Recently my boyfriend has been straying from his normal Paleo ways because he feels that grain-laden cookies are more important than his overall health and longevity. In the meantime, I’m faced with a gluten-free cookie and candy explosion every time I open our cupboard. The smell of them in their consumer-enticing packaging is sometimes more than I can bear when I’m reaching past them to get to my (sigh) bag of nuts and seeds. “Wait, why am I not eating grains again?” The question pops into my head and I suddenly can relate to all of my family and friends who think I’m crazy for eating Paleo. What’s wrong with grains again? Well, this post is dedicated to everyone out there who has the same formidable temptations in their cupboards, and to me, because I need the reminder.
I wonder sometimes if the aroma of boiling rice, the doughy texture of a doughnut and the satisfying squish of a black bean are so tantalizing because I grew up smelling, eating and enjoying them, or because of some genetic predisposition. It’s confusing to me that grains and legumes (all beans – black, pinto, soy, peanuts, etc.) would be so pleasing to us, since they’re basically poisonous, having heavily contributed to the current, overwhelming predominance of heart disease, digestive disorders and obesity rates in this country. There are a lot of reasons for this – grains and legumes contain a sordid collection of “anti-nutrients”. Some of them strip away your minerals and some cause intestinal damage and immune problems. We’ll start with the little anti-nutrient proteins called lectins, and in future posts I’ll move on from there.
What Are Lectins?
Lectins are proteins found in animals (including you) and plants – they’re everywhere, especially in grains, legumes (especially soy), nuts and seeds. They have many protective functions in the human body – everything from recognizing pathogens to controlling protein levels in the blood. Their function in plants is thought to be protective, too, to the plant, that is.
Lectins are found in the seeds of plants and they’re thought to have something to do with the survival of the seed. The way they’re believed to protect the seed is that they can cause considerable intestinal distress (diarrhea, nausea, bloating, vomiting, even death) to those who eat the seeds, in hopes of deterring the predator from coming back for more.
Immune Response
Wheat contains a lectin called wheat germ agglutinin, or WGA. Lectins are sticky little buggers and the WGA goes into your small intestine and gloms onto the brush border. It then tricks your body into taking it across the border of your intestine intact, where it is seen as a foreign invader by your immune system. Antibodies are created in response to the lectins, and unfortunately, lectins often look a lot like other parts of your body. They may look like cells in your brain, pancreas, etc., so the same antibodies that were created to attack the lectin will actually go launch attacks on your own body. This is where autoimmune issues arise, like diabetes type 1, celiac disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
Leaky Gut
To make things worse, on their way into your body, lectins damage the walls of your intestines, helping to create “leaky gut”, so that other large particles can cross the intestinal barrier, enter your blood stream and begin other immune cascades. This is basically how food sensitivities start. Something goes in (like the WGA) and makes some holes in your gut that lets big particles of food into your blood stream. Then your immune system gets VERY overwhelmed and confused and starts attacking things at random – gluten, blueberries, asparagus, olive oil, etc. Symptoms can range from migraine headaches to eczema to weight gain and depression.
Can’t you cook the lectins out of the foods?
Cooking, sprouting or soaking your grains, legumes, nuts and seeds all helps to decrease the number of lectins they contain, but none of those processes completely eliminates the lectins, except for pressure cooking. Lectins are really heat stable. They’re also resistant to enzymatic activity, which is partly why they’re so difficult for us (and your dog, etc.) to digest.
Should you not eat nuts and seeds?
You may be wondering (as I did) why we’re told to eat seeds and nuts on the Paleo diet when they, too, house these vicious little molecules. The truth is that it’s always better to soak or sprout your nuts and seeds, and that you should really eat them in moderation. Think about it: our ancestors probably didn’t have access to a whole bunch of nuts and seeds every day, much less almond butter and other goodies that take a whole lot of nuts and seeds to produce. I think the reason that nuts and seeds are allowed on the diet but not grains and legumes is that grains and legumes contain a whole host of other “anti-nutrients” beyond just lectins.
To be continued…
References:
http://thepaleodiet.blogspot.com/2010/05/paleo-diet-q-sprouted-legumes.html
The Paleo Solution, Robb Wolf, 2010
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lectin
http://www.krispin.com/lectin.html
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/10/4857
57 Comments
bd1star
Great article and I can’t wait for the continuation.
I do have a question. In response to “Can’t you cook the lectins out of the foods?”, you mentioned that you could cook the lectins out if you pressure cooked them. Does this mean that if I pressure cooked black beans (as you would when making black bean soup) it would be okay to eat or are there other “anti-nutrients” in the beans that you have not mentioned that would still render the beans unsatisfactory?
Don
Neely
Really good question, and I’ll definitely answer it in coming posts. Yes, there are other anti-nutrients in legumes and grains like phytic acid and others. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!
Nils Gustaf Lindgren
… so the same antibodies that were created to attack the lectin will actually go launch attacks on your own body. This is where autoimmune issues arise, like diabetes type 1, celiac disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
- Could you please refer to any scientific litterature that links lectins to diabetes tp 1, lupus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis?
Neely
Hello Nils,
Here’s one on rheumatoid arthritis by Cordain that describes the mechanism of action of lectins on immunity (and autoimmunity in particular). Because all of the diseases mentioned are autoimmune, they’re thought to be influenced by lectins in the same way as RA.
Here’s a good article with a lot of resources.
And another article with resources at the bottom.
Mark D.
What’s interesting is the anti-nutrient views on Phytic Acid. While true, that it is able to bond with key nutrients, usually large amounts of it are needed. Only Soy and Almonds have such a large amount that a small serving is worrisom at times. Soy I avoid anyway, Almonds, I try to eat apart from meals or taking vitamins. The downside in reducing total Phytic Acid consumption is that it’s considered one of the most powerful anti-cancer nutrients we can eat, even more than most anti-oxidants. In health circles, it’s often referred to as Inositol and/or IP-6.
Anna
Boy, this is all so enlightening and confusing at the same time because of the paradoxes involved, such as with almonds as Mark mentioned.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a federal government nutrition program which provides Whole Grain, Milk (Soy optional), Cheese, Beans, Peanut Butter and Eggs. With a program like this, why does the FDA/Department of Agriculture promote auto-immune disorders? I’m certain they aren’t ignorant on the studies. The only thing on the above list that is acceptable is the egg, and this is the diet that is being furnished to pregnant and lactating women, babies and toddlers. Why???
Frieke Karlovits
Well – people who ave a gluten i tolerance that is something special and needs special attention, however all this summary of thoughts about legumes and more seems very heady….after all there are w hole nations who mainly live on these things and are doing very well – I think it is the general ignorance as to what to combine and most of all how much to eat of whatever, that creates all sorts of funny problems in the western world. More overall knowledge that is what is being called for and not cutting out some sections as a result of half knowledge. As they say – “half knowledge can be more dangerous that ignorance!
Frieke
Nick
So, according to you, what carbohydrates are suitable for consumption? How is one supposed to acquire enough energy for a busy, active life? How is one supposed to attain a prime physique, when all you can eat are veggies, nuts, and seeds?
Neely
Nick – Veggies, fruits, sweet potatoes, and tapioca flour have more than maintained my busy, active life, and have helped me attain the most prime physique I’ve ever had in my life. Here’s a blog post on it. http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/06-07/paleo-for-the-active-person/
Nick
To add to my initial comment: I am getting at the point of post-agriculture in human history, where we introduced grains, legumes, and roots to our diet, more than 10,000 years ago. You feel that our bodies have made no useful adaptation toward consuming these foods? You think all we can safely eat is meat, nuts, berries, and certain veggies? How is one supposed to live that way in this day and age in the long-term. You need to be wealthy, or forage and hunt, or farm and grow your food.
Nick
I’m also confused as to why grains and legumes aren’t okay, but root vegetables like sweet potatoes are fine? They’re both from the same time-era.
I model my diet after a paleo-esque model. I make it quite a bit simpler than this, though.
If it comes out of the ground, or is given by nature, your body knows what to do with it and metabolizes it efficiently. If it does not, your body does not metabolize it efficiently.
Basically, anything our early ancestors consumed. Nuts, berries, legumes, grains (whole, sprouted and organic), roots, meats, dairy (unprocessed), and veggies.
No bread, tortillas, chips, etc. I believe they lose too much of their nutrients through processing.
Through this diet, my energy levels have increased to a high degree and within weeks of eliminating almost all gluten from my diet, as well as switching to organic meats and dairy.
Manuel
There valid explanations as to why not to eat grains and legumes as stated above, not everything that comes from the ground Nick, is healthy. For instance mushrooms come from the ground and some are toxic and poisonous. Another example is the Cassava root which contains cyanide. You must do research on everything, just because something grows out of the ground does not mean it was intended for human consumption, humans are not the only organisms on this planted that need nutrients.
Erica
Hi!!! I love paleo!!!! <3 paleo <3 paleo…ok moving on…I was wondering if I could use some of this information in a video? That will convince people about paleo! I'm not going to copy and paste hehe ^.^ I'll put in your link also if you'd like! So that people can read it for themselves :)
Neely
Erica – Sure, no problem. Whatever info you use, please just cite us as the source and provide a link where possible. Thanks!
British
I have a hard time accepting diets or food approaches that have strict limits on real foods. Yes, the obvious should be avoided, like poisonous mushrooms. But to deem all grains bad and say they are to be avoided, ok – fine if you’re talking about highly refined grains like white flour (bread, pasta, pizza, crackers). Old-world grains however have been around for thousands of years and can be healthy for some people when they are prepared properly for absorption (think water and time). Brown rice, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, millet – yes, it’s a bit more time-consuming but it’s possible to soak and sprout these grains to reduce the inflammatory layer of phytic acid. And common sense should kick in and tell us that if it takes 8hrs to prepare these foods, maybe I shouldn’t be eating them every day. Again, some people do fine with old-world grains, some do not – I don’t believe there is a one-size-fits all. Cleaning out one’s blood and eliminating ALL grains (even corn) for 2 weeks and then reintroducing them one a time when they are SOURCED and PREPARED properly, will present an immune response that allows for every person to find out what works for them.
joanne beamer
Discovering that there are foods in our live that make you sick is quite a revelation—a scarey one too !!! many thank yous !!!MJA
Tace
Have you read anything like this in the Journal of Nutrition or Pub Med?
I admit I do not buy into the hunter gatherer diet. Most people are only hunting for files and gathering data; furthermore, 10,000 years ago we were starving for calories and would eat whatever we could find.
