In my opinion as a scientist who is big on 'natural food', Dr. Berardi's system is scientifically sound. He is at the forefront of applied nutritional science and unlike most 'gurus' he pays attention
to the psychological aspects of nutrition. Follow the FREE tips here, and you will:

* enjoy every meal
* lose excess body fat (while possibly eating more!)
* never go hungry again
* build lean tissue
* repair a damaged metabolism, and make it faster!
* improve your nutritional status
* improve your health
* control bodyfat levels forever

I've let myself get out of shape over the past few years, but I am dropping the fat very fast using Berardi's Precision Nutrition system.



Berardi and his associates have also released Gourmet Nutrition :The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover, which is 288 pages of full-color, beautiful satin gloss paper printed by a state-of-the-art printing press, and there are over 100 recipes. The dishes are so tasty that its hard to believe that one can lose fat on them.

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Check out the great results I got in only 21 days



Day 0 - 125kg/275lbs!!!
The photo that snapped me back to reality!

Day 21 - 117kg / 257.4lbs

Not bad progress. Not lean by any measure, but not
bad.

All in all, not bad for 21 days! 8 kilograms lost, and it looks like its virtually all fat. I did minimal exercise, concentrating on getting into the swing of proper eating. I did 20-30 minutes of weight training twice a week (complex movements - no 'beach work' yet) and also 20 min of cardio (moderately intense) twice a week. Now, anyone can achieve similar results. The more you have to lose, the quicker it will come off.

Check out this post on my blog for full details.

Tip #1

Eat Pasta... Carefully

by Dr. John Berardi

As a God-fearing Italian, I have to admit that I love pasta.
But, as a gut-fearing weight lifter and athlete, I definitely have to
choose the lower GI, nutrient dense whole-wheat variety. During
training phases that require or allow for higher carbohydrate intake
(higher volume training) I'll eat one whole-wheat pasta meal per day.
During other phases (like where I'm trying to lose fat), the pasta
stays on the shelf in favor of a higher lean protein, good fat, and
fruit and veggie intake.

Tip #2

The Sunday Ritual

by Dr. John Berardi

To ensure that good foods will be available when you need
them, use the Sunday Ritual. This is performed by setting aside three
hours every Sunday to write out your menu for the week, shop for the
week, and prepare your meals for the week. Cook all the meat, chop all
the vegetables, measure out all the yogurt and/or cottage cheese, and
distribute all the powders. Have them ready and set aside so that you
can grab them in the morning and bring them with you regardless of what
your day holds in store for you.



Tip #3

Fish Oil Rules

by Dr. John Berardi

I consider fish oil to be an essential supplement for fat
loss. Data from the University of Western Ontario shows that fish oil
supplementation increases lean body mass (during non-dieting
conditions), increases BMR (by up to 400kcal/day), decreases
inflammation, and improves the ratio of fat/carb oxidized (sparing
carbs, burning fat). Recommended dose: Start with 6-10g per day of
total fish oil (assuming 30% EPA and DHA).



Tip #4

Revving Up Metabolism

by Dr. John Berardi

I recommend more calories than most do. That's because there's
no such thing as a stagnant metabolic set-point. Instead, metabolism
chases intake. So, if you want a bigger metabolism, you need a bigger
food intake. And if you're worried about fat gain with this approach,
just use outcome-based decision making and adjust energy (calorie)
intake every two weeks based on your results. Not much 'damage' can
take place in only two weeks. So if you end up boosting your
metabolism, you'll be thanking me eternally. And if it turns out you're
consuming too much, you can just adjust down.



Tip #5

The 10% Factor

by Dr. John Berardi

If some people eat one food not on their plan, their failure
to be perfect sets in motion a psychological chain of events that leads
to frustration and the inability to get right back on the plan. The
all-or-nothing mentality sets in and BAM, they're back to nothing. But
it doesn't have to be this way. 100% nutritional discipline is never
required for optimal progress. The difference, in results, between 90%
adherence to your nutrition program and 100% adherence is negligible.
So allow yourself the extra 10% wiggle room. This will allow you the
freedom to eat a few extra things not on your menu without the guilt
and subsequent crash.

Tip #6

The Organic Debate

by Dr. John Berardi

The average person should consume two pieces of fruit and
three servings of vegetables per day as a minimum. Athletes probably
need even more - I recommend 10-15 servings per day for each of my
athletes. Expert often spend too much time arguing about organic vs.
regular fruits and veggies. I agree that raw, organic fruits and
vegetables are best since they have a higher micronutrient count, but
any fruits and veggies are better than none! Get sufficient fruits and
vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they're organic
or not. Once you've done that, worry on.

Tip #7

Eat Fat, Lose Fat

by Dr. John Berardi

To lose fat, sometimes you have to eat fat. Monounsaturated
fats and certain polyunsaturates actually speed up the metabolic rate.
Lipid researchers believe that the best of the fat burning bunch are
the highly unsaturated omega 3s called EPA and DHA. A diet supplemented
with omega 3-rich fish oil promotes losses of body fat with
simultaneous gains in lean mass.

Tip #8

Fiber Facts

by Dr. John Berardi

Shoot for about 40-50g of mixed fiber per day, but no more.
The absolute lower limit is 20g per day. Your main fiber sources should
be (in order of importance): vegetables, beans, nuts, fruit, and grains
(like oatmeal). If you eat 1 oz of mixed nuts, 1 apple, 2 cups of
kidney beans, and 2 cups of mixed vegetables each day, you'll be
getting 41g of fiber. Also, a small amount of supplemental fiber is
okay. You can get soluble fiber from psyllium, guar gum, and apple
pectin, and insoluble fiber from flax seeds.

Tip #9

Mood Eating

by Dr. John Berardi

Most people eat based on their mood and/or some subjective
feelings of hunger. They don't eat based on what their bodies need.
Think of it this way: you're about to take a long drive on a stretch of
highway with no gas station. Do you fail to stop for gas before you hit
the road because you're 'not in the mood?' Of course not. Think of
eating in the same way. Eating fuels your metabolic engine. So it's
time to start feeling like eating so that you can stop feeling like
you're scrawny.

Tip #10

ZMA for Deep Sleep

by Dr. John Berardi

ZMA is useful for improving the quality of your sleep. For me,
ZMA tends not to induce sleep as much as deepen it. Expect your dreams
to be extremely vivid! My athletes, when traveling, or when under heavy
training loads, usually included 2-3 ZMA capsules before bed.

Tip #11

Why Choose Oats

by Dr. John Berardi

If you're looking to gain mass and have a good carbohydrate
tolerance, place a bowl of fiber-rich, low-GI rolled oats along with
½ scoop of vanilla protein powder, frozen mixed berries,
pineapple and a small quantity of mixed nuts right next to your omelet.
This is a muscle building breakfast that's hard to beat. I place this
bowl right next to my omelet for a breakfast that's hard to beat.

However, if you tend to hold a lot of body fat, just stick
with protein, good fats, and veggies for breakfast. Save the non-fruit
and veggie carbs till after exercise only - yes, even oatmeal.

Tip #12

Skip the Cheat Meal, Fatty

by Dr. John Berardi

Cheat meal frequency should be minimized when you're over
15-20% body fat. Basically, the fatter you are, the more likely that
any excess food will be shuttled toward body-fat storage rather than
muscle mass. So skip the cheat meal unless you're lean. And even then,
think of it as an alternative food meal - not a cheat. Cheat meals are
usually glorified forms of dietary debauchery. Alternative food meals
allow for something a little different from the norm without the
trough. 

Tip #13

Unhealthy 'Health Foods'

by Dr. John Berardi

Products that claim to be 'Cholesterol Free' and 'Low in
Saturated Fat' often have the most trans-fatty acids. Unfortunately
these are the products that most of the public thinks are 'healthy.'
Remember, trans fats have absolutely no place in the diet! They're the
only type of fat highly associated with very negative health outcomes.

Tip #14

Protein for Fat Burning

by Dr. John Berardi

Protein is by far the most thermogenic of the macronutrients
(protein, carbohydrate, and fat). Due to the high metabolic costs of
processing it, protein provides fewer storable kcal. The thermic effect
of a mixed meal is about 10% of intake, while the thermic effect of
protein per se is more like 25-30%. That could mean reving up your
metabolism by 200 kcal just from your 200-gram (800 kcal) protein
intake.

SEE ALSO:

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best
nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing
system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online
membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you
need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

Tip #11

Why Choose Oats

by Dr. John Berardi

If you're looking to gain mass and have a good carbohydrate
tolerance, place a bowl of fiber-rich, low-GI rolled oats along with
½ scoop of vanilla protein powder, frozen mixed berries,
pineapple and a small quantity of mixed nuts right next to your omelet.
This is a muscle building breakfast that's hard to beat. I place this
bowl right next to my omelet for a breakfast that's hard to beat.

