One of my favorite paleo/primal eating books is: NeanderThin: Eat Like a Caveman to Achieve a Lean, Strong, Healthy Body by Ray Audette.
In Neanderthin you can find the Ten Commandments of Eating Like A Caveman. They are…
Thou Shalt Eat:
- Meats and Fish
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts and Seeds
- Berries
Thou Shalt Not Eat:
- Grains
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Dairy
- Sugar
If you want a few ideas of what to eat and what to avoid, I’m going to list a few options from each of the “commandments.”
Meat and Fish:
Beef, veal, lamb, pork, venison, chicken, turkey, ostrich, duck, pheasant, quail, rabbit, buffalo, moose, elk, seal, bear, squid, octopus, goose, oysters, clams, mussels, lobster, crayfish, hlibut, cod, salmon, eel, trout, bass, carp, sardines, tuna, whitefish, orange roughie, all other wild fish
Fruits:
Apples, cherries, pears, peaches, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, bananas, avocados, plums, olives, figs, dates, mangoes, kiwi, star fruit, pineapple, plums, pomegranates, passion fruit, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges, lemons, limes, tangerines, tangelos, citrons, nectarines, papaya.
(Note: If you’re eating paleo-style to lose weight, minimize your fruit intake)
Vegetables:
Lettuce, cabbage, kohlrabi, kale, rhubarb, cauliflower, flowers, broccoli, asparagus, parsley, spinach, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms, greens, tea leaves, radish, arugula, leek,endive, dandelion, brussels sprouts, artichoke, mint, basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, fennel, onions, garlic, shallots, bay leaves, cloves, saffron, and any other part of a plant that is edible raw.
(Here are some of my favorites: http://woldfitness.com/2011/06/8-salad-boosting-greens/)
Nuts and Seeds:
Almonds, walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, acorns, hickory, filberts, macadamia, flax, sesame, poppy, coriander, celery, anise, caraway, chervil, cumin, dill, fennel, mustard, and any others that are edible raw.
(Note: Peanuts and cashews aren’t on the list!)
Berries:
Grapes, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, acai, boysenberries, strawberries, currants, and any others that are edible raw.
And now the FORBIDDEN FOODS, bwahahahaha!
Grains:
Corn, wheat, barley, rye, rice, oats, millet, and all products made from them.
(For more about the problems with wheat, check out:
How To Make Paper Mache In Your Gut)
Beans:
All varieties of hard beans, lima beans, green beans, wax beans, peas, peanuts, chocolate, soy, fava beans, and all products made from them.
(More on soy: Soy, My Nipples, And Your Health)
Potatoes:
All varieties of potatoes and yams, beets, taro, cassava (tapioca), turnips, and all products made from them.
Dairy:
Milk, cheese, yogurt, whey, butter, and all products made from them.
Sugar:
Fructose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, corn syrup, molasses, and all products made from them.
(For further reading: 99 Ways Sugar Is Poisoning You)
I hope these lists get you started thinking in some new directions next time you hit the grocery store or farmer’s market!
Neanderthin is out of print, but you might be able to find a copy on Amazon: