We have learned that the Paleo diet is centered on natural foods like raw meat and fresh greens as part of our day-to-day consumption. There is a long list of natural foods that the Paleo diet has to offer, from lean turkey meat to fresh fruit like avocado. The thing is, Paleo diet introduces you to a way of eating that goes back to the natural ways our Paleolithic ancestors did.

As there is a long list of recommended Paleo diet foods, there is also a list of foods you need to avoid when you go on a Paleo diet. When you are on this kind of diet, it is good to be aware of not just the recommended foods but also the no-no foods, as in food you cannot eat. Here is a list of foods you must avoid:

Grains (barley, rye, wheat) – These foods have gluten present in them and gluten is one thing you need to avoid in the Paleo diet. No grains means no bread, pasta, baked goods, noodles, and crackers. Beer is also one drink you need to avoid because beer contains malt and malt contains gluten.

Sugars (includes high fructose corn syrup) – You must avoid food that contain a high amount of sugar which means subtracting softdrinks, fruit drinks, ice cream, pastries, and candies from your diet. It is important to take note that there are some foods that are marketed as healthy choices but also contain high amounts of sugar and calories. These include granola bars, fruit juices, protein bars, canned fruits, and breakfast cereals. Sugar is linked with many diseases including obesity, heart diseases, type-2 diabetes, and cancer. Sugars may also promote weight gain, energy crashes and blood pressure issues.

Legumes – When we say legumes, this refers to plants which produces a pod with seeds inside. This means no beans, lentils, peas, and soybeans in your vegetable diet. Unlike many other plant foods, legumes contain anti-nutrients which may hinder their nutritional capabilities. Some legumes are even toxic when raw that’s why it is advised to properly prepare your vegetables before eating them.

Dairy – Low-fat dairy products like yoghurt, cheese, and milk are also a no-no, unfortunately. This is sad news for low-fat dairy fans out there. Stay away from all low-fat dairy products. If you don’t have problems digesting dairy it may be okay to consume some full-fat dairy products like raw whole milk and certain cheeses but only in small amounts. High-fat dairy products are actually not that bad for you compared to low-fat dairy. One study proves that low-fat dairy has been linked to infertility and conversely, high-fat dairy has been proven to decrease the risk. High-fat or full-fat dairy is actually not an enemy here. It’s satisfying, provides a feeling of fullness and helps us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. More studies have been emerging to encourage full-fat dairy products in our diet instead of low-fat dairy.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils (canola, corn, cottonseed, soybean, sunflower, etc.) – These oils often cause unhealthy levels of inflammation in our body. One of the major problems today is our unbalanced intake of Omega-6 fatty acids compared to Omega-3. A major factor in this unbalanced intake is the high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids in these oils. These oils also raise “bad” LDL cholesterol and lower the “good” HDL cholesterol. Margarine is an example of a hydrogenated vegetable oil.

Margarine – As mentioned above, you should now reconsider using margarine as part of your diet as it has hydrogenated vegetable oils that have harmful effects on the body. Margarine was created as a so-called “healthier” alternative than butter, which turns out that butter was always the better and healthier choice ever since. Most margarine have a high level of deadly trans-fat in them compared to butter so might as well go back to butter from now on.

Artificial Sweeteners – Everything artificial is contradictory to the main principle of the Paleo diet which is to go back to the natural way of eating. They should be avoided on the Paleo diet. We have already mentioned sugar above so naturally, everything that tastes sweet are ones you should avoid too. And the perfect example of that are artificial sweeteners. Examples of these are acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharin and sucralose. It was found out in the 1970s that saccharin caused bladder cancer in some lab rats. Aspartame may also cause brain tumors and chronic fatigue syndrome. The main reason why people choose artificial sweeteners instead of sugar is because of the lower calories but the same sweetness it provides.

Obesity is an epidemic and many, many health problems in the modern society have been connected to obesity. Obesity has been linked to diets high in processed foods, high in processed carbohydrates, and excess sugar intake. The potential health problems include heart disease, type two diabetes, cancer and stroke. You see, everything that is highly processed simply mean bad news. Most of these highly processed goods wash away the natural ingredients which are needed by our body to function normally. Our bodies do not need processed carbohydrates or processed sugar and oils – it needs natural chemicals and nutrients from nature which has always been the way since the beginning of time.

Yes, many of you are looking at this list of what you can’t eat and thinking you could never follow a Paleo lifestyle. Many of you may be discouraged to try this lifestyle if you see your favorite food up on that list. Well, take another look at the list of things that you can eat! How often do you see some of those on a list of foods you can eat while on a so-called ‘diet?’