Is It Paleo?

When most people think of miso, they conjure an imagine of a little bowl of soup served at a Japanese restaurant. Miso soup is probably the most popular way to consume miso, but actually, miso is a paste that is widely used for a variety …

  Is Wheat Germ Paleo? By its very name, wheat germ would seem to preclude a place on a Paleo plate, given its push to avoid wheat and other grains, due to their allergenic and inflammatory effects on the body. However, because wheat germ has very …

I didn’t grow up exposed to a lot of foods that you might consider to be traditionally non-American. (Whatever that means, but you get the idea.) Ghee is certainly such a food. In fact, when I first read about it, I didn’t even know how …

  Is Hummus Paleo? Firstly what is hummus ? That old party bowl standby – is a popular Middle Eastern dip made from cooked, mashed garbanzo beans, tahini (a paste made from ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, salt, and garlic. So, is it Paleo? Its …

Almost anywhere you go in the world, one thing you’re likely to be able to find is beer, but is beer paleo? In fact, that’s one of the beer’s largest draws—it can be fun to try to sample as many exotic varieties and microbrews as …

  Juice was a staple of my childhood. Now, with bills and loans and life in general, I long for the time when my toughest choice during the day was whether to take a purple juice box or an orange one. As I grew older, I …

  For many people, the morning isn’t fueled by the excitement of a great day—it’s fueled by coffee, so a question lingers is coffee Paleo? And when the 3 p.m. blues comes around, guess who’s up for coffee round 2 (or round 5 or 6)? …

  Strangely enough, I grew up in a farming community without eating eggs very much. They were always around, but I saw them as a “grown-up food.” My dad would make beautiful-looking over-medium eggs, and I’d think wow, I can’t wait to graduate to the one, …

Most of us have sampled some sort of oatmeal creation in our lifetime, whether it’s cookies, oatmeal in the morning, or a family recipe for baked oatmeal squares. In fact, many people tout oats as one of the best breakfast foods for you. Should we …

  If you’re anything like most people, you’ll read the title and think, “Oh, monk fruit. That’s great! …What’s a monk fruit?” And is monk fruit paleo? Monk fruit has been a hot topic in the Paleo community recently, as it may have potential as …

Are Coconut Aminos Paleo? Coconut aminos are a savory, salty and a delicious flavor enhancer for a variety of dishes. Coconut aminos are made from raw coconut tree sap and sea salt, then naturally aged. It’s also a fermented product. Used as a substitute for …

Sprouts can come from a variety of foods, including legumes, veggies, grains or nuts. This can be confusing when questioning if sprouts are paleo since a “sprout” can basically come from anything that has a seed. So, is it Paleo? Before you sprinkle those tasty …

Peanut butter, peanut brittle, and just regular old peanuts—these are some snack-time staples. But what exactly is the big hype about these little nuts all about? Many tout the protein and fiber content of peanuts (and legumes in general), but let’s be honest—peanuts are tasty. Since …

  One question some people have asked is if sardines have health benefits, especially linked towards the paleo diet. One of my most vivid memories of elementary school is of sitting in one of our incredibly cramped, 20-person classrooms and eating lunch with friends. They’d …

  What is kefir? Kefir is a type of carbonated dairy product that has been around for a very long time. Evidence shows that people have been fermenting drinks for thousands of years (around 5000 BC for the Babylonians), and kefir is one such drink. …

If there’s one characteristic that most modern diets share, it’s the push for whole grains. Major organizations like the Mayo Clinic and the American Diabetes Association insist that opting for whole grains is a more nutritious, heart-healthy option for managing weight and insulin resistance. However, …

  Ah, those chicken wings. As a staple of the American diet, you can find them nearly everywhere. From restaurants to family get-togethers to big-game Sundays. Health-conscious people are eager to tout the goodness of chicken as an alternative to red meat. As well as …

Pinto, lima, garbanzo, pea, kidney, lentil…no doubt you recognize at least some of these popular names for people’s favorite legumes. But exactly what is it about them that manage to capture everyone’s attention? Many tout the protein and fiber content of legumes as a major …