That aside, let’s say I’m wrong. I am not a dietician after all and nobody hear is asking for my skeptic opinion. I understand that. I don’t want to be “the enemy” here. On the other hand, I am doing research for “The Perfect Diet.” I base it on what I find good in many diets. I look to Pub Med and the Journal of Nutrition for much of my research. I also look to University web sites, and, like you, I name my sources…or I will.
Now, a grain and a legume together form a complete protein, so when I read that you shouldn’t eat them together, I was intrigued. I read the reasons why wondered who the article sourced. I wasn’t surprised when I saw Wikipedia and other Paleo-centric information sources.
I understand that many people have an allergic reaction to grains, but people are allergic to chocolate and bananas also. Those people need to stay away from those specific foods. That line of reasoning hardly constitutes a rationale for the Paleo diet. I’ve seen pictures of what people on the Paleo diet eat, and there were lots of vegetables on the picture. That’s good, but from the food ratio’s I’ve seen recommended, I’ll stick with my diet.
Also, people get into whatever they are talking about (Chevy vs. Ford or PC vs. Mac), and it is no different with diet. May I say that this is a single discussion, and wherever people disagree, we all might need each other some time, so peace be with you. I hope your diet works for you nutritionally and for any health issues you may be concerned with.
Janus
Nick – Veggies, especially sweet potatoes and fruits with minimal carbohydrates (keep fruit intake low, 2 to 3 apples a day or similar), and eat a lot of healthy fat; butter, coconut-oil, MCT.
Eat fish and red meat from grass-fed bulls.
It’s very easy NOT to consume wheat and grains. But a PITA to break the habit :)
Evan
This is a really well done article, honest and straight forward. However i didnt see any mentioning of fermentation. Ive seen studies where overnight fermenting of bread breaks down nearly everything you wouldn’t want in you. Which brings up my next point, nut cheeses. I can’t think of a better way to consume nuts than in a fermented cheese form, and you don’t even have to heat anything, the bacteria do all the ‘cooking’ for you. This is what the ancient civilizations found out, if you want to keep the population fed and healthy, you must ferment. (oh and eat bugs, eat lots of bugs, check eattheweeds dot com for his paleo/foraging exploits in that area and more). Bugs, the best protien.
George
I read the article and posts with interest. There is quite a bit about paleo which is interesting. However, like most zealots, paleo devotees cannot site a plethora of peer reviewed scholarly articles or any type of randomized clinical trials. All that exist are some small case control studies – not the most rigorous type of study on which to base either a diet or a lifestyle.
All studies of longevity have demonstrated that it’s not the type of diet that promotes longevity. Caloric restriction is the key to longevity and avoidance of “diseases of affluence.”
And since when was butter paleo?!? Processed dairy? Really???
Do yourselves a favor and read “In Defense of Food” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan.
Bobby
This is what happens to our over satisfied society. There a few billions people who would love to have more legumes facing with the cruel reality of their hunger. My grandparents have been eating lots of them as well as nuts and meat combined with red wine and yet everything in moderation. They never went to the gym and and my grandfather never goes to the doctor either! He’s 83. I hope lives as long as he’s meant to. Paleo is the next marketing bonanza after Atkins, the South Beach diet and all the other ones that I don’t even remember. In our self-obsessed society where everything is driven by mass media and the hordes of corporate financed pseudo-science and we are mere consumers of whatever they serve us whether it was legume free, low carb, fat free, gluten free and indeed by no means bulshit free! If you want to live long and happy life, take it easy, have good friends, eat your fruits and vegetable whole foods, don’t eat processed, take long walk in nature, laugh and make babies and most of all don’t feel guilty about it. We’re all here temporary so what’s all that fuss about anyways!
With all my respect.
maria
I eat in moderation that is the key to a healthy lifestyle. I love beans I rather eat them than red meat
maria
Bobby I can’t agree with you more. Thanks for sharing. …
Chrissie
Hear Hear Bobby!!!!! “…and indeed by no means bulshit free!” Exactly.
Neely Quinn
Chrissie et al – Sometimes I feel like I have an anti fan club with comments like these. The things I wrote in this post are well-documented and these anti-nutrients do indeed affect many people (including myself). When I eat them I feel like crap and when I don’t I feel good. I’m so sorry that there are people in the world who are starving and would give anything for some beans. That’s not me, though, and I’m willing to bet it’s not you guys either. So why not make the most of our resources and live the best life we can eating foods that make us feel awesome?
Kristi Crosson
I really appreciated this article. I gave up eating wheat over a year ago as an experiment in weight loss. I had read a book that suggested that wheat may be the cause of my insatiable hunger despite eating the “right” foods (i.e. healthy whole grains, no refined sugar, etc.) I have lost the weight slowly, but the way I eat has become a habit and a lifestyle. Do you think it’s normal to feel exhausted all the time despite getting a full nights’ sleep? Do you think it’s normal to be obese and to not be able to control your appetite even when eating all of the “health” foods? Do you think it is normal to walk through like in a fog? It’s not.
Those of you who are arguing against what the author has posted are clearly not willing to concede that the things that the FDA is telling us about how to eat may NOT be the right way to do it for the way our bodies were truly created. Wheat and grains have been so altered genetically that they no longer resemble what they were even 100 years ago. How else do you think they can feed the millions of obese people? High yield crops. They had to genetically modify our food in order to do that. They had to make them more resistant to drought, and to pests, and these are the same foods they tell us to eat more of.
