I’ve tried many diets, but must admit that paleo was not on my radar. I’m always willing to learn more, so I selected this book to review.
The goal of this diet is to reduce health problems by returning to the foods that our Paleolithic ancestors may have eaten. Fast foods, processed foods, refined grains, and vegetable oils are avoided. Beans and dairy are excluded as well as they can increase inflammation in some people (1). You would not consume most sugars, fruit juice, or any artificial sweeteners.
The authors state that the calories in a paleo diet are balanced in this way: 20 percent carbohydrates, 25 percent protein, and 55 percent fat. This is far more fat and much less carbohydrate than most diets we follow, unless you are on a low carb or keto diet.
After explaining what the paleo diet is, the authors outline the types of ingredients and cooking equipment. Two weeks of plans and shopping lists are given for each of these plans: Getting Started, Weight Loss, and Autoimmune Protocol.
There is a chapter of recipes in each of these categories: Breakfast and smoothies, Vegetables and side dishes, Seafood, Poultry, Beef, pork, and lamb, Snacks and desserts, and Homemade staples. That last chapter has recipes for grain free breads and various sauces.
Most of the recipes include photos. All give these nutrition facts: calories, total fat, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Unfortunately, they are missing sodium and cholesterol, which can be important for some of us.
I prepared Chicken Potpie Soup as I had most of the ingredients on hand. I substituted white potatoes for sweet potatoes. I didn’t agree with the cooking instructions for this recipe, which is pretty unusual for me. The trouble is that they only allowed 10 minutes for the carrots, potatoes, and celery to cook. I know from personal experience that these vegetables take significantly longer to soften. However, by adding them to the soup pot during an earlier step, the problem was solved. The soup was very good and I was surprised by how much we liked coconut milk in this recipe!
Because I feel that the recipe instructions were misleading, I would not recommend The Complete Paleo Cookbook for Beginners for beginning cooks. I know that sounds a bit strange given the title! But it probably is a great book for beginners at the paleo diet or others who want to experiment with new recipes designed to reduce inflammation.
Meal planning is associated with greater food variety and lower obesity rates (2). Let’s continue to explore new recipes to help us maintain our healthy weight.
(1). The Complete Paleo Cookbook for Beginners. Kinsey Jackson, Sally Johnson. 2022.
Maintain Weight Loss 