Guide to Paleo Cooking- Facts to Know Before You Begin Paleo

The paleo diet is entirely different from any other diet you may know of, simply because it’s based on a very unusual premise: the eating habits of our distant ancestors during the Paleolithic era.

Nowadays, we make use of preservatives and all sorts of additives in the food we eat. Artificial substances are a derivative of modern food processing and preparation methods, which people didn’t know of before the advent of agriculture and the mass-production developments in the food industry.

These substances, preservatives and additives, however, are deleterious to our health. They can cause trouble in one’s internal organ system and have been shown to make us weaker. This modern way of eating is also blamed for many heart ailments that have appeared in the last years.

Oily, fried foods, which are rich in fat, are the main reason why people nowadays suffer from these conditions. The paleo diet suggests we return to natural eating habits, and is for this reason essential for everyone. However, before following the paleo diet, make sure to get advice from your physician.

What Ingredients Can Be Used in Paleo Cooking?

When someone follows the paleo diet, they completely abandon our current dietary habits and enter those of the Paleolithic Age, so to speak. It’s not just the food types that change, but the way of cooking is different in the paleo diet as well. In the past, there were no ovens or pressure cookers, and consequently these aren’t utilized in the paleo diet.

Paleo cooking makes use of only natural methods; no condensation or refrigeration is required. Grilled varieties are preferred in the paleo diet because they don’t make use of oil and no special ingredients are added. Instead of frying, simply cook the food over a direct flame.

BBQ is another method of cooking that the caveman style adopts. Beef or buffalo meat can be barbequed, and if the cuts are lean they’re beneficial towards preventing heart ailments.

Ingredients to Use and Avoid in Paleo Cooking

Paleo cooking doesn’t necessarily have to be a take-away. It can easily be tried out at home. This is possible by using ingredients such as avocado, olive or coconut oil. Avocado oil is expensive, yet it is organic and natural so its price is worth its value. This edible oil can be used for high-heat cooking, which is essential in the paleo diet.

All the food items we choose for the paleo diet have to be cooked intensely, so avocado oil is very useful. As for its taste, people swear by its lightness and smoothness, as it produces a buttery and nutty flavor. Furthermore, avocado is also loaded with monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which are good for our health.

Paleo cooking often makes use of ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and oregano. You also have to replace normal flour with coconut or almond flour. Stick to low-carbs menus and also avoid fatty products.

Refrain from including dairy products in your meals too. If you must, just use non-fat dairy products; alternatively, you can opt for coconut milk or almond milk. You can even make you favorite pizzas and burgers with the paleo style of cooking, but with some minor changes in the ingredients.

Paleo Meals

When starting the paleo diet, it might be challenging to come up with dishes especially if you’re used to cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and pasta for dinner. However, grains are prohibited in the paleo diet, as they have been found to have negative effects in the gut lining, the immune system, and other aspects of our well-being.

So what is there to substitute them with? You can play around with combinations. Some great examples are: fish and tuna salad with a side of veggies, chicken with vegetables, turkey salad, and all the variants of egg dishes you can think of. The paleo diet promotes a healthy lifestyle, fueled by natural and organic food products that carry no potential side-effects for your health.