I have been trying to go more Paleo this past month, and the thing I am having the hardest time taking out of my diet is dairy. I really love cheese. I don’t eat a ton of it anymore, but I really enjoy it when I do. Giving up beans and the rest of the grains has actually been easier than I thought.
So give it a try, for 30 days. 100% all in effort to go Paleo. You will truly be surprised at the results.
Christine Johnson
Depends on who your ancestors were. Most Native American groups relied heavily (if not at times exclusively) on nuts available in the forest (i.e. the hickory nut). One size does not fit all, with any diet.
Kat
I think the “paleo” diet has it’s virtues but that doesn’t mean I agree with it. I think the best way to eat is to enjoy a variety of available, local, organic foods, supplemented with some high quality imported foods (like coconut, bananas, etc), and enjoy everything in moderation. One site says chocolate is good for you. Others say it exhausts adrenal glands. One site says avoid grains, and another says eat them freely but soak first. As for alcohol, many people consume beer, spirits and especially wine in moderation and easily live into their ’90s. Alcohol breaks down into sugar quite rapidly, so perhaps it isn’t sugar so much as how refined it is. And then there’s dairy. Many cultures eat loads of cultured or fermented dairy and do very well. I strongly believe that the real issue is with refined sugars, refined vegetable oils, over-hybridization and genetic tampering of grains, and pasteurization/irradiation. Foods that could be good for us are now bad because they’ve been transformed into commodities rather than sustenance, for the sake of corporate profit. And look what we have! Less starvation but an overpopulated planet of sick people instead. And it seems like the most sickness exists in areas where refined foods and GMO frankenfoods are the most prevalent.
Jim O'Donnell
Neely,
I doubt you have “antifans” as much as your lifestyle has skeptics. Much of your article is very much your opinion and people will take issue with statements like “since they’re basically poisonous” regarding whole foods which have been staples of societies that remain healthier than eurocentric populations and have for thousands of years.
None of this is particularly “well documented” and there are certainly contradictory studies indicating that beans and grains, certainly, are beneficial. You admit that you are highly sensitive to some of these foods. I submit that you are in a small minority, that people would benefit enormously from simply omitting highly processed foods and selecting organic wherever possible. Paleo devotees sometimes come off as the sort of handwringing worriworts that wear masks in restaurants, shun digital audio and believe gluten and casein cause autism. Let’s be clear: SOME people MAY be sensitive or allergic to SOME environmental constituents, including certain foods (and some may be obsessive-compulsive hypochondriacs). You clearly state that you feel worse after eating beans and grains–that they make you sick. While I accept that about you, it may not actually apply to your boyfriend. He may tolerate the occasional cookie very well and, assuming his lifestyle includes an abundance of healthy alternatives, exercise of mind and body, adequate rest and limited stress, he may well outlive you by many years. If I, however, happened upon a public article written by my girlfriend and beginning with such a narrow-minded and judgmental opener, it might give me cause to rethink my situation and pack my things. Just sayin’.
Neely Quinn
Jim O’Donnell – Wow, way to suggest my husband should leave me. That was productive. Please don’t call people who have problems with grains and beans hypochondriacs. It’s disrespectful and ignorant, and there are a LOT of people who have food sensitivities. I know that some people can eat grains and beans without problems. I also know that my husband can not (and so does he) or he feels awful, and that’s why I opened this blog post how I did. So next time you comment, maybe exclude the rudeness and the assumptions.
David
I unknowingly have been practicing the “Paleo Diet” for some time by simply avoiding the foods that my allergy tests proved to cause an immune system response. The only thing I did not know about was legumes, because they actually are not on the list for allergy testing with my allergist. I am allergic to rice, wheat, corn, oats, casein, egg whites among others, which basically cuts out all dairy and and grains from my diet. I feel a ton better when I am able to avoid these foods long term and I will try cutting out the legumes now too. It’s hard to eat with so many restrictions but as I am getting older, I have no choice as my body is less able to put up with the abuse of eating foods that my immune system is attacking. Good luck everyone. :)
Jim O'Donnell
Neely,
I didn’t suggest your boyfriend (now husband) should leave you and I didn’t call people with food allergies hypochondriacs–I called hypochondriacs hypochondriacs. I have an autistic son, a mom with Wegener’s and a very good friend who’s daughter suffers from Celiac’s. I’m well acquainted with food intolerance and, as I said, I recognize that there are people who are enormously inconvenienced by them.
My point is that, for whatever reason, Paleo advocates sometimes overemphasize the benefits of the lifestyle and, in their enthusiasm, pass along information that is patently false, i.e., that grains and legumes are “basically poisonous” to everyone. Paleo (and now Paleo 2.0) have been sold as a lifestyle to the general population that is essentially anti-aging. Set aside the fact that its basis (that paleolithic cave dwellers lived longer, died stronger and never ate beans) is nonsense. We have whole civilizations of healthy, longlived people in central and east Asia that subsist on little more than rice, beans and fish. Their success and health is not a product of emulating cavemen–it’s simply that they don’t eat foods that come out of white boxes or polystyrene bags, they don’t smoke tobacco and they don’t drink much alcohol. Macronutrient balance probably the single most important factor in sustained good health. Some paleophiles seem to miss that point.
