12

Aug / 10

Paleo Cliff Notes
Categories: Nutrition

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To sum up Paleo or Primal eating, you need look no further than the famous “World Class Fitness in 100 Words” by CrossFit founder Greg Glassman:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

Now I know some of you are embarking on the paleo/primal path for the first time and may not be familiar with all the specifics. Here is a quick and dirty breakdown of what you’re trying to avoid and why. I’ll also link to some of our older posts that you may have missed that cover relevant topics.

One of the main culprits you want to avoid is gluten. I won’t get bogged down with science here (you’re welcome, Avelyne), but I will say that gluten can cause inflammation of your digestive tract.  This inflammation of your digestive system can prevent your absorption of vitamins and minerals, leading to a variety of maladies. Letting this condition continue unabated can also lead to the development of autoimmune diseases, and this isn’t just for those diagnosed with Celiac disease. Gluten can also cause depression (and no, not just when the paleo police try to take away your beloved breads and beer). Furthermore, even when you stop consuming gluten, it can take upwards of three weeks to fully clear out of your system. This is why we assigned such a harsh penalty to any items with gluten, since we really wanted to discourage you from shooting yourselves in the collective foot. So where do you find gluten? Pretty much any grains or anything made from grains: most flours (which then means almost any baked goods), most beers, soy sauce (contains wheat), nearly all pasta, etc. For a very thorough list, see Ruth’s post.

Lectins are another item to steer clear of. Much like gluten, these are anti-nutrients that can cause digestive distress. These are often found in foods that require cooking before they can be consumed such as legumes (beans) and the cereal grains that do not contain gluten. Examples of these are: beans (soy, lima, garbanzo, etc.), peas, peanuts (no, they aren’t truly a nut) and anything made from beans, such as hummus.

We also want to avoid empty carbohydrate (starch) consumption as this can lead to spiked insulin levels. This includes corn, any derivatives of corn (there are dozens), sugars of  any sort, potatoes, rice and especially any caloric beverage (juices, sodas, etc.). In addition to messing with insulin levels, these are easy ways to consume a surplus of calories without getting very full.

Lastly, we look to avoid most dairy products. Not only are there problems with those who exhibit lactose intolerance, but commonly dairy cattle are fed a high grain diet. This leads to those same lectins, including gluten, often being passed along to you, the consumer. As these ride attached to the protein molecules, the dairy fat is often in the clear. This is why we feel safe to green light butter and heavy whipping cream for use. The dairy carbs (milk sugars, aka lactose) cause a significant insulin spike and that is another downside to those dairy products. So we know butter and cream are okay, but what isn’t? Ice cream is a no-brainer (combination of the lactose insulin spike AND a high payload of sugar is a double whammy), milk itself isn’t very recommended, cheese is alright in moderation but we’d encourage raw and/or grass-fed and most sour cream is a n0-no.

Any questions? Post ‘em to comments!

WOD 08.12.10

Make Up Day

10 Responses to “Paleo Cliff Notes”

ruth
August 12, 2010 at 7:57 AM

Dude, Marcus! Thanks for putting it much more intelligent terms that I ever could. I just go the scare tactic route and say gluten can lead to arthritis, parkinson’s, and alzheimer’s. Doesn’t go over very well…

Marcus
August 12, 2010 at 8:26 AM

Thanks Ruth, you’re too kind! (I actually was looking for your Scare Tactics post to link to, but didn’t realize it wasn’t migrated to CFI)

Jenna
August 12, 2010 at 9:55 AM

Marcus did you mow all the choco babies???

Marcus
August 12, 2010 at 10:26 AM

No, they were very tasty though and I thank you! I’ll return the favor and give your tupperware back with a paleo creation from my kitchen.

I had two last night at the gym, took the rest home and repackaged to share with others. So far one coworker has accused you of putting flour in the mix cause they’re “too much like brownies”.

Scott
August 12, 2010 at 10:43 AM

Jenna, share the recipe!

In exchange I’ll share a tasty and simple Guacamole recipe from a friend.

I was getting annoyed that I kept buying containers of guac that would start to go brown within a day and be garbage within 2. I was usually throwing away 1/3 to 1/2 of each container.

Emily’s Awesome Guacamole
-1 Avocado
-Approx 2 Tsp Seasoned Salt
-Approx 2 Tsp Garlic Salt
-Squeeze of Lemon or Lime Juice
-Scoop of Pico de Gallo or Salsa

Optional: Red Onions, Jalapenos, Cilantro, etc.

I’ve started making fresh guacamole several times a week. I make it in smaller quantities (1 or 2 avocados at a time) so I use it all before it goes bad. Also, it doesn’t seem to turn brown as quickly. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s fresh or because I leave the seed in the guac when I store it. I’ve been told leaving the seed in the guac helps keep it fresh, but it might be an urban legend.

It is an urban legend, here’s a neat explanation on what’s really going on.
-Marcus

ruth
August 12, 2010 at 11:17 AM

Actually, Scott, in order to share a recipe, you (as Jenna did) have to bring in a sample to class. 6pm class, preferably!

Oh, we need volunteer members to help with a post. Have to be ok with the Paleo Poilce invading your kitchen pantries. Takers?

Scott
August 12, 2010 at 11:30 AM

I don’t know if I’m self-selecting by reading articles that agree with Marcus and the Paleo Diet. Or if maybe this is the cutting edge and 5-10 years from now everyone will think this way. But I keep reading more and more Health articles on the Huff Post (one of my daily sources for news) that reinforce the Paleo idea. Even more interesting, is they don’t call anything “Paleo”. They are just health articles talking about different topics.

Today I saw….The Myth about Cholesterol. Honestly it’s a LONG article and I read half and skimmed half.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/the-cholesterol-myth-that_b_676817.html

Here are a few interesting highlights….It is says certain types of cholesterol, specifically from eggs and saturated fats, are GOOD FOR YOU!! and in fact important to your health.

One type of cholesterol that is bad for you and causes heart disease is Triglycerides, which is caused by “eating too many GRAINS and SUGARS, being physically inactive, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol excessively and being overweight or obese. ”

Hmmmm…don’t tell Marcus. But he may be right. :)

Scott
August 12, 2010 at 11:33 AM

I’ll bring a batch of Guac to Friday’s class. What are we going to eat it with? Normally I have Guac on eggs in the AM or Mexican food for dinner or tortilla chips if it’s a weekend BBQ. None of those are particularly gym friendly.

When did Jenna bring Choco Babies? I missed it!! :(

Anna
August 12, 2010 at 11:59 AM

I think your guac stays green from the acid in the lemon/lime juice. I make a mango avocado salsa for fish tacos with tons of lemon/lime juice that will stay green for a week.

I’ve got a bag of baby carrots, those are good in guac!

Yeah crossfit cops!!!

Jenna
August 12, 2010 at 1:44 PM

Haha sorry Scott I brought them in yesterday!! I will definitely make some more for this weekend :) Here is the recipe for Choco Babies:

1 cup walnuts
1&1/3 cup pitted dates
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 to 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder (depending on how chocolate-y you’d like them)

blend all ingredients together in a food processor, magic bullet, etc. Once ingredients are all mixed, roll into little chocolate balls.

Enjoy!!
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