WHAT TO BUY AND HOW TO USE IT TO ENSURE OPTIMAL HEALTH
There are lots of foods to enjoy when you eat like a primal fat burner—rest assured your plate or bowl will be full on this plan. Here is a quick rundown of what to look for when shopping. Turn to the “Nourishing Resources” section on page 285 for my favorite sources.
Make whatever effort you can to procure meat from 100% organic grass-fed and grass-finished sources. The organic part protects you against the use of GMO alfalfa and the herbicide glyphosate on pastures, which is on the rise. Meats from fully pastured animals are nutritionally superior because green grass and forage are the natural foods for ruminants and herbivores. Fully pastured (and organically raised) animals are not fed GMOs, cheap fillers, antibiotics, hormones, gum wrappers, stale candy, cement dust, or other questionable or harmful additives, therefore the meat, organs, and fat of pastured animals are the most healthful for you. It’s also a far more humane, sustainable, and environmentally friendly option.
Beware of the new, more lax laws leading to confused language in this arena. Those not wanting to fuss and bother with quality care and ethics are now allowed to make misleading claims concerning the manner in which their meat was raised. Remember: All cattle spend most of their lives on pasture, but most then go to feedlots, where even a short time gorging on grains changes everything. It is what happens in the last few weeks of the animal’s life that determines the fatty acid and fat-soluble nutrient content of the meat you eat! Most grocery markets sell grain-finished meat. Read the labels in the meat case very carefully, or better yet, ask the butcher, “Did the animal from where this meat came spend 100 percent of its life on untreated pasture, or was it grain/feedlot finished?” Be brave and speak up! Grocery stores and restaurants will not change what they try to sell you until consumers uncompromisingly and vocally demand it!
Ideally, source fully pastured, or at least free-range and organic, poultry. Pastured chickens are allowed to naturally eat bugs and grasses, which give them the optimal nutritional profile. Organic chicken will at least be fed nonpesticided, non-GMO feed.
As noted in the section “Staying Strong in a Toxic World” in Chapter 3, because of extensive marine contamination issues I personally tend to avoid most seafood sources from the Northern Hemisphere (even Alaskan waters). Wherever possible I look for wild-caught seafood from pristine Southern Hemisphere waters (Tasmania/New Zealand), where contaminants are likelier to be minimal. Check with your local quality fishmonger. Never, ever eat any fish or shrimp that has come out of the Gulf of Mexico (and yes, it is being sold in markets and restaurants everywhere right now) because of the risk of exposure to petroleum contamination, other chemicals, and especially Corexit (the stuff that BP—in defiance of the EPA’s concerns about extreme toxicity—sprayed all over the Gulf to basically hide the oil slick). Farmed fish are frequently exposed to antibiotics, GMO feed, and unsanitary conditions, and they often put wild fish populations at risk. See “Nourishing Resources” on page 285 for information on quality wild-caught or uniquely high-quality farmed fish.
It’s important to strive to consume organic produce, as it minimizes your exposure to GMOs and pesticides and tends to have better nutrient content.
Go for minimally processed, preservative-free products with pronounceable ingredients! Make sure that condiments such as mustard are clearly marked “gluten-free.” Look for products that are certified GMO-free. Seek out foods that are free of trans fats, hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated fats, and interesterified fats (avoid fractionated oils and palm oil), and always avoid products containing soybean or canola oil. Make sure the products you buy are nonirradiated, contain no MSG, and are free of sugar, starch, and high fructose corn syrup. See “Your Primal Shopping List” at the end of the book.
PROTEINS
Meats
Alpaca
Beef
Bison
Chicken
Cornish hen
Duck
Elk
Goat
Goose
Guinea fowl
Kangaroo
Lamb
Mutton
Ostrich
Partridge
Pork
Quail
Rabbit
Squab
Turkey
Venison
Wild boar
Yak
Organ Meats and Offal
Blood pudding/blood sausage (make sure these don’t include some starchy filler!)
Brain
Braunschweiger
Gizzards (from poultry)
Headcheese (traditionally, a terrine made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig, mixed with other organ meat trimmings)
Heart (beef, chicken)
Kidneys (beef, lamb)
Liver (beef, calf, pork, poultry)
Liverwurst
Spleen
Sweetbreads
Tongue (typically beef)
Tripe
Trotters (pigs’ feet)
As I’ve noted, most farmed seafood is of highly questionable quality and sustainability, but there are exceptions. One such exception is Ōra King salmon from New Zealand, uniquely farmed in the best possible way; ask your fishmonger if it can be ordered for you. There are some other fish-farming operations in Tasmania and New Zealand, and possibly elsewhere, that seem to do a good job of feeding their fish (i.e., salmon, trout, tilapia) naturally. Be extremely cautious about this, and always ask to see a listing of what the farmed fish are being fed. If a source is questionable at all, avoid it.
Anchovies
Sardines
Trout
Walleye
VEGETABLES
Artichokes
Asparagus
Beets (cultured)
Bok choy
Broccoli
Broccoli rabe
Broccolini
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (red and green)
Carrots (raw)
Cauliflower
Celery
Cilantro
Collard greens
Cress
