10 Popular Paleo Diet Foods
The paleo diet is a form of diet that’s been designed to reflect what our ancestors ate in the wild many thousands of years ago. For those who are interested in following the paleo diet, many restrictions and changes will have to be made when considering what the average American eats. The paleo diet is basically just a form of low-carb dieting that provides the body with more protein, more fiber, and less heavy carbohydrates. There is an emphasis on unprocessed, whole foods (since our ancestors didn’t have access to these sorts of food) and an insistence that people use healthy fats for cooking and using as oil.
The paleo diet tends to focus more on what foods to avoid than what foods to consume. Paleo dieters aren’t supposed to consume things like potatoes, sugars, dairy, legumes, and cereal grains. This puts a serious restriction on most people’s dietary habits and will have to be taken into consideration before deciding whether to switch to a paleo diet. While there’s no doubt that the paleo diet forbids people from eating things that are actually very healthy for them, some people are still interested in trying the diet to see how it could benefit them. As long as a person is following a healthy regime of exercise and good sleep, it’s possible that eating the paleo diet can be a part of a healthy lifestyle.
One thing that the paleo diet tends to lead to is significant weight loss, so this benefit can be a valid reason for choosing this diet—although any low-carb diet can be useful for losing weight without putting complete restrictions on healthy cereal grains and legumes. Regardless, those who are interested in the paleo diet will undoubtedly want to know what foods are permitted. This list shows you the 10 most popular paleo diet foods.
Food #1: Beef
The basis of the paleo diet is that people following the diet should only eat what our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. One of the things that our ancestors are most well-known for is hunting wild game.
If you’re going to be following the paleo diet, then you’ll want to make sure that you eat lots of grass-fed meats like beef. Healthy, free-range grass-fed beef most closely mimics that which our ancestors would have eaten—in addition to being healthier for us in general.
Food #2: Eggs
Another food that is highly recommended by the paleo diet is eggs. Eggs were once considered to be unhealthy due to the large amount of cholesterol found within them, but recent research has revealed this to be “healthy” cholesterol that doesn’t actually influence the levels of cholesterol in our bloodstream.
In addition to this, eggs are known to provide a significant source of protein, vital nutrients, and choline, a nutrient that’s important for the maintenance of our brain function.
Food #3: Salmon
Another thing that our paleo ancestors were known to eat a lot of was salmon. Salmon is a rich source of many different nutrients and healthy fats and can also provide healthy proteins.
The best way to eat salmon is to find wild-caught salmon. This salmon grows up in a healthier environment than farmed salmon and will thus provide the body with more nutrients. Fresh salmon is always better than that which is found in a can.
Food #4: Shrimp and Prawns
Shrimp and prawns are another seafood that our ancestors were known to eat a lot of. Shrimp and prawns are relatively low in calories but are capable of providing the body with a lot of protein and a good dose of essential vitamins and minerals.
Shrimp are a great source of vitamin B12, which is an important nutrient for pescatarians, who choose not to eat meat. Shrimp also provide the body with a lot of selenium and a good amount of iron.
Food #5: Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the best vegetables to eat if you’re on a paleo diet. They’re easy to obtain and they can be used in a huge number of different foods.
You can chop tomatoes up in salads or slice them up and eat them on their own with a little bit of salt and pepper. Tomatoes provide the body with lots of healthy nutrients.
Food #6: Avocados
Commonly believed to be a vegetable, avocados are in fact a fruit—and one of the healthiest fruits that you can find. Avocados are the richest fruit source of essential fatty acids, and they also provide the body with fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamin E and K.
Avocados are useful for helping to improve the health of the heart and the skin, as well as for maintaining optimum cognitive health.
Food #7: Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are another natural source of omega-3 fatty acids alongside fish and other meat sources. They are also rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K, and can provide many of the same health benefits of an avocado.
There are many nuts and seeds to choose from, and all are applicable to people on a paleo diet. Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are great choices.
Food #8: Healthy Oils
Our paleo ancestors may not have known how to extract the vital oils from vegetables, but that doesn’t mean that people following the diet plan can’t use extracted forms of these oils. Many healthy vegetable oils are used in cooking these days, including coconut oil, avocado oil, and extra virgin olive oil.
All of these oils provide hefty amounts of essential fatty acids and can be vital components of a healthy diet. If you’re using an oil for cooking, it’s a good idea to use something with a higher smoke point, like canola oil.
Food #9: Chicken
White meat, such as chicken, is another component of the paleo diet. White meat has been shown to pose much less of a health risk to human beings than red meat.
Chicken is a fantastic source of protein and comes at a relatively low-calorie cost, especially if you don’t eat the skin. If you do eat the skin, you’ll be providing yourself with a lot of healthy fats at the cost of a few more calories.
Food #10: Fruit
Fruit was one of the most common foods that our ancestors ate. Fruit comes in many forms, and all of it is nutritious. Fruit doesn’t usually require any preparation but can be included in a wide variety of meals and desserts.
Apples, oranges, pears, and strawberries are good examples of fruits that our ancestors may have eaten.