Neely Quinn
Jim O’Donnell – I don’t disagree with you on many of those points, except the fact that hunter-gatherer groups are, indeed, often stronger and healthier than most Westerners. And I do still contend that grains and beans are poisonous, in that they contain “poisons” that theoretically evolved to deter humans and other animals from eating their host plants. Some humans are just better at tolerating those poisons than others. I think I make it clear that I believe many people can thrive eating grains and beans (maybe not in this post, but in many others I’ve written). And not to split hairs here, but there are some hunter-gatherer cultures (Kitavans and others) whose macronutrient “balance” is not balanced at all, who smoke, and use other stimulants and their health far exceeds most Westerners’. They don’t eat grains, legumes, OR eat foods “that come out of white boxes or polystyrene bags”. I think there’s something to be said for all of it. We agree that we should all be eating real, whole foods that aren’t covered in poisons. I think there’s just some tedious, sometimes semantic debate about what constitutes real, whole, foods, and that debate is very much dependent on each individual’s genetics and tolerance.
Cheryl
The people who are in their 80′s and up, lived on different foods than we did. They had less sugar, less modified foods, and I wonder if most didn’t grow up on farms with raw milk. When I was growing up, allergies were unheard of and I’m 57. We ate at few fast food restaurants until I was in my 20′s but sugar and white flour was abundant in schools.
Each successive generation has become weaker due to the foods we eat. The maladies that struck my mother, struck me 10 and 20 yrs earlier. My great grandmother was 96 when she died, my grandmother 77.
Our foods are covered in pesticides and fungicides..I live in the country next to soybean fields and see them sprayed regularly. Our cows are fed antibiotics and wormers to keep them healthy. In my opinion, we need raw milk and organic foods. But in my case my stomach is so messed up now, my immune system is confused and ill. And what I could eat before, I no longer can.
Peter k
Cmon let’s not view paleo as some mystery. Seriously eating fresh fruits and vegetables and healthier choices of meat plus the exercising of the paleo toting xfitters. Will no doubt lead to better health and nice physiques. The rest is just wanna be preachers pretending to know it all. There’s not a person on this planet that can say definetivly what early man ate. What we do know is they died very young from a multitude of diseases. Pretty much none of what exsited thousands of years ago is available today. I’ve seen so many paleo recipes with bacon fat! C’mon that’s crazy. Oh wait I forgot about the infamous pigasorous that early man use to kill and eat. Yes that was harsh sarcasm. But the simple fact is dedicated paleo followers do not live longer than other people or cultures that are active and eat fresh fruits veggies and yes legumes. Simple if it comes in a box don’t eat it. If a place with big golden M’s makes it don’t eat it, and if it’s meat (especially red)raised on chemicals avoid it…
Matt
You say that Lectins have protective functions in the human body like recognizing pathogens and controlling protein levels in our blood. If we cut out legumes completely will our body make up for these losses?
Susie
I’m no scientist, but it’s always been my understanding that the reason seeds were difficult, if not impossible, to break down, in any creature’s digestive process, was for the simple reason that they are designed to be spread from place to place in order to propagate. When they pass through the system, unaltered, in fecal matter, they will then grow again in the place they are passed, complete with their own fertilzer. This is just one of those Darwinesque-survival-of-the-fittest facts of nature, no? Of course, the processing WE do to said seeds with cooking or pureeing or whatever thwarts that process completely so whatever is in the seed DOES get broken down further and enter our systems, for better or for worse.
So many opposing theories out there and just no way to prove them all, right OR wrong.
Angie
I’ve just tried starting this diet yesterday to experiment and it still frustrates me. I hate eating the animals of the earth as I am vegetarian, so all I have now are fish. Those of you who think beans are bad for you, I honestly believe are over reacting. Ive never met a person who eats beans who has has weight issues for that reason. They were put here to eat and have been used for that purpose for years. There is nothing wrong with farming because that’s how produce is created. Beans are not poisonous and there is no need for people to be so defensive over why they’re “so bad for you.” How else will I get my protein? I refuse to eat meat. and generally do not like to eat fish. Cut me a break. I also weight about 115 lbs. Veggie people have no other way of getting protein, and many of us are in shape and in good health. It’s just an opinion thing. No dairy on the paleo diet, and nothing else from farm animals, but you can have eggs?? That doesn’t make sense. someone please explain to me how this is even a fair argument for a vegetarian person who just doesn’t like meat. Give me a way to get protein besides just nuts and then i’ll think about believing this. I do see the perks and how it is working, but it’s going to take a lot for me to choose this over my normal habits. thanks.
Neely Quinn
Angie – I just want to remind you that nobody is forcing you to eat Paleo :) You can eat whatever you like. This diet works for a lot of people, but if you don’t think it’s “fair” and that you need someone to “cut you a break”, then don’t partake, or modify it as you see fit. Simple as that :)
WP
The most commendable thing about the paleo diet is its’ use of observation for what seems to be healthier, but the scope of “healthy” it examines is limited to just the consumer. If we include others in our scope of “healthy”, there is no diet healthier than a vegetarian diet. I have lived on a diet with almost no protein for six months and have continued to get stronger through a combination of low and high intensity exercises in addition to an active lifestyle. As a vegetarian, I can live without the legumes, although I would have to say that I would probably miss my occasional treat of peanut butter. I don’t eat much wheat, but I do enjoy rice in small amounts when eaten with dishes that don’t really work well without it (ex// curry). What makes a caveman healthy or more specifically strong is more his/her active lifestyle and fasting rather than his/her diet. Isn’t it ironic that a diet modeled after caveman is so picky on what should be eaten and not eaten when the actual diet it is modeled on is probably a diet that ate pretty much anything that was available in order to survive? No offense to any diet a person chooses to practice as it is your body, your environment, and your values that help shape the world we live in.
Laura
Angie: I have ethical issues about meat production and factory farming. I did not think anything would ever change my mind.I was a die-hard vegetarian and mostly vegan for years. I thought I was eating really well- nothing processed or refined, all organic, lots of variety, complete protein profiles. However, I was chronically depressed and fatigued and, in spite of being very thin, I had a pooch of abdominal fat that just wouldn’t go away. I read hundreds of nutrition books and articles and the paleo diet really made sense. I tried it. In six weeks I was no longer depressed, had way more energy, skin and hair looked great, and I am happy and motivated. All I can say is try it for 6 weeks. If it doesn’t work for you, try something else.
Alison
As a nutrionist/natuopath, I see many people eating in many varied ways. I have also seen many people who only lose weight, improve their mood and energy, fix their gut problems and improve their skin and immunity by going grain free. And vice versa – I’ve seen a number of people (admittedly a smaller group) only improve after they became vegetarian/vegan. In other words, after having worked in this industry for over 15 years, I’m convinced that the only rule that applies – is that one diet DOES NOT FIT ALL. The only common ground I see is that people need to remove the junk, processed meats, refined grains, etc. and then every single person improves.
courtney
Okay,
I am very new to this concept and easing myself in. The problem with me and Paleo, is I’m a vegetarian! I have been since I was a child (Charlotte’s web is to blame!) and I just couldn’t possibly adjust to eating red meat. Not going to happen, the last time I tried, my body fully rejected the uber expensive grass fed beef and I tried again with natural Venison and another bad reaction occurred. I’m on a bit of a budget, so in order to afford a primarily vegetarian (I can get down on eggs and fish eventually) I think it will be so unforeseeable and expensive that I’m resigning myself to a close to paleo- quinoa and organic tofu included diet!
Will I just gain weight like that?
Cecily
Dear Neely,
Don’t pay any attention to haters. Its a diet. What you choose to eat is your business. People can either take it or leave it. Thank you for putting up this post.
~To those who found an issue with it, kick rocks and write your own darn blog :P
All the best,
Indahgirl
Hi everyone – I just read thtough this entire blog… And I agree, disagree am confused and enlightened but mostly amused… I LOVE food!! I am a chef and I feed people everyday in all ways… I have the honor of tending to many people’s dietary restrictions, allergies, diets and requests.., I could do a thesis paper on people’s relationships with food as that is what it is.. How one relates… To their food.. Now I had a mother that ate organic, vegetarian, macro blah blah.. She also was obsessed with all of it, at one point had an eating disorder… She died of cancer at 49…now her father( my grandfather ) has drank Vodak and eats more condiments than he does food and just turned 89… He eats like shit.. But he’s not obsessed, concerned or worried about it.., he grew up in a Jewish home and ate a lot of schmaltz ( re Derek’s chicken fat)… What I know about food is if your going to put it in your body, love it, savor it, appreciate and enjoy it… And chose the best if whatever it is… Grown your own when possible, share and relax.. If it doesn’t work for you, don’t eat it… If you “indulge when you feel like it, don’t let it be a reading or negative self talk.. Just a quick thought… Blessings
Janet
I have been Paleo for almost a year and will never go back to my old habbits because it works for me. I had very painful knees, sleep problems, bloating, many aches and pains that are all gone. I was a 12-14, now I am size 8-10, full of energy and happy. So at age 62 I discovered a way of eating that makes me feel great.
The only way to know what foods might be a problem for you is to stop eating them altogether. All most of us Paleonuts are saying is give real, clean,simple food a chance.
Hannah
I don’t know if you’ve already heard this, I just skimmed through the comments, but the FDA could care less. Along with the USDA. They don’t necessarily look out for us citizens, just the depths of their own pockets.
Leana
As I’m reading a lot of these comments, I wanted to pose a question, when you say diet, do you mean as in what you eat, or like a fad? When I think diet, I think of something torturous or depressing, so instead I call it a lifestyle. I don’t want any responses, I just would like you to ask yourself that. Thanks.
Neely Quinn
Leana – When I say the word “diet”, I think of the food I eat. That is all. No fad involved – just food.
Kalei
More than anything else, it’s the “food” you feed your “mind” and how you “digest” the world around you that matters most. Stress is the number one culprit of dis–>ease. Emotional fitness and your ability to be proactive versus reactive is key when it comes to a life well lived and longevity. Examine your “belief” system because it is the foundation of your experience, everything is filtered through your beliefs and your personal set of rules. Become aware of who you are and take responsibility for your thoughts,words and actions (or inaction). You can eat the healthiest diet and exercise on a regular basis but if you neglect this aspect of yourself then it’s all naught.
Dalien
Thanks for your post….to chime in some things and reiterate what has also been shared.
For those with digestive, allergies and other related GI issues….