However, if you tend to hold a lot of body fat, just stick
with protein, good fats, and veggies for breakfast. Save the non-fruit
and veggie carbs till after exercise only - yes, even oatmeal.

Tip #12

Skip the Cheat Meal, Fatty

by Dr. John Berardi

Cheat meal frequency should be minimized when you're over
15-20% body fat. Basically, the fatter you are, the more likely that
any excess food will be shuttled toward body-fat storage rather than
muscle mass. So skip the cheat meal unless you're lean. And even then,
think of it as an alternative food meal - not a cheat. Cheat meals are
usually glorified forms of dietary debauchery. Alternative food meals
allow for something a little different from the norm without the trough.

Tip #13

Unhealthy 'Health Foods'

by Dr. John Berardi

Products that claim to be 'Cholesterol Free' and 'Low in
Saturated Fat' often have the most trans-fatty acids. Unfortunately
these are the products that most of the public thinks are 'healthy.'
Remember, trans fats have absolutely no place in the diet! They're the
only type of fat highly associated with very negative health outcomes.

Tip #14

Protein for Fat Burning

by Dr. John Berardi

Protein is by far the most thermogenic of the macronutrients
(protein, carbohydrate, and fat). Due to the high metabolic costs of
processing it, protein provides fewer storable kcal. The thermic effect
of a mixed meal is about 10% of intake, while the thermic effect of
protein per se is more like 25-30%. That could mean reving up your
metabolism by 200 kcal just from your 200-gram (800 kcal) protein
intake.

Tip #15

Good Fats

by Dr. John Berardi

On average, most people should ensure that 25-35% of their
energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally
between saturates (animal fat), monounsaturates (olive oil, avocados,
etc), and polyunsaturates (flax oil, salmon oil, etc.). Your total fat
in the diet may vary but make sure you're getting about 1/3 of each
type for the best fat balance.

Tip #16

Don't Displace, Dummy!

by Dr. John Berardi

There's a big difference between a healthy diet to which
treats are occasionally added and an 'all-treat diet.' In the former,
unhealthy foods are consumed rarely and in addition to healthy foods.
In the latter, unhealthy foods are consumed often and instead of
healthy foods. This is called 'food displacement' and must be avoided
if optimal body composition and health are your goals. Don't displace
nutrient dense food with empty calories!

Tip #17

The Ratio Diet

by Dr. John Berardi



Want to improve body composition, increase the ratio of fat lost to
muscle lost during a diet, improve blood lipids (cholesterol and
triglycerides), prevent wild fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin,
and improve satiety when on a diet? Well, you're not alone. In fact, Dr
Layman and colleagues at the University of Illinois are also interested
in helping you accomplish these goals.

In their recent studies, they have demonstrated a myriad of
benefits associated with reducing the ratio of carbohydrate to protein
in the diet from 3.5g of carbohydrate to every 1g of protein to 1.4g of
carbohydrate to every 1g of protein. What does this mean in terms of
food intake? Well, check out this handy little chart.

kcal/day Fat grams* Carbohydrate grams Protein grams



4500 kcal 150g 450g 338g

3500 kcal 117g 350g 263g

2500 kcal 83g 250g 188g

1500 kcal 50g 150g 113g

*These numbers assume a diet that contains 30% fat.

Tip
#18

Protein/Carbs Before Exercise To Burn Fat?

by Dr. John Berardi

While nearly everyone nowadays knows that pre, during, and
post exercise nutritional intake is critical for improving protein
status and glycogen synthesis, most people fear that the ingestion of
protein and carbohydrates during these times will decrease fat
oxidation (burning).

Well, put simply, they're wrong (sticking out tongue).

Studies have demonstrated that even in the presence of a
relatively high carbohydrate intake (and large insulin response), the
addition of protein to a carbohydrate meal can increase fat burning
during exercise.

So it looks like a well-designed pre, during, and post
exercise intake will not only improve protein status and glycogen
resynthesis but it may actually increase fat burning. Bigger and
leaner? Say it ain't so.

Tip #19

How To Manage Your Macronutrients

by Dr. John Berardi

Are you more likely to be able to decipher ancient Greek texts
than figure out how to construct a diet containing 30% protein, 50%
carbohydrate, and 20% fat? Well then check out the following resources.

1- www.nal.usda.gov/fnic is the National Agriculture Library's
Food and Nutrition Information Center. Here you can find basic
information on dietary supplements, an advanced food composition
database, information about the food guide, and a listing of
interesting resources about special needs, food allergies, etc.

