Protein & The Paleo Diet
Out of all of the macro-nutrients, protein is the nutrient we all like to think we know the most about, however Bodybuilder/Coach/Dr. Layne Norton (his college studies/thesis focuses on protein and muscle synthesis) suggests the “average person focuses too little on protein while the average bodybuilder focuses too much on protein”.
The Paleo diet doesn’t suggest you eat any type of protein; the best protein sources come from Paleo foods like the flesh of animals that have been fed their natural diet, free-range eggs, and here at Paleo [Evolved] even raw dairy is appropriate(for healthy individuals). These protein sources are complete proteins meaning they will provide you will all of the amino acids you need to build new tissue. There is no substitute for animal protein.
More importantly, when you choose protein from animal sources you are also gifted with healthy fats in the right amounts. Nature serves it to you on a golden platter.
The Paleo diet doesn’t suggest you eat any type of protein; the best protein sources come from Paleo foods like the flesh of animals that have been fed their natural diet, free-range eggs, and here at Paleo [Evolved] even raw dairy is appropriate(for healthy individuals). These protein sources are complete proteins meaning they will provide you will all of the amino acids you need to build new tissue. There is no substitute for animal protein.
More importantly, when you choose protein from animal sources you are also gifted with healthy fats in the right amounts. Nature serves it to you on a golden platter.
Why is protein so important?
It’s common knowledge that protein provides all of the amino acids to build cells (muscle), but more important (and for fat loss) unlike fats and carbohydrates, protein requires a significant amount of energy digest which results in a raised metabolic rate during the digestion period.
Check out the difference in energy loss during digestion;
This means that when you eat protein, you’re metabolism is raised much higher compared to fats or carbohydrates which leads to greater fat loss (along with the muscle gain). The difference is significant and that’s why you want to include protein with every meal!
Beyond speeding up your metabolism, protein will also slow the digestion of carbs which results in lower glucose levels in the blood. Boom - you’re on your way to being lean.
Check out the difference in energy loss during digestion;
- Protein – 27% energy loss to digestion
- Carbs – 7% energy loss to digestion
- Fat – 3% energy loss to digestion
This means that when you eat protein, you’re metabolism is raised much higher compared to fats or carbohydrates which leads to greater fat loss (along with the muscle gain). The difference is significant and that’s why you want to include protein with every meal!
Beyond speeding up your metabolism, protein will also slow the digestion of carbs which results in lower glucose levels in the blood. Boom - you’re on your way to being lean.
What are the best sources?
Your best choices for protein are going to be from whole, nutrient dense foods that will provide other nutrients as well. The best way to do that is from naturally-raised animals.
The most nutrient dense protein sources are going to come from animals like Grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, pasture-raised chicken and eggs, and if possible wild game. You’ll notice that these animals all live in their natural environment and eating their natural diet. Remember that just because an animal is fed “organic” feed it does not mean that it’s the proper feed!
This is important to you because you are the combination of the food you eat and what that food has eaten. For example, when you eat grass-fed beef you are not only getting quality protein, but because the animal is eating natural grass the meat will be full of vitamins, minerals, and cancer fighting anti-oxidants that get lost with an unnatural diet.
Basically, if you can hunt it, you can eat it with the Paleo Diet [Evolved]!
Ruminant Animals
Your average cow is an example of a ruminant animal. Ruminant animals like the cow, bison, lamb, and even deer all have special stomachs that are designed for digesting the grass we can’t.
When these animals are fed their natural diet they provide leaner protein than otherwise as well as a healthy batch of both saturated and unsaturated fats, in the perfect amounts.
...and don't forget about the organ meats!
Just like you are designed to eat Paleo foods, ruminant animals were designed to eat grass!
Wild-Caught Fish & Other Seafood
Fish is a great source of not only healthy protein, but also the best source of omega 3 fatty acids on the planet. I wish I could tell you to eat fish every day, but the truth is that due to human pollution there is no getting around the mercury currently being found in fish.
It’s due to the mercury that fish can be a double-edged sword and you need to limit yourself to a few servings each week. I typically enjoy at least one large fillet each week to ensure I am getting a healthy dose of omega 3’s and it goes great with a few spears of asparagus.
Bonus – I would feel bad if I didn’t suggest eating shrimp while going paleo. Using rosemary as your skewer; pair lemon slices and shrimp and throw on the barby (with cilantro)…it might be the best meal you’ve ever had.
Eggs
Provided you have no allergies towards them; eggs are a Paleo diet favorite as they’re versatile and hard-boiled eggs are very portable.
