You may think that superfoods are a fairly recent phenomenon, but these diet wellness wonders actually speak to your primal wellbeing. According to do Kellyann Petrucci and Patrick Flynn, co-authors of Paleo Workouts For Dummies, ‘Primal superfoods will help get you from where you are now to where you want to be. They have deep nutrition that stand out from the pack of Paleo foods. Primal superfoods are multitaskers. They heal the gut, decrease inflammation, and flood your cells with nutrients that are often lacking. In fact, superfoods help heal you on the deepest possible level, from the inside out. This healing helps boost your immunity and your energy levels and helps you perform your best.’ So which primal superfoods can help you get back to the root of wellness?
1. Eggs: ‘Cage-free, organic eggs are filled with vitamins and minerals, including biotin and choline,’ say Petrucci and Flynn. ‘Protein plays a big part in the Paleo athlete’s life. Whether you need to pre-fuel with protein and fat or you need to recover with protein and dense carbohydrates, cage-free, organic eggs are your friend. Eggs are a quick protein source that you can have on the ready whenever you need them.’
2. Biotin: Petrucci and Flynn explain, ‘Biotin turns what you eat into energy, while choline moves cholesterol through your bloodstream. Because your gut has so much to do with your overall health and performance, fermented vegetables (or dairy if tolerated) can be a great part of your food choices. Fermentation uses beneficial bacteria that are great for gut health. Try kimchi or sauerkraut, or ferment some beets or carrots. If you’re one of the few that can tolerate dairy, then fermented dairy is an option as well. Just be sure to choose raw, fermented, full-fat dairy, such as cultured butter, yogurt, kefir, and cheese. You’re getting a healthy fat, a fermented food, and conjugated linoleic acid, which has tremendous healing effects.’
3. Coconut Milk: ‘Paleo athletes love full-fat coconut milk because it’s high in saturated fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), which are both easily burned as fuel by the body,’ Petrucci and Flynn assert. ‘Coconut milk is also great to have around and can substitute for heavy cream or yogurt. Buying full fat is important because the lighter versions are simply the full-fat version watered down.’
4. Meat: Petrucci and Flynn point out, ‘Grass-fed meats really pay off because they’re more nutritious than conventionally raised meats. Getting the right nutrients in your body for a beneficial workout and refuelling your body for recovery is critical for success. Grass-fed beef, bison, lamb and goats have less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories. They also have more vitamin E, beta carotene, vitamin C, and a number of health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA.’
5. Bone Broths: Petrucci and Flynn detail, ‘Bone broths are flavourful liquids made from boiling animal bones for an extended period of time, often with vegetables or herbs, and then straining out the solids. Bone broth is a powerful healer that reduces inflammation, heals infection, boosts immunity, stimulates bone health, heals the gut, and even has a calming effect.’
6. Jerky: ‘Another bonus besides taste is that jerky is a healthy snack you can take on the go,’ Petrucci and Flynn enthuse. It’s convenient and high in protein. After you work out, many times you’re looking to refuel immediately with a snack. Paleo snacking is different from the modern boxed and packaged snacks. But with a little imagination and willingness to try new things, you can find great options, like meat jerky. The trick is to find a healthy source that doesn’t have all the added sugars or processed ingredients.’