Paleo Guide to Bristol
Posted on: 16 Sep 2017Have you ever heard of the paleo diet? Chances are you have seen that word about the place, especially living in hip Bristol which is one of those trendy places that leads the way in healthy lifestyles.
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You might be one of the hundreds of people in this city that already follows the paleo way of life, which is often referred to as the caveman diet. It’s called that due to the fact that you are essentially eating the same simple, basic and yet nutrient dense foods that the cavemen did back in the day.
If someone had told me a few years ago that I would be a health freak and only eat meat, eggs, vegetables, fruit and nuts – I would have laughed in their face. Me? The party animal? But the health benefits far outweigh the initial reservations that I had and now it would seem that the world is really taking notice about how what we put in our guts, really makes a difference to our overall wellbeing.
But don’t take my word for it, I’m no expert – but someone who really knows her stuff when it comes to diet is Nutritional Therapist Lucy Patterson, who is based in Bristol. She said: “Paleo is an abbreviation of paleolithic. The general idea is to avoid processed and refined foods and focus on whole foods such as protein from quality meat, fish and eggs, carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, and starchy root vegetables like sweet potato and potatoes and fats from nuts, seeds, coconut and olives. Grains and Legumes are generally avoided - wheat, rye, barley, spelt, corn and pseudograins such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and millet. Legumes are beans, lentils and chickpeas. Grey area foods include dairy, potatoes, white rice and natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. Some people will feel better avoiding dairy and others will thrive on quality organic dairy. Many people tolerate white potatoes and white rice as starches and some will not have any problem including a little honey or maple syrup in their diets from time to time.”
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Many people eat grains daily and assume it’s healthy so it can seem overwhelming giving them up. Lucy has this advice though: “Grains, especially refined ones, are high in carbohydrates. Over-consumption of carbohydrates may lead to insulin resistance, and weight gain in some individuals. The paleo diet is not about cutting out all carbohydrates, but aims to focus on low to moderate consumption of carbohydrate and on more nutrient dense sources like veggies and fruit. Grains, and legumes, contain a variety of toxins and gut irritants (also referred to as anti-nutrients) that can compromise the integrity of our gut lining and gut health in general. Many people react poorly to gluten (a protein in certain grains) and whereas they may not have coeliac disease, an auto immune condition where the body attacks the small intestine in response to gluten consumption, many people find they may sit 'on the spectrum' and show signs of a sensitivity to gluten.”
But where on earth can you eat out if you decide to follow a paleo diet? Well, unlike some sleepy towns, Bristol is luckily a place that thrives with places you can visit if you follow this way of eating (The Ox, Burger Joint, The Lounges, and Loch Fyne are just some of the wonderful options).
There are many other places that are accommodating to paleo diet requests and it’s an added bonus that restaurants have to now be spot on when it comes to identifying which allergens are in foods.
Lucy said: “Eating out in Bristol whilst following paleo can seem daunting. Pizza, noodles and bread are off the menu so what can you eat? Well, if you do tolerate potato, sweet potato or white rice - things can be a little easier, as it can if you eat dairy but there are options you can consider. Steak houses - get a quality steak ideally cooked in olive oil (or butter if tolerated) with some vegetables, a large side salad, some grilled tomatoes and sauteed spinach perhaps, order an extra side of vegetables if you wish and if available, perhaps a side of sweet or new potatoes. Burger joints - not usually your first choice for a healthy meal but if you go bunless, and pick your sides and toppings, you can usually make a more nutrient dense choice. 4oz. beef or chicken burger (aim for quality locally reared meats), topped with avocado, mushroom, onion and you can have a large mixed side salad or sweet potato fries. It might be best to ask what oil the fries are cooked in and if possible see if they'll bake them. Italian restaurants - lots of lovely fish and chicken options, aim for tomato based sauces and again some mixed vegetables or side salads and roasted vegetables (or potatoes if you find they work fine with your health). Thai places - a nice green curry with a side of extra veggies instead of rice. Just ask if they've thickened any sauces with wheat flour.”
So there you have it - the paleo diet is fairly easy to follow in our fantastic Bristol and if you have any recommendations of places to eat out in this city when it comes to this lifestyle, feel free to tweet or facebook 365 Bristol with your ideas and tell us all where we can consider. #PaleoBristol
Article by:
Kelly worked as a journalist for the BBC for 12 years before she changed careers and went into the field of marketing. Having worked at BBC 6 Music for several years, she is passionate about many different genres of sound. Her other interests include theatre, comedy, books, food and days out with the family (she has a young daughter who she describes as a "whirlwind of fun.") Kelly is married to Vik who is a true Bristolian to the core! She is also studying nutritional therapy.