2- www.nutritiondata.com is a fantastic resource and although
it uses the food database above, may actually offer a better
presentation of the food composition data. It doesn't offer the other
information, though.

3- www.fitday.com is another great food composition site that
offers much more including online diet and fitness journals.

4- www.calorieking.com offers many of the same resources as
fitday.com but has several excellent additional features such as an
online 'university' (weekly education about the physiological and
behavioral sides of nutrition). The extras cost money but are worth
checking into.

Tip #20

How Much Water?

by Dr. John Berardi

You always hear experts recommending that you drink more water
but how many of you actually do it? And how much is enough? Well, check
out this chart below for some interesting data on water loss.

Water Loss/ Normal Weather No exercise/ Warm Weather No
exercise /Exercise in Warm Weather (85° F)



Skin 350 mL/ 350 mL/ 350 mL

Respiratory Tract 250 mL/ 350 mL/ 650 mL

Urine 1400 mL/ 1200 mL/ 500 mL

Feces 100 mL/ 100 mL/ 100 mL

Sweat 100 mL/ 1400 mL/ 5000 mL

Total 2,300 mL (2.3L)/ 3,300 mL (3.3L)/ 6,600 mL (6.6L)

It should be clear that quite a bit of water is lost per day,
especially if you're an athlete. Since most people can get about 1.5L
of water from their food and from metabolic water production, for a
margin of safety, I suggest:

• Sedentary individuals drink at least 2L or about 8 cups of
  water per day
  
  Athletes in normal climates drink at least 3L or about 12 cups of water
  per day.


• Athletes in hot weather climates drink at least 4L or about
  16 cups of water per day.

SEE ALSO:

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best
nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing
system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online
membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you
need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

Tip #20

How Much Water?

by Dr. John Berardi

You always hear experts recommending that you drink more water
but how many of you actually do it? And how much is enough? Well, check
out this chart below for some interesting data on water loss.

Water Loss/ Normal Weather No exercise/ Warm Weather No
exercise /Exercise in Warm Weather (85° F)



Skin 350 mL/ 350 mL/ 350 mL

Respiratory Tract 250 mL/ 350 mL/ 650 mL

Urine 1400 mL/ 1200 mL/ 500 mL

Feces 100 mL/ 100 mL/ 100 mL

Sweat 100 mL/ 1400 mL/ 5000 mL

Total 2,300 mL (2.3L)/ 3,300 mL (3.3L)/ 6,600 mL (6.6L)

It should be clear that quite a bit of water is lost per day,
especially if you're an athlete. Since most people can get about 1.5L
of water from their food and from metabolic water production, for a
margin of safety, I suggest:

• Sedentary individuals drink at least 2L or about 8 cups of
  water per day
  
  Athletes in normal climates drink at least 3L or about 12 cups of water
  per day.


• Athletes in hot weather climates drink at least 4L or about
  16 cups of water per day.

Tip #21

Increasing Water Intake

by Dr. John Berardi

Sedentary individuals should drink at least 2L or about 8 cups
of water per day, athletes should drink at least 3L or about 12 cups of
water per day, and athletes in hot weather climates drink at least 4L
or about 16 cups of water per day.

Since following these recommendations can prevent dehydration
and can actually assist with fat loss, you'd have to be a desiccated
fool to ignore them. However, try as they might, some individuals find
it difficult to ingest up to a gallon of water per day. So try out
these three proven strategies for increasing water ingestion:

• Drink cold water - cold water is more palatable, improving
  'mouth feel' and ingestion


• Add lemon - lemon increases urge to drink and also kills
  bacteria


• Chuggables - always carry some sort of jug of water around
  to ensure you're drinking. Rubbermaid makes a nice blue top container
  (Chuggables) that we recommend to our clients.

Tip #22

Fat Recommendations - How To Meet Them

by Dr. John Berardi

So how much fat do we need and what kinds? While there's a lot
of debate nowadays, most of the real fat experts agree that a good
balance of the three is the way to go if you want to give the old
ticker a fighting chance. In other words, your goal is to consume 1/3
of your fat from saturated fatty acids, 1/3 from monounsaturated fatty
acids, and 1/3 from polyunsaturated fatty acids. But it's important to
learn what kinds of foods contain the different types of fatty acids.
So use this handy chart below to learn which fatty acids are found in a
number of common foods. By learning which foods contain which fatty
acids, a balanced fat approach should be a snap.

