible the more often they are eaten, as the ‘good bacteria’ required to break them down increases. This is why when adding fiber to the diet, it is recommended to do so incrementally – it’s because the ‘good bacteria’ is increasing as a result of a need.
A system as complex as the digestive system does not ‘evolve’ over the course of a single lifespan, with the exception of mutation, but it certainly adapts.
Jenn said on May 3, 2012:
Um, wow. I don’t think so. Evolution is a theory, not fact.
Kimberly Ann said on December 7, 2011:
My husband and I have been living the Paleo Lifestyle since April 2011. It started out as an experiment because of high cholesterol.
I lowered my Cholesterol in 6 weeks, couldn’t do that in 2 years eating oatmeal everyday. We just love it. Both our cholesterol numbers are below the average and a big bonus is we have both lost weight. We feel great and never have any more “cravings”. It really balances out your metabolism. I’ll be honest it took me a good 5 weeks to stop wanting bread but it is so worth it. I love feeling good all the time. Good luck to anyone just starting out, but please really try to stick with it, you’ll be glad you did.
jere said on January 4, 2012:
Kim, question. Husband & I have been on paleo about 6-8 weeks. Feel good, sometimes a bit light headed…on it to lower cholesterol..We have both lost weight..from 112 to 105 and 200 to 183, but don’t need to lose anymore…Does the weight loss stop, or do we need to increase something? Eating grass fed meat; range chicken and pork (local), veggies, fruit, supplements…Ideas appreciated for (a) stop losing and (b) light headed.
Joanie said on February 16, 2012:
I am in middle of change of life hot flashes etc. I lost 20 pounds last year on Weight Watchers and managed to find it. I lost my mother this year and a divorce. So long story short my eating seems to be out of control. I eat somewhat healthy but seem to be wanting to eat too much. I workout faithfully. I could use any encourgaging words. I loved reading your reply.
Dave said on December 9, 2011:
Why no apples… I don’t get that.. Or no citrus either ? Can anyone explain? I miss my hummus already… Sniff…
Johanna said on January 2, 2012:
Do not fret about hummus! While it is usually made with garbanzo beans, just switch out the beans and use zucchini instead. You can easily serve this to non-Paleo eaters, too, and they won’t be able to tell the difference. It’s a great dip to have with veggies and it would be great on some Paleo crackers too.
ZUCCHINI HUMMUS
2 medium zucchini
3/4 cup tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp sea salt
Peel and chop zucchini. This is important — if you don’t peel your zucchini, you’ll end up with greenish humus. Add all ingredients to food processor and process until smooth. YUM!
Laurie said on December 18, 2011:
Great comments!For about 3 weeks I have eliminated most everything from my diet that is not paleo friendly. I already have the energy I had 15years ago. That alone is enough incentive for me. I don’t let the fact that i may not follow it perfectly to the letter of the law stop me from doing the best i can with the info that i have learned so far. If i fell this good now, I am looking forward where this journey will take me!!
Daniel said on January 18, 2012:
That’s great!
I always tell people to not feel bad about a little “cheating” as long as it’s not something you’re doing every day. I think it helps keep some people sane (myself included!) and enables people to eat right a majority of the time. Much better to be 80/20 than 50/50, or worse.
You have to cheat within reason though, as funny as that sounds; no Bloomin’ Onions from Outback
lalala said on January 8, 2012:
“Legumes have a similar story to grains; they weren’t consumed by the paleo hunter-gatherer because they needed to be cooked in order to be edible.”
But peanuts don’t need to be cooked before eating them?
im just trying to figure out why i shouldnt eat peanuts since i love peanut butter and i tried all the different nuts i could find but i disliked eating all of them
anna said on February 8, 2012:
Just for the record,is having coffee not allowed in the Paleo diet? Please advise.
Wendy said on February 12, 2012:
an alternative to the caffeein trap of coffee would be roasted chicory/dandelion coffee. You can buy whole root (I get mine from mountainroseherbs in the states) grind a couple tbsp of each just like a coffee bean in the coffee grinder. I put mine in a perculator type pot and just put the grounds in the middle. I use homemade almond milk (4 cups water to 1 cup “raw” unpasteurized almonds from a raw food family out west who buys diretly from the growers in vitamix or good blender and strain thru nut milk bag-is milky white and same consistency of cows milk without the ‘boxy’ taste or shelf stability of yukky store bought ones) and I sweeten with coconut sugar which contains minerals etc, which I buy in bulk from the same raw food family in BC.
Paleo said on February 26, 2012:
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing.
Kathy said on March 11, 2012:
Hi Wendy, would you be willing to share the web site where you get your products?
Guerrilla Race said on February 21, 2012:
The lectins and phytates argument against legumes is silly when considering the lectins and phytates found in nuts (Brazil nuts and almonds, especially) and other foods allowed by the paleo diet. It’s an even sillier argument when you consider eating beans that have been prepared appropriately, making the lectins and phytates no longer a concern.
If you don’t want to eat beans because of some arbitrary decision to eat only those foods eaten by our paleolithic ancestors, then that’s your choice and I hope that makes you happy, but please don’t spread misinformation about foods you choose to avoid, especially foods that have the health benefits that well prepared beans have.
Paleo said on February 26, 2012:
Legumes may hold some health benefits, but they are not classified as being part of the paleo diet, this is why they are mentioned in this post. Lectins and phytates are much higher in legumes to that of nuts, and should be considered (especially lectins).
karen acopian said on March 4, 2012:
can i take emu oil on paleo diet?
newToThis said on May 12, 2012:
What about green/yellow wax beans/ french beans? These don’t need to be cooked before being eaten and they generally don’t seem to cause the gas response that other beans do. Why are these bad to eat?
newToThis said on May 12, 2012:
Also what about potatoes ? They do need to be cooked before being eaten but it seems they are ok.
Thanks