Sprout, do yoga, manage ur stress, use your juicer, take enzymes if you need them to improve absorption, I would look into and get a full Ig Candida Albicans blood work series done to see what, if any, issues related to yeast overgrowth is present in your gut and colon….you will always feel kind of bloated, very limited as to what you can digest without incidence, have diarrhea regularly and be a master of farts… :) Sometimes getting a Candida (yeast) overgrowth issue back in balance allows one to eat a balanced regimen of the foods that Paleo diet contends isn’t always the best…….but I would sprout everything regardless of what eating “theory” one is following…..the germination process breaks down the natural protein enzyme inhibitor in nuts and seeds as to allow the body to absorb better.
With yeast, all Carbs are broken down into sugar… sugar feeds yeast….1 + 1 = 2. My once “former leaky gut” would surmise that the lectins are the least of your worries, but moreover, it would be the carb content of certain legumes contributing to degree its feeding a yeast issue……. it’s a tricky call, but I would pursue all angles to uncover what the heck is really going on in your gut and colon. That’s why macrobiotic type regimens do well… Meat, vegetables, limited carbs…so it essentially starves off the yeast….. it’s important to be adding that into the discussion as I would investigate that for yourself completely….as it was nearly two decades since the age of 15 I have been on this path and survived…….. Symptoms and allergies can eventually subside once the tissue linings in the gut repair themselves… I know because I lived it….a long story, but I worked hard for my second chance.
Once you can stabilize the physical issues with a lifestyle and diet that supports you, the real work is emotional layers of stress, childhood traumas and/or anything that has been a
I cured Crohns, jaundice, leaky gut, multiple chemical sensitivity, chronic fatigue, epstein barr, “LBISD” – lazy bastard immune system disorder and a host of other endocrine system challenges…. 7 years 100% raw, organic, sprouted food – no meat…. my underarms smelled like Celery back then……. lol…….I probably had the purest terds in the world…invite me over, I’ll fertilize your garden and prove it.. lol……. heck. I should of started a circus side show act and charged admission…
“Step right up and see the Super Amazing Terd!…It Talks, It Dances and can help you grow cucumbers twice the normal size! sorry I digress….
I have no more allergies or symptoms of anything from the past, not a trace….., I can eat anything now… but I don’t,..that would be stupid….. I follow natural living, ayurveda, raw, organic and assess all the various theories.. some have legs to stand on, some don’t……
When there’s a change in eating habits to support a health crisis or allergy situation….there’s a lot of detoxing that goes on for quite some time when changing to healthier diet and lifestyle programs….REMEMBER:
The immune system is trying to rebuild itself as the same time it has to doubly handle the detoxification processes…and that is inherently challenging when one’s immunity is already low to begin with for whatever the reason.
As someone mentioned earlier, how you manage and balance your emotional states is truly a major part in all health related challenges. … especially for people who have severe sensitivities. Yoga, deep breathing as to improve oxygenation of your blood, meditation, sleep, run with scissors, fart in church, developing the curiosity of a child when it comes to taking care of your body and the patience of a saint to deal with the ups and downs related to how the body is trying to find its’ way back to balance.
Call it whatever you want……
Paleo, Oreo, Macrobiotic, Raw, Caveman, Fred Flinstone, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Soylent Green Diet…etc..etc….
Enzymes, Wheatgrass, Sprouted Foods and Stress Reduction practices are some of the key main building blocks of life, organ repair and improving longevity and of course, the occasional George Carlin video works wonders too….. and lets not forget dancing half naked a round a sacred tree to Native American Chants for three days, no food or shower……that’ll set a lot of your emotional $#@! straight….lol..
Off to the circus now….to share my wonder terds….
Thanks for letting me share – Dalien… 13 Hands on the web
Alex
I have a few comments I need to express. I will try to be realistic without being judgmental.
Is eating unprocessed foods healthier than processed foods? Almost 99% of the time, yes it is. But why does it need to be dressed up as a “paleo diet”?
A “paleo” diet in and of itself seems a bit counter-intuitive, as it pre-supposes that human beings as a species were healthier before the introduction of agriculture, a concept that would not really be supported by our current understanding of prehistoric mortality rates.
True paleo diets would also be feast-or-famine diets, where you might go for 3-4 days subsisting on nothing but berries and tree fruit, and then chase down and eat an entire wild boar over the course of the next 2 days.
Historical arguments aside, even sticking to pre-agriculture foods in proper quantities and proportions to sustain a balanced diet strikes me as being somewhat regressive. The assumption being made by this diet system is that the bodies of modern human beings have not experienced any form of natural adaptation to agricultural living. Consider that this is a period of over 10,000 years, which translates into roughly 200 generations (or more) of people growing, harvesting, migrating, and intermingling cultures, foods, and genetic material.
Attempting to craft a diet specific to “the way human beings evolved” cannot be divorced from the places and conditions in which their adaptations took place. Asian peoples, and in particular the Japanese, have very distinctive cultural dietary habits. Consider the quantities of soy (legumes) and rice (grains) consumed by these people, and contrast it with their historical fame for longevity. Their bodies are adapted to the foods that have shaped their culture and lives for millenia, in a fairly homogenous society. Now think about the melting pot that is America, and the diversity of people and cultures that intermingle here. How could a program that professes to focus on the “roots” of the human diet not account for the abundance of different foods available to different peoples in different regions during the course of our evolution?