For many, it’s hard to resist the sweet, crisp crunch of a delicious orange carrot. From carrot sticks to delectable carrot cake. We’ve managed to find quite a few spots to stuff this bright veggie into our lives. Because it’s a vegetable, we can expect it …

You can drink all the wine that you want… But if you’re going to drink it (and I occasionally do), then lets at least be clear about why we’re doing it. This is a drink about which there has been a lot of debate in …

Most of us probably grew up with at least some exposure to honey. Maybe you watched a certain bear in a red shirt take a scoop out of his “hunny pot”. Or perhaps parents and grandparents gave you a spoonful of the liquid gold when …

  There are very few foods that have been as demonized as salt has been over the past 40 years. It’s claimed that salt increases blood pressure, raises your risk of heart disease, and makes a stroke more likely. And those claims are made by the …

The Paleo diet encompasses fresh fruit and vegetables, but what about mushrooms – are mushrooms Paleo? Did you know that mushrooms aren’t plants? In fact, mushrooms and humans are kind of related—we belong to the same genetic kingdom, albeit distantly. However, mushrooms are classified under …

For thousands of years, humans have been collecting milk. Maybe because we knew that drinking our mother’s milk was such a great idea; We figured we’d start gathering it from animals, too. Then we turn it into cheese and butter and we’ve got a whole array …

Almond milk has been around since medieval times. Used as an alternative to cow’s milk, almond milk has been used for cooking, baking, and a straight-up drink. Unlike animal milk, this milk-like drink made from ground almonds contains no lactose or cholesterol. It is helpful …

One of the first important things to remember about soy is that it actually needs some form of preparation before it is safe to eat. For Paleo dieters who base their food-safety standards on whether a food would have been consumed naturally; Soy definitely has …

  If there’s one near-irresistible temptation when watching a movie, it’s to go and grab some popcorn. In the warm months of summer, who can resist the call of corn on the cob at the barbecue? Or perhaps your Thanksgiving meal just can’t go on without …

For years, people have touted the benefits of dark chocolate as a great reason to indulge one’s sweet tooth. And who doesn’t love an excuse to take a few extra squares of the sweet treat? With chocolate being such a pervasive (and delicious) part of modern …

  If you’ve been keeping an eye on food trends over the last few years, you may have noticed that the world of oils has been going through quite the roller coaster in the press. We’ve seen the rise of canola oil as “the world’s healthiest …

When it comes to convenience, it’s tough to beat deli meat. Ham, turkey, salami, prosciutto, roast beef, and dozens of other options are sold in almost every grocery store, and they require no preparation whatsoever to eat. Traditionally, lunches and sandwiches rely heavily on such …

Are Nuts Paleo? Whether it’s trail mix, peanut butter, or chestnuts roasting on an open fire during the chilly time of year, Americans seem to be completely nuts about nuts, however are they paleo? They’re delicious, packed with protein, and are super convenient—you can just …

  Is Edamame Paleo? More importantly, like many people, you hear the word and ask, “Eda-what?” Edamame, which is the Japanese word for “twig bean” (eda=twig, mame=bean), is—you guessed it—a kind of bean. Basically, you can think of edamame as boiled green soybeans. Their healthful …

  When people hear the word “hemp,” the first thing that usually comes to mind has something to do with smoke and a strong smell. But are hemp hearts paleo friendly? But don’t worry! The hemp we’re talking about isn’t the marijuana plant. But rather …

Popcorn is seen by many as a low-calorie way to curb hunger. Especially when eaten plain with no salt or butter. And of course, you just can’t watch a movie without grabbing a bag of the stuff, right? However, a lot of questions have been …

Is Tapioca Paleo? Tapioca is an alternative starch that may or may not belong on the Paleo menu. As a matter of classification, let’s start by defining what tapioca is not: it isn’t a grain, legume or potato. It’s the purified starch of the cassava …

Have you ever tried to do something that you thought would take five minutes; Only to realize two hours later that it would probably take five days to do properly? Well, let’s just say that analyzing flaxseeds in detail would probably take that long. And …

