Paleo why no grains

Paleo critics say these compounds are not a problem unless you have an allergy or sensitivity. Learn more about the science behind lectins.

Legumes are members of a large family of plants that have a seed or pod. This category includes all beans , peas , lentils , tofu and other soy foods , and peanuts.

This also includes peanut butter and soy sauce. Legumes are not allowed on paleo because of their high content of lectins and phytic acid. Similar to grains, this is a point of controversy in the scientific community.

In fact, lots of research supports eating legumes as part of a healthy diet because they are low in fat and high in fiber, protein and iron.

Processed foods are full of the rest of the no-no's on the paleo diet: refined sugars, salt, refined vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners. Our ancestors didn't eat these foods. Plus, there is little argument in the scientific community that refined sugars and excess salt contribute to obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease.

There is some disagreement, however, over vegetable oils and artificial sweeteners. The American Heart Association recommends consuming corn, safflower and canola oils, but paleo plans say these are "not allowed" because of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids and the way the oils are processed.

The U. Food and Drug Administration FDA condones artificial sweeteners as safe to consume, but they are not allowed on paleo since they are a man-made, processed food.

Plus, although artificial sweeteners lower calories in food, research shows they can still cause us to crave sweets and that they can be harmful to our gut bacteria. A strict paleo diet does not allow dairy products because hunter-gatherers did not milk cows. This includes milk, butter, yogurt, sour cream, and cheese. However, some paleo dieters say dairy is OK, especially if it is grass-fed because grass-fed butter, for example, has more omega-3s. Fermented dairy products like kefir are also OK for some paleo eaters because they have a lower content of lactose and casein, the two concerns paleo dieters have with dairy.

If you prefer to avoid dairy on the paleo diet, you can substitute non-dairy products made with coconut milk, almond milk, and cashew milk.

This is a gray area. Sugary fruits and starchy vegetables potatoes, squash, beets can spike your blood sugar more than berries and spinach. That's why these are OK in moderation and are best to minimize if you are trying to lose weight, according to paleo experts.

Alcohol is a no-no if you are strict paleo. Beer is made from grains, and liquor also contains traces of gluten. Thus, by eliminating grains from a diet, like you do going Paleo, most of these problems more often than not. Researchers started showing everyone that the plant structure of grains included a part on them called lectin proteins.

These lectins include gluten, but there are other lectins in food. What lectins do is cause inflammation in the digestive tract. Once you have a leaky gut, you get everything you ate flowing out through the small holes in the digestive tract into your blood circulation where they get deposited in different organs and cause health issues.

In the second place, your immune system treats these food particles as something to attack and destroy and you end up with an autoimmune disease if it continues. The antidote is more green vegetables, found in copious amounts on the Paleo Diet.

Remember, any food that causes an inflammatory response in the GI tract is a culprit in leaky gut syndrome, allergies, and autoimmune disorders. Like grains, dairy products can cause an inflammatory response in people. Besides the inflammatory response, a big percentage of people in the world are lactose intolerant while others are allergic to the milk proteins casein or lactalbumin. Casein in milk varies depending on the cow. The casein in the milk of Friesians and Holstein cows is called an A1 beta-casein, which can be metabolized to produce a chemical that is linked to digestive problems, pains in the joints, and possibly leaky gut syndrome.

Allergy reactions from dairy are associated with inflammation, and it takes four days to clear the system of any food-related allergy reaction. Dairy is still a perfect food for babies and contains protein, fat, and carbohydrate in good proportions. However, it does still cause an insulin reaction even though it does not raise blood sugar much. The dairy industry has taken whole milk and decided to strip it of its fat, but that fat may be what keeps us healthy.

In fact, some researchers are saying that whole milk protects against cancer of the colon and rectum. Skim milk and low-fat consumption are tied to prostate cancer 1. Most cultures that drank milk products fermented it to kefir or yogurt, which provide the gut with helpful and healing bacteria. This cuts down on the amount of lactose in the milk so many can handle it. For every synthetic chemical insecticide used in farming practices today, there is at least one species of insect that has developed a resistance to it.

Say hello to disulfoton Di-syston , methyl parathion, chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, diamba, and glyphosate , the chemical pesticides and fertilizers that are approved and considered safe for human consumption. Some farmers apply cyocel to wheat, a synthetic hormone that regulates growth, time of germination and stalk strength. Next are chlorpyrifos-methyl, cy-fluthrin, malathion and pyrethrins.

These are sprayed into storage bins and added while the bin is filled. In the standard threshold test, one live insect per quart of sample calls for fumigation. Organophosphates create the same action as nerve gases such as sarin, and are one of the most widely used classes of pesticides in the U. They inhibit cholinesterase, an enzyme in the human nervous system that breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which carries signals between nerves and muscles.

When cholinesterase is inactivated, acetylcholine builds up in the nerves. A study published in the journal Pediatrics showed that legally permissible amounts of organophospates have extraordinary effects on brain chemistry. The findings concluded that children with above-average pesticide exposures are 2x more likely to have ADHD, 8 indicating the build-up of acetycholine in the nerves that causes over-activity. Spelt, kamut and other related ancient grains contain gluten, but some people who claim to be gluten sensitive can eat them without having digestive problems.

For the increasing population of celiac sufferers, even minute traces of gluten can cause terrible discomfort, but symptoms of gluten sensitivity are generally much milder and health minded individuals who are honing their diet are turning to gluten-free products.

Increasing numbers of scientists and medical professionals are beginning to make the connection between modern wheat and chronic digestive and inflammatory illnesses. Phytates — Phytates, also found in lesser quantities in nuts and seeds, are not inherently damaging, but they do bind to dietary minerals and prevent their absorption.

To help break down phytates, you can soak food in yogurt, buttermilk, or water combined with lemon juice or vinegar. Gluten — Gluten is a protein which enables bread to rise by forming gas cells that hold carbon dioxide during fermentation. Lectins — Lectins are so small and hard to digest that they tend to bio-accumulate in your body.

They damage the gut lining which leads to leaky gut and other disorders. The Paleo eating protocol revolves around whole foods including meat and plants, but not industrialized plants such as wheat and other grains. In some countries, whole wheat products contain nothing more than white flour with some bran added back in. Replace grain flour — Use almond or coconut flour.

There are hundreds of online recipes using these flours. Soak and sprout nuts and seeds and grind into flour — Nuts and seeds contain enzyme inhibitors that stop them from sprouting too early. To soak: Soaking releases the enzyme inhibitors so they help us digest these foods.

It also neutralizes phytic acid, a component of plant fiber in grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that reduces mineral absorption. Make your own sprouted granola — Soak almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, and chia seeds in water for 8 hours then set them out for a day on a paper towel.

Manheimer EW, et al. Paleolithic nutrition for metabolic syndrome: Systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Beals KA. Is a paleolithic diet the key to achieving optimal health and athletic performance? Wang C, et al. Macro-process of past plant subsistence from the Upper Paleolithic to Middle Neolithic in China: A quantitative analysis of multi-archaeobotanical data.

Plos One. Dietary guidelines for Americans, Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed May 28, See also Mediterranean diet Butter or margarine: Which is healthier? Butter vs. Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health? Gluten sensitivity and psoriasis: What's the connection? Gluten-free diet Glycemic index diet Gout diet: What's allowed, what's not Grocery store secret: Shop the perimeter Slide show: Heart-healthy eating after acute coronary syndrome How plant-based food helps fight cancer Improve brain health with the MIND diet Intermittent fasting Is gluten-free a healthy way to eat?

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