People, as all other animals, are products of our environment, even if we have the power to shape that environment. The “paleo diet” seems to begin with what is, in my opinion, the fundamentally flawed assumption that humans as a species were somehow more “perfect” or well-adapted to life on earth before the most recent 200 generations of evolution, adaptation, and indeed environmental (circumstantial as well as climatic) modification. Given the fact that it has been recently found that some North American bird species have been found to have shorter wingspans in areas of high vehicle traffic than their rural counterparts, it would stand to reason that human beings, over the course of many more generations than have elapsed since the invention of the motor vehicle, will probably have made several biological adaptations to account for our newfound abilities to plant and harvest foodstuffs.
I still applaud all of you who are on this “paleo” diet, as it means you are taking steps to live a healthier lifestyle. Just becoming more conscious of your body and your health is probably a much more important first step than any specific diet plan. Given the wide variety of body types and specific needs, it may be best to simply consult a nutritionist before embarking on any new program for health and fitness, as you will get a program that is much more specifically tailored to your body than any kind of generic plan.
PS – I am not a nutritionist, nor do I know any personally.
b
You don’t have any scientific data to support the notion that grains and beans are bad for us We know very little about the caveman and it’s safe to say they didn’t live long enough to die of heart attacks, diabetis or cancer. They were either eaten by a tiger or someone smashed their head in with a rock. However, there is plenty of data to support the fact that eating a diet high in meat does cause certain cancers. Isn’t that a staple of the hunter gatherer diet. Eating plenty of meat?
Jeremy
I find this point to be exaggerated:
“It’s confusing to me that grains and legumes (all beans – black, pinto, soy, peanuts, etc.) would be so pleasing to us, since they’re basically poisonous, having heavily contributed to the current, overwhelming predominance of heart disease, digestive disorders and obesity rates in this country.”
Beans and peanuts are “heavily” contributing to heart disease and obesity? It’s not refined grains, flour, sugar, and processed corn product (not to mention processed animal fat and added sodium), which constitute the main inputs for most processed foods, that are heavily contributing to those diseases?
Neely Quinn
Jeremy – That’s what I said: “grains and legumes”, which includes, as you said, refined grains, flour, and processed corn products…
Don
I have a question, where is the evidence that our ancestors were all hard bodies that live long healthy lives? I would be willing to bet it was quite the opposite. For them I but life was a little harder than that. Spending most of their time scavenging for any type of food they could get their hands on just to survive. I’m not a Dr however; I would even bet they would eat beans and wheat or anything else they could get their hands on. Far be it for you to say they didn’t, unless of course you have evidence of this. If I was hungry enough I would eat just about anything to survive. Possibly even another person. More than likely they were pretty chubby most of the time except for times of short food supply. I’m not saying the items you eat following a paleo diet are bad. But I am saying people may have the expectation to achieve a certain goal from it and never achieve their goal. Simply because the only way is to cook and eat clean, not open a wrapper and eat in only the amount of calories you burn in a day. Simple as that.
Aria
Explain please why there are more healthy centenarians (even still hopping about doing martial arts!) in China and Japan than anywhere else in the world, yet they eat 3 meals of RICE every day? Explain please why at the same time traditional hunter-gatherer tribes now living in Africa and the Amazon have a much shorter lifespan than your average obese American does?
If it were not for potatoes (real ones), rice and grains, human beings would never have had the health or energy to form the modern civilizations, on which your absurdly picky and irrational diet depends.
Do you actually rationalize to yourself that in the paleo era, the cavemen had a constant supply of squash, sweet potatoes, honey and tapioca flour available in all seasons, as you do for your “active lifestyle” carbohydrate needs? And do you think they just decided to avoid the carbs that *were* available on principle, and instead chose to run from predators and wage war with opposing tribes after having a big breakfast of lettuce and spinach? The entire basis of this paleo movement is absurd. I thought the whole point of this paleo diet was to go back to an era BEFORE modern farming… so where are all these root vegetables and tapioca flour and flax seeds (while supposedly imitating the cavemen) coming from year round for you? Contrary to popular belief, cavemens diets were not supplied by the WholeFoods around the corner.
They were not picky eaters… unlike wealthy & spoiled modern fad-dieters, they had to eat to *survive*. The truth is paleo people were always hungry, and ate whatever they could get their hands on! They loved delicious, calorie-rich carbs, just as much as we do. And their opportunistic eating patterns are precisely why human beings have evolved to be able to tolerate such an impressively wide variety of foods, and still live to be happy, healthy 100+ year olds. Our bodies are more versatile, self-repairing and resilient than any other species. That is why we can eat what would kill a dog or a cat, with no side effects – and why we can live to be 120, but you will never see a 120 year old dog or cat. So please don’t bother to make the absurd argument that because your dog can’t eat beans (or grapes, or chocolate, or avocado, or corn, or coffee, or alcohol, or raisins…) that PEOPLE can’t (or “shouldn’t”) eat them. That’s a complete fallacy of logic and rational thought.
To date there is no evidence that a paleo diet improves your lifespan, and there has not been a SINGLE documented case of a supercentinarian (thats 110+ years old) who ate this way. In fact, science has shown in study after study, that your genes have far more influence on your healthspan and longevity than anything you could ever do with your diet…. so believing and promoting the idea that a really unnatural diet consisting of tapioca flour, squash and honey as your primary carb sources is somehow going to make you healthier and longer-lived under the paleo philosophy citing “evolutionary principles” and evil lectins, is pseudo-scientific nonsense.