Paleo: What’s it All About?

by Sean Sortor on

Unless you've been living in a cave (pun intended), you've probably at least heard the word Paleo or heard about the Paleo diet. Essentially, the goal is to eat in a similar way to our ancestors that lived during the Paleolithic period. These are our hunter-gatherer ancestors who, while having a shorter lifespan, had less of the common illnesses we have in the present day such as diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

Paleo Principles

The key principles of the Paleo diet are as follows:

  • Emphasize nutrient-rich, whole foods
  • Consider food quality (organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, and wild)
  • Eliminate refined and processed foods

And these are all principles we stand behind at Pure Plates.

Dietary Restrictions

However, for some, the Paleo diet can be difficult to follow (and sometimes unnecessary) due to its restrictions. For instance, all grains, legumes, and dairy are excluded. The reasoning goes that these foods are inflammatory and contain substances that affect digestion and gut health. In addition, Paleo followers claim these foods were not consumed by our ancestors (although what they really ate is still highly debated).

While it's true that these foods can be reactionary and common culprits of gut related issues, many people can and do tolerate them well. Therefore, unless there is a food allergy or sensitivity or a specific health issue, we don't recommend cutting out whole food groups completely. However, quality matters. For example, grains should be in their whole form as opposed to refined and processed.

One misconception is that the Paleo diet is a low carbohydrate diet. And while some Paleo followers intentionally eat low-carb, this is not an inherent "rule" of the diet. In fact, many people end up unintentionally eating a low amount of carbs because they cut out grains and legumes, but neglect to replace them with alternatives. For example, paleo approved carbs include starchy vegetables such sweet potatoes, winter squash, plantains, yucca, and taro.

Pure Plates Meals are Paleo Friendly

At Pure Plates, we use the highest quality ingredients to meet the Paleo standards. Our meals are 100% gluten-free, and we never use processed and refined oils or sugar. Our produce is mostly organic and our meats are thoughtfully sourced. In addition, all of our meals are made fresh and cooked the same way you would in your own kitchen.

However, as we've said in previous posts, we don't believe in a one size fits all approach to healthy eating. Therefore, we have a variety of meals and snacks to satisfy Paleo and non-Paleo followers alike. This means some of our meals contain whole grains and legumes and some do not.

But, most importantly, all of our meals are super nutritious and absolutely delicious!