Paleo Challenge Food List
If you search online you will find Paleo lists that exclude some of the foods we have made exceptions for. For example, the Cordain version of the Paleo diet doesn’t allow you to eat the skin off the chicken, which doesn’t make much sense to me because I doubt 40,000 years ago they were stripping their meat of the skin for a leaner option. Robb Wolfe has his own athletic/crossfit version of the Paleo diet that most crossfitters follow. If you are looking to do some reading today, go to http://robbwolf.com.
On Robb Wolf’s version of the Paleo diet, the following foods are allowed: sweet potatoes, bacon, vinegar, deli meat, whey protein, tofu, honey, red wine and tequila. Why are these things expectable? Well, because we want to make this realistic for most of you. You are all athletes and need more food and energy than the average person. Sweet potatoes are a great recovery food and help satisfy your craving for something sweet. Bacon has a ton of fat, but it will keep you full and give you energy. Vinegar, though very acidic, is essential to many recipes including salad dressings, and it is a natural substance. Deli meat isn’t encouraged, because it is loaded with salt and certain kinds are processed, but it is a quick and easy dense form of protein that will help you stay on track. Protein powder is a great dense source of protein and great for post workout. Tofu also acts as a dense protein, because of the way it is extracted from the soybeans. Honey is a natural form of sugar that is great for cooking paleo recipes. Finally red wine and tequila have been around forever and are not grain products; they are not necessarily healthy for you, but they won’t set you back dramatically either.
Strict Paleo Challenge 101
Food Choices:
Do not eat dairy! This includes butter, cheese (hard and soft), yogurt (even Greek) and milk (including cream in your coffee or tea).
Do not eat grains! This includes bread, rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, corn and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa and sprouted grains.
Do not eat legumes! This includes beans of all kinds (soy, black, kidney, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts. (No peanut butter, kids.)
Do not eat or add sugar! Of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc.
Do not eat processed foods! This includes processed bars (like Zone bars), dairy-free creamers, etc.
Do not drink alcohol, in any form!
Do not eat white potatoes! Sweet potatoes and yams are a more nutrient-dense option, so go for those instead.
Encouraged Foods:
Lean Meats – Chicken, Fish, seafood, buffalo and venison.
Vegetables -vary the type of veggies
Fruit – preferably Low Sugar fruits.
Nuts. Walnuts, cashews, almonds.
Oils. Olive, Canola, and coconut oil.
Food in Moderation:
Processed Meat. On occasion, we are okay with organic chicken sausage (these are nitrate, dairy, gluten and casein-free), and high quality bacon, deli meat, and jerky.
Dried Fruit. In general, careful with the fruit. Use dried fruit and Larabars in serious moderation, and only if it doesn’t send you running for the nearest candy dish.
Non-"Paleo" Vegetables. We’re fine with green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas. While they’re technically a legume, they’re far more "pod" than "bean", and we want you to eat your veggies.
Coffee and black tea. We’re okay with coffee (black, or with a little coconut milk) in moderation, and only if it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Usually, that means none after noon. If you really want to go hardcore and reset your body’s sensitivity to caffeine, skip the coffee/tea as well.
Vinegar. While it’s technically not "Paleo", we’re fine with using it in small quantities as a salad dressing or in salsa.
Salt. While some "approved" foods like olives or bacon will have some salt in them, go easy when adding salt to your food.
Some experts urge that a slightly less strict, slightly more modest form of the Paleo diet should be followed for optimal health. It is up to you as an individual to choose first if you should – and then how to – implement the Paleo diet / Paleo Challenge in your own life.
If you search online you will find Paleo lists that exclude some of the foods we have made exceptions for. For example, the Cordain version of the Paleo diet doesn’t allow you to eat the skin off the chicken, which doesn’t make much sense to me because I doubt 40,000 years ago they were stripping their meat of the skin for a leaner option. Robb Wolfe has his own athletic/crossfit version of the Paleo diet that most crossfitters follow. If you are looking to do some reading today, go to http://robbwolf.com.
On Robb Wolf’s version of the Paleo diet, the following foods are allowed: sweet potatoes, bacon, vinegar, deli meat, whey protein, tofu, honey, red wine and tequila. Why are these things expectable? Well, because we want to make this realistic for most of you. You are all athletes and need more food and energy than the average person. Sweet potatoes are a great recovery food and help satisfy your craving for something sweet. Bacon has a ton of fat, but it will keep you full and give you energy. Vinegar, though very acidic, is essential to many recipes including salad dressings, and it is a natural substance. Deli meat isn’t encouraged, because it is loaded with salt and certain kinds are processed, but it is a quick and easy dense form of protein that will help you stay on track. Protein powder is a great dense source of protein and great for post workout. Tofu also acts as a dense protein, because of the way it is extracted from the soybeans. Honey is a natural form of sugar that is great for cooking paleo recipes. Finally red wine and tequila have been around forever and are not grain products; they are not necessarily healthy for you, but they won’t set you back dramatically either.
Strict Paleo Challenge 101
Food Choices:
Do not eat dairy! This includes butter, cheese (hard and soft), yogurt (even Greek) and milk (including cream in your coffee or tea).
Do not eat grains! This includes bread, rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, corn and all of those gluten-free pseudo-grains like quinoa and sprouted grains.
Do not eat legumes! This includes beans of all kinds (soy, black, kidney, etc.), peas, lentils, and peanuts. (No peanut butter, kids.)
Do not eat or add sugar! Of any kind, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, stevia, etc.
Do not eat processed foods! This includes processed bars (like Zone bars), dairy-free creamers, etc.
Do not drink alcohol, in any form!
Do not eat white potatoes! Sweet potatoes and yams are a more nutrient-dense option, so go for those instead.
Encouraged Foods:
Lean Meats – Chicken, Fish, seafood, buffalo and venison.
Vegetables -vary the type of veggies
Fruit – preferably Low Sugar fruits.
Nuts. Walnuts, cashews, almonds.
Oils. Olive, Canola, and coconut oil.
Food in Moderation:
Processed Meat. On occasion, we are okay with organic chicken sausage (these are nitrate, dairy, gluten and casein-free), and high quality bacon, deli meat, and jerky.
Dried Fruit. In general, careful with the fruit. Use dried fruit and Larabars in serious moderation, and only if it doesn’t send you running for the nearest candy dish.
Non-"Paleo" Vegetables. We’re fine with green beans, sugar snap peas and snow peas. While they’re technically a legume, they’re far more "pod" than "bean", and we want you to eat your veggies.
Coffee and black tea. We’re okay with coffee (black, or with a little coconut milk) in moderation, and only if it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Usually, that means none after noon. If you really want to go hardcore and reset your body’s sensitivity to caffeine, skip the coffee/tea as well.
Vinegar. While it’s technically not "Paleo", we’re fine with using it in small quantities as a salad dressing or in salsa.
Salt. While some "approved" foods like olives or bacon will have some salt in them, go easy when adding salt to your food.
Some experts urge that a slightly less strict, slightly more modest form of the Paleo diet should be followed for optimal health. It is up to you as an individual to choose first if you should – and then how to – implement the Paleo diet / Paleo Challenge in your own life.