Food % Saturated Fat % Monounsaturated Fat % Polyunsaturated
Fat

Almonds 10% 68% 22%

Beef 55% 40% 4%

Brazil Nuts 26% 36% 38%

Canola Oil 5% 57% 38%

Cashews 20% 62% 18%

Cheese 67% 26% 7%

Chicken 31% 49% 20%

Coconut Oil 86% 9% 5%

Duck 35% 52% 13%

Eggs 39% 43% 18%

Flax Seed Oil 8% 18% 74%

Hazelnuts 8% 82% 10%

Herring 22% 55% 18%

Macadamia Nuts 16% 82% 2%

Milk 67% 26% 7%

Olive Oil 13% 75% 12%

Palm Oil 50% 41% 9%

Peanuts 15% 51% 34%

Pecans 8% 66% 26%

Pine Nuts 15% 40% 45%

Pistachios 13% 72% 15%

Pork / Lard 40% 48% 12%

Salmon 20% 30% 40%

Sesame Oil 15% 42% 43%

Walnuts 10% 24% 66%

Tip #23

Omega 3 Snacks

by Dr. John Berardi

Once you're splitting up your fats correctly (about 1/3 of
your fat intake coming from each of the three types of fat), your next
goal should be to balance out your omega 6: omega 3 ratio. Do this and
you're arteries will be jumping for joy and they'll have less body fat
around them to impede their jump height.

While most of you probably already know that the omega 6:
omega 3 balance is critical, I'm sure many of you are wondering in you
can balance out the 6:3 ratio without having to pour another tablespoon
of flaxseed oil down the gullet?

How about trying some pumpkin seeds or flaxseeds? Pumpkin
seeds provide a 2:1 ratio of omega 6 fatty acids to omega 3 fatty
acids, increasing the EFA content of your diet while putting your fat
intake back in balance. Also, adding flaxseeds to your diet is a good
idea. Grind these seeds up in a coffee grinder and add to your meals.
Flaxseeds provide fiber, protein, and a 3:1 ratio of omega 3: omega 6
fatty acids. Your arteries will thank you.

Tip #24

Cook Once, Eat Twice

by Dr. John Berardi

To insure that you eat a healthy lunch during your busy work
or school day, double-cook dinner each night. Simply cook a
double-portion of each dinner meal and eat the second half of dinner
for lunch the next day. This is, of course, assuming your dinner meals
are complete and contain a complement of protein, carbs, fats, and
fruits and veggies.

Tip #25

The Critical Meal

by Dr. John Berardi

Breakfast is a critical meal. After a catabolic overnight
fast, a balanced breakfast helps to regulate blood sugar, helps to
regulate energy balance, and helps to control late-day cravings that
lead to overfeeding. Be sure to include a serving or two of lean
protein like an egg white omelet (throw in a yolk or two), some cheese,
some dairy like plain yogurt or cottage cheese, some lean turkey bacon
or sausage, or even a protein shake on the side. Men should be shooting
for 30-50 grams of protein and women should be shooting for 20-40 grams
of protein in this meal.

Tip #26

Berardi's Law

by Dr. John Berardi

If a food is in your possession or located in your residence,
you'll eventually eat it. If you wish to be healthy and lean, you must
remove all foods not conducive to those goals from said residence and
replace them with a variety of better, healthier choices. If you know
someone whose house is stocked only with optimal food choices and yet
who is not healthy and lean, look under his bed.

Tip #27

Eat Fat, Lose Fat

by Dr. John Berardi

To lose fat, sometimes you have to eat fat. Monounsaturated
fats and certain polyunsaturates actually speed up the metabolic rate.
The best of the fat burning bunch are the highly unsaturated omega 3s
called EPA and DHA. These omega 3 fatty acids can potentially help burn
blubber through a variety of different mechanisms. A diet supplemented
with omega 3-rich fish oil promotes losses of body fat with
simultaneous gains in lean mass. That's right, more muscle and less
fat, baby!

SEE ALSO:

This tip is sponsored by Precision Nutrition - our pick for the best
nutrition and supplement resource currently available. Containing
system manuals, gourmet cookbook, digital audio/video library, online
membership, and more, Precision Nutrition will teach you everything you
need to know to get the body you want -- guaranteed.

Order Precision Nutrition now and get $50 off!

