35 Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes {GF, DF, Refined Sugar Free} (2024)

FAQs

Is paleo gluten-free and sugar free? ›

First of all, anything that is Paleo is automatically gluten-free as well. The Paleo diet excludes gluten and other grains (like oats, rice and corn), legumes (like soy, peanuts and beans), dairy, refined oils (like canola, soybean, cottonseed) and sugars.

Gluten-Free focuses on whether a food contains gluten, where Paleo focuses on whether a food has been eaten by our ancestors for a long time. Paleo advocates for the elimination of grains, legumes, dairy, processed sugar, and seed oils. For a more detailed list, you can download our Paleo diet food list here.

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.

The typical paleo diet focuses on naturally raised meat and fish, as well as vegetables and fruits. It promotes avoiding dairy products and grains. This diet can put you at risk for deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D, which are critical to bone health.

Paleo-Friendly Sweeteners

Raw honey might have been most prevalent to cavemen so this would be approved if you're going the paleo route! Maple syrup and molasses are also paleo. Maple syrup, in its purest form without any additives, is a naturally occurring sugar extracted from maple trees.

So, is popcorn paleo? Sadly, no. Most paleo followers, don't consider it part of their diet. “Because of its grain status, it's not typically included in a paleo diet," says Kelsey Kinney, RD, "as the eating style eliminates all cereal grains."

First, know that paleo is an anti-inflammatory diet that aims to remove sugar, legumes, most dairy, grains, and refined vegetable oils like corn and soy oil. Essentially, paleo sets out to eliminate processed, so-called modern foods from our diets.

While we have said in the past that coffee is not Paleo, we have changed our position based on new research and now we believe that coffee is fine for most people. It boasts numerous health benefits, like longevity, mental performance, and a healthy gut, and it could be beneficial for many.

A paleo diet is an eating plan based on foods humans might have eaten during the Paleolithic Era. The Paleolithic Era dates from around 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. A modern paleo diet includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds.

What carbs can I eat on paleo? ›

They are in fact Paleo, are a completely natural food, and provide a number of valuable nutrients, but they are higher in sugar than some other fruits. Still, they're definitely a much better option for satisfying your sweet tooth than say packaged, refined sugary snacks or enriched/bleached grain products are.

The diet excludes cereal grains, legumes, dairy, processed oils, refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and trans fats. Some paleo-friendly foods include lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

The paleo diet discourages the consumption of certain foods, including: Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup: soft drinks, fruit juices, table sugar, candy, pastries, ice cream, and many others.

The paleo diet has been shown to help people with diabetes keep their blood sugars in check while lowering their blood pressure and cholesterol levels to boot. A study at the University of California San Francisco saw better blood sugar and blood pressure changes in a group of people who followed a paleo diet.

The Paleo diet includes nutrient-dense whole fresh foods and encourages participants to steer away from highly processed foods containing added salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.

The main difference between "Gluten-Free" and "Sugar-Free" lies in the ingredients they target. "Gluten-Free" focuses on the elimination or reduction of gluten in food and beverages, while "Sugar-Free" focuses on the elimination or reduction of sugar.