Don’t Make These Common Mistakes When Going Paleo

3. Going Baked Goods-Crazy (Even If They’re Paleo-Approved)

A quick search on Pinterest reveals hundreds of “paleo-friendly” desserts. But, as Swanhart points out, “Just because you can make a paleo sweet treat doesn’t mean you should eat a cup of maple syrup.” Grains and refined sugar are not allowed on a paleo diet, but coconut sugar, maple, honey, and flour made from nuts is allowed—in moderation. Those adhering to a paleo diet should attempt to minimize foods that drastically change the structure of the ingredients (so, eat fresh coconut with abandon—limit coconut that’s been dried and pulverized into a flour).

4. Ignoring Ingredient Quality

Both Tam and Swanhart rate the quality of the ingredients they buy as more important than making sure everything is 100% approved by the “paleo police.” The farmers’ market is a good starting point. “You can meet the farmer who grows your vegetables or raises your meat,” she says. “It’s not just buying a package of bacon sitting in the supermarket.” Bacon’s a perfect example of the varying degrees in quality: Salt and a little bit of sugar are necessary for curing, but pass on pork that has an ingredient label that reads like a science experiment (words like “sodium ascorbate” or “phosphates” are your clue).

5. Fudging Your Nutritional Needs

“Since you won’t be getting protein from grains, beans, and dairy on a paleo plan, you’ll need to boost portions of meat or its equivalent as well as other paleo-friendly protein-packed foods,” explains Newgent. “Paleo diet followers may need to eat eight to nine ounces of meat or its equivalent per day.” Additionally, a paleo diet makes it challenging to get adequate vitamin D, calcium, and folate—these are all nutrients and vitamins found in grains, beans, legumes, and dairy—all paleo don’ts. “Any time a diet suggests eliminating healthful food categories, such as grains and beans, it’s absolutely a nutritional red flag!” she warns, and advises all those considering a paleo diet to meet with a registered dietician nutritionist to make themselves aware of the risks, and personalize a plan that meets their needs.

6. And One “Misconception”: Getting Hung Up on that Whole Caveman Thing

Most paleo bloggers and authors roll their eyes at any mention of the words “caveman” or “ancestral.” “I’m not sleeping in the woods and killing my own food,” says Tam. “It’s more helpful to think about how your great-grandmother ate than how a caveman behaved. She was probably eating minimally-processed foods, sleeping well, and didn’t have screen time.” Ultimately, the paleo diet (and lifestyle) aims for fewer chemicals and preservatives, and less technology. The fact that Barney Rubble would be down with your food choices is mere coincidence. “The caveman is really just a mascot,” says Tam. Although people have been eating paleo since, um, the stone age, the diet got a boost in popularity around 2002, when Dr. Loren Cordain wrote The Paleo Diet, a book aimed at helping Americans “lose weight and get healthy by eating the foods [they] were designed to eat.” Is it a miracle cure? Definitely not. Is it a healthy fit for some dieters? Certainly, when done right. Can it taste good? Glad you asked…

Source: bonappetit.com