Many diets use the claim of "because that's what our ancestors ate" to provide validity to their system in the absence of a proper scientific study to test their hypothesis. As far as I am concerned, that's fine, as long as their claims can be shown to fit into what is known about prehistoric humans or modern hunter-gatherers. The problem is that most of them can't. I can...
Paleonutrition Tip #1

Eat more 'Veggies' that are actually fruit

By Dr. Junaid Gamieldien

So vegetables that are fruit, hey? What's that all about. Well, if you look at many food lists that have been constructed for the average person, you'll find that many of the entries in the veg category are actually fruits:
- pumpkin
- cucumber
- squash
- butternut
- tomatoes (I can't believe people call this one a veg)
- peppers
- and quite a few more

Now why eat these rather than real veggies?:

1. Most fruits want to be eaten! Hehe :-) Seriously, its an important way for their seeds to be dispersed. That's why they are usually brightly colored and taste really good. They want to be eaten. And our ancestors *definitely* responded to those "Eat me, eat me!" cues. We should too. Its in our genes!

2. Many true veg on the other hand contain small (or large) amounts of toxins to prevent an entire 'crop' from being eaten. When you have no seeds, you have to have protection, right? Don't believe me? Have a few raw potatoes...

3. Calories per volume of these 'veg-fruits' are very low. So you can eat a whole lot of them and actually end up reducing your overall caloric intake! Why go hungry when dieting? That just sets you up for failure!

4. The micro- and phyto (plant) nutrients content of fruit are very high per calorie! So you get to eat more, yet take in less calories, yet improve your nutritional profile? Win-win situation. It is very likely that diseases like obsObesity is likely to be

5. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Very convenient. I prefer the ones that are traditionally cooked to be rather UNDERcooked. You get much more nutrients that way. And, they digest slower giving you a more sustained delivery of energy and nutrients.

So eat more veggies that are actually fruit and lose fat and boost your health!

Paleonutrition Tip #2

Eat Veg that can be eaten raw

By Dr. Junaid Gamieldien

As I mentioned before, many true vegetables contain small (or large) amounts of toxins to prevent an entire 'crop' from being eaten. While most of the toxins are destroyed when cooking, it also means that these veggies were not part of the human diet until fairly recently. The other problem is that many of them, especially tubers like potatoes, have a terrible calorie to micronutrient to volume ratio when cooked.

So, after you've included some 'veg-fruits' from Tip#1, add some of these veggies that could be eaten raw. They're great for a warm meal. Just don't cook them to death - they could be firm - crunchy, even. Here's a short list (there are more):
- sweet potatoes and yams
- carrots
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- asparagus
- cabbage
- beets

Notice how these veggies are also of the most visually appealing? That definitely determines whether our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have even looked at them! Can you imagine drooling over a raw spinach leaf? Of course not? Hey, spinach, lettuce and their friends are great fillers, but as sustenance? No way!

Enjoy your veggies. Just choose wisely.

Paleonutrition Tip #3

Minimize consumption of grains

By Dr. Junaid Gamieldien

Agriculture only very recently became part of human natural history very, and even then, the emphasis was on domesticating livestock for their meat. Crop cultivation only appeared much later. Of course, grains made fantastic slave food, and ditto for armies, but I will not go into that here...

Other than the fact that our ancestors in the Paleolithic era did not eat grains (they couldn't 'food process' them adequately), many grains have some very disturbing features:

- Food allergies. Wheat is being implicated in the development of autoimmune disorders, including diabetes!

- Most of them have a terrible calorie to micronutrient to volume ratio, especially when cooked.

- Many contain anti-nutrients that prevent the absorption of micronutrients from otherwise good quality food. There are essentially toxins, again used to protect the crop. Grains are bird food, they can eat them as they have natural immunity to those anti-nutrients. We are not birds!

Of course, this is the 21st century and we have to be realistic. Grains are part of our lives and are (realistically) an important source of calories - food is expensive. So, what to do? Just choose those grains that are known to be less harmful and are also hypoallergenic (to avoid those autoimmune scenarios):

- Rice. Even most babies can tolerate rice. Its hypoallergenic. Just say no to white rice!

- Oats. Hypoallergenic to most (not all) people. Also has a good amount of protein, is very slow digesting, and has a good amount of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber.

- Quinoa. A pseudo-cereal, unusually rich in protein, and slow digesting. I've never eaten it, but Dr. John Berardi recommends it.

Note: Have your grains, but do so sparingly, be sure to have them no later than lunch time - read this for reasons:

Carbs are not the enemy! Just get the timing right