One thing you need to be aware of is how much marketing goes into the egg industry. Terms like “vegetarian fed”, “free range”, and “organic” all get thrown around like a cowboy on an 8 second ride but in reality can mean a variety of things.
For one, chickens aren't vegetarians, so vegetarian feed ignorant. Chickens eat bugs and larvae. Second, free-range can mean as little as the hens have “access” to a door that they may or may not use. Lastly, organic doesn't mean much either as organic grain still isn't bugs or larvae.
To overcome these hurdles, your best bet is to get organic, pasture-raised eggs as these chickens will at least have access to worms and the feed they get will be GMO free.
Open your carton before you buy your eggs and a lot of the times the feed will be listed on the inside lid.
Poultry
I’m not going to lie; I’m not a huge chicken fan. White meat sucks.
With that said, poultry sources like chicken and duck are easy to cook and can go with just about anything.
There is debate in the health community whether or not the skin of chicken is healthy, and many paleo enthusiasts even encourage it.
I won’t make any blanket statements and say chicken fat is unhealthy; but I will say that unlike the fat from grass-fed beef, the fat from chicken skin isn’t going to contain many nutrients but it will contain a bunch of calories! For this reason, unless you are trying to gain weight, I’d skip the skin and focus on more nutrient dense food sources.
The most nutrient dense protein sources are going to come from animals like Grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, pasture-raised chicken and eggs, and if possible wild game. You’ll notice that these animals all live in their natural environment and eating their natural diet. Remember that just because an animal is fed “organic” feed it does not mean that it’s the proper feed!
This is important to you because you are the combination of the food you eat and what that food has eaten. For example, when you eat grass-fed beef you are not only getting quality protein, but because the animal is eating natural grass the meat will be full of vitamins, minerals, and cancer fighting anti-oxidants that get lost with an unnatural diet.
Basically, if you can hunt it, you can eat it with the Paleo Diet [Evolved]!
Ruminant Animals
Your average cow is an example of a ruminant animal. Ruminant animals like the cow, bison, lamb, and even deer all have special stomachs that are designed for digesting the grass we can’t.
When these animals are fed their natural diet they provide leaner protein than otherwise as well as a healthy batch of both saturated and unsaturated fats, in the perfect amounts.
...and don't forget about the organ meats!
Just like you are designed to eat Paleo foods, ruminant animals were designed to eat grass!
Wild-Caught Fish & Other Seafood
Fish is a great source of not only healthy protein, but also the best source of omega 3 fatty acids on the planet. I wish I could tell you to eat fish every day, but the truth is that due to human pollution there is no getting around the mercury currently being found in fish.
It’s due to the mercury that fish can be a double-edged sword and you need to limit yourself to a few servings each week. I typically enjoy at least one large fillet each week to ensure I am getting a healthy dose of omega 3’s and it goes great with a few spears of asparagus.
Bonus – I would feel bad if I didn’t suggest eating shrimp while going paleo. Using rosemary as your skewer; pair lemon slices and shrimp and throw on the barby (with cilantro)…it might be the best meal you’ve ever had.
Eggs
Provided you have no allergies towards them; eggs are a Paleo diet favorite as they’re versatile and hard-boiled eggs are very portable.
One thing you need to be aware of is how much marketing goes into the egg industry. Terms like “vegetarian fed”, “free range”, and “organic” all get thrown around like a cowboy on an 8 second ride but in reality can mean a variety of things.
For one, chickens aren't vegetarians, so vegetarian feed ignorant. Chickens eat bugs and larvae. Second, free-range can mean as little as the hens have “access” to a door that they may or may not use. Lastly, organic doesn't mean much either as organic grain still isn't bugs or larvae.
To overcome these hurdles, your best bet is to get organic, pasture-raised eggs as these chickens will at least have access to worms and the feed they get will be GMO free.
Open your carton before you buy your eggs and a lot of the times the feed will be listed on the inside lid.
Poultry
I’m not going to lie; I’m not a huge chicken fan. White meat sucks.
With that said, poultry sources like chicken and duck are easy to cook and can go with just about anything.
There is debate in the health community whether or not the skin of chicken is healthy, and many paleo enthusiasts even encourage it.
I won’t make any blanket statements and say chicken fat is unhealthy; but I will say that unlike the fat from grass-fed beef, the fat from chicken skin isn’t going to contain many nutrients but it will contain a bunch of calories! For this reason, unless you are trying to gain weight, I’d skip the skin and focus on more nutrient dense food sources.