If you go to the dairy section of any grocery store, you’re likely to see rows and rows of yogurt. From Greek, plain, flavored, snack-size, and more—lined up like stout little soldiers waiting to be put into someone’s cart. They come in greens, blues, reds, …

  Until 2013 (when salmon surged ahead), tuna was the second-most popular seafood consumed in the U.S.. And it’s not only in the U.S. that tuna is a favorite, so what’s the deal is tuna paleo or not? If you’ve ever been to a sushi …

Ah, those chicken wings. As a staple of the American diet, you can find them nearly everywhere. From restaurants to family get-togethers to big-game Sundays, but is chicken paleo? Health-conscious people are eager to tout the goodness of chicken. It is an alternative to red …

  One comment I often get from people who are just starting to clean up their diets is that they miss crunchy foods. Things like panko, breadcrumbs, crispy breaded foods are hard not to miss. And it’s true. When you cut out all chips, crackers, …

You’ll find pork rinds (also called chicharrones or cracklings) most often in the snacks section of the store. Cozily nestled somewhere between the decidedly non-Paleo pretzels and potato chips. Their packaging and their shelving might lead you to wonder about their Paleo palatability. But let’s take a …

  Is coffee Paleo? For many people, the morning isn’t fueled by the excitement of a great day—it’s fueled by coffee. And when the 3 p.m. blues comes around, guess who’s up for coffee round 2 (or round 5 or 6)? With coffee houses popping …

Maybe you’ve come across some recipes that call for psyllium. There’s all this talk about its fiber benefit and you might find yourself questioning if psyllium is paleo. Let’s talk about what it is, first. Psyllium is plant-based fiber derived from the seeds of the …

  Maybe this is a silly question, but really – why wouldn’t soy (and, by extension, soy milk) be Paleo? It’s not hard to imagine that soybeans would have been eaten a million years ago, and it’s not that much of a stretch to think about …

  Are Grits and Hominy Paleo? Grits and hominy are the standard American diet’s favorite Southern sidekick, but are Grits not Paleo friendly or are they? Hominy and grits are both made from corn that has been dried and ground; With the germ and hull …

When we chew the fat about eating animal skin; Whether it’s in the form of bacon, salmon skin or roasted chicken skin; It’s important to note what might lead many eager carnivores to shun it. Many media and health advocacy groups have demonized animal skin …

Vinegar has been filling bottles since the Babylonians crafted it from fruits in 5,000 B.C;. Vinegar is created by using a bacterial “starter” that converts ethanol into acetic acid (the primary ingredient). It is the acetic acid, which gives its unique characteristics. Vinegar can be …

  Is Stevia Paleo? Stevia is often considered a low-carb alternative to sugar in foods. A “natural” way to satisfy a sweet tooth. However, questions still linger about whether it’s a Paleo-friendly food. Questions such as, how it might affect blood sugar- or if it should …

Coconut milk has a few misconceptions swirling around the evolutionary foodie-verse about it. Both about what it actually is and about where it’s Paleo-friendly. Many think that it is the liquid in a fresh coconut (that’s actually coconut water). But the milk is a prepared …

For many years, grapefruit has been a staple for people looking to lose weight. It’s satisfying, low in calories, and full of nutrients like vitamins. Known to be extremely acidic, grapefruits contain furanocoumarins that actually keep your stomach from performing some of its regular functions. …

  V8 Juice has been a persistent presence on grocery store shelves since 1948. Regarded by some as a convenient way to “drink your vegetables” when you’re on the go. It’s sometimes questioned as Paleo-friendly due to its nutrient makeup, packaging, and the fact that …

  People have been debating over the health effects of the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas. Sucralose, stevia, and aspartame—for quite a while now. So should you use diet soda as a way to curb not-so-wholesome sugar cravings? Or should you avoid diet soda forever? …

If food were a game of hiding and seek, canola oil would be just about the worst player ever. Canola oil is absolutely everywhere you look. From mayonnaise to nuts to cooked vegetables—canola oil is in just about every food you can imagine. Canola oil …