Monthly Archives: April 2013

Seminal Article by Loren Cordain, Ph.D.

Posted on April 5, 2013 | 1 comment

I have little to say about it. Just wanted it in my database:

“The Nutritional Characteristics of a Contemporary Diet Based Upon Paleolithic Food Groups” in Journal of the American Neutraceutical Association,  2002; 5:15-24.

The title of that journal doesn’t fill me with confidence, but it is what it is. Many of the ideas in the article are likely in his popular books.

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Recipe: Tossed Tuna Salad and Almonds

Posted on April 4, 2013 | Comments Off on Recipe: Tossed Tuna Salad and Almonds
tuna, fishing, Steve Parker MD, paleo diet, tuna salad

Has anyone even bothered to ask why the tuna are eating mercury? —Jim Gaffigan

This is an easy lunch or dinner. For a different flavor and twice the calcium, you could substitute canned sardines for the tuna, but I’ve never tried it.

Ingredients:

  • lettuce, romaine, 3.5 oz (100 g)
  • onion, chopped, 1.5 oz (42 g)
  • tomatoes, chunked, 5.5 oz (150 g)
  • tuna, canned, albacore/white, packed in water (drain and discard the fluid), 5-oz can (140 g)
  • olive oil, extra virgin, 1.5 tbsp (22 ml)
  • vinegar, balsamic, 1/2 tbsp (7.5 ml)
  • salt and pepper to taste (not counted in nutritional analysis below)
  • almonds, 1.5 oz (45 g)

Instructions:

In a 3-quart (3 liter) bowl, put lettuce, onion, tomatoes, and tuna (3.25 oz or 90 g at this point). Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste Mix well with a fork. Enjoy almonds separately, before, during, or after salad.

For extra zing, add a few squirts of fresh lemon juice. This is a neat trick if you’re trying to avoid salt.

Servings: 1

Nutritional Analysis:

  • 58% fat
  • 12% carbohydrate
  • 30% protein
  • 711 calories
  • 22.3 g carb
  • 9.4 g fiber
  • 12.9 digestible carb
  • 670 mg sodium
  • 1,392 mg potassium
  • Prominent features: rich in protein, B12, C, E, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, and selenium

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A Paleo Problem: Calcium

Posted on April 3, 2013 | 17 comments
paleo diet, Steve Parker MD,calcium, osteoporosis

I worry about her bones 50 years hence

It appears difficult to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium while eating most versions of the paleo diet.  That’s because they don’t include milk products.  The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University has a review of calcium as related to nutrition and health, last updated in late  2010. They say that few Americans hit their recommended daily calcium goal.

I see lots of little old ladies with hip and other fractures related to osteoporosis. Trust me, you don’t want to go there. It’s difficult to reverse osteoporosis, an insidious process that’s been going on for decades before the fracture.

Osteoporosis may be related to years of inadequate calcium consumption. Adequate vitamin D is  an important part of the equation, too. Blood calcium levels are strictly regulated, and if they’re too low, calcium is pulled from the bones to fill the blood’s tank.

Broccoli and bok choy are fair sources of calcium, but pale in comparison to milk. Bok choy isn’t a part of my diet; I’m not even sure I’ve ever had it. Below is a video on bok choy cooking. Looks simple enough.  I need to look into kale, too.

Many paleophiles promote bone broth, but I haven’t figured out why yet. Is it high in calcium? (Hat tip to Wendy Schwartz for the word “paleophile”.)

A can of sardines looks like a good source of calcium: 350 mg or 35% Daily Value.

Can you help me worry less about calcium deficiency?

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Recipe: Mexican Eggs and Avocado Slices

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Comments Off on Recipe: Mexican Eggs and Avocado Slices

Steve Parker MD, paleo diet, low-carb dietMy family loves the pico de gallo over these fried eggs. If you don’t want to make a batch of the pico de gallo, substitute an amount of commercial picante sauce that provides no more than three grams of digestible carbohydrate. “Digestible carbohydrate” is the total carb grams of a serving, minus the fiber grams.

Ingredients:

  • eggs, three large
  • tomato, fresh, 2 oz (60 g)
  • onion, fresh 3/4 oz (20 g)
  • jalapeño pepper, fresh, 1/4 of a pepper
  • cilantro, fresh, 3–4 sprigs chopped finely to supply 1 tbsp (15 ml)
  • olive oil, 2 tsp (10 ml)
  • California avocado, 1 whole (these are the dark green or black avocados, usually 4 x 2.5 inches or 10 x 5 cm)
  • salt, to taste (1/4 tsp?)
  • black pepper to taste (1/4 tsp?)

Instructions:

Make the pico de gallo first. Finely chop and blend together the tomato, onion, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, some of the salt and pepper to taste.

paleo diet, Steve Parker MD, pico de gallo

We chop our pico de gallo more finely than this

Peel and slice the avocado. Salt and pepper to taste.

Fry the eggs in an olive oil-coated pan.  Salt and pepper to taste. When done, transfer to a plate and spoon the pico de gallo onto the eggs. Enjoy with avocado slices on the side.

At our house, we usually make enough pico for left-overs. It lasts a few days in the refrigerator.

Servings: 1

Nutritional Analysis:

  • 72% fat
  • 13% carbohydrate
  • 15% protein
  • 592 calories
  • 20.4 g carb
  • 12.8 g fiber
  • 7.6 g digestible carb
  • 810 mg sodium (if you use a total of 1/4 tsp)
  • 1,237 mg potassium
  • Prominent features: rich in B12, copper, iron, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and selenium

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Oil Pulling for Dental Health

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Comments Off on Oil Pulling for Dental Health

 

tooth structure, paleo diet, caries, enamel

Cross-section of a tooth

Medical student Kris Gunnars has a post on the topic, mentioning it’s a time-honored Indian folk remedy for treatment or prevention of dental problems.

I’d never heard of this before. I have no opinion on efficacy. Kris says to spit the oil out after swishing for 10–15 minutes because it contains “bacteria and nasty things.” I’d be tempted to swallow it unless I were concerned about the 180 calories in the oil. You’re swallowing those bacteria all day anyway. I imagine you have a mouth full of saliva after the first five minutes.

I’m filing this tidbit away for future reference.

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Julianne Taylor, RD, Outlines Her Version of the Paleo Diet

Posted on April 2, 2013 | Comments Off on Julianne Taylor, RD, Outlines Her Version of the Paleo Diet

…in an attractive infographic.  You do follow her blog, don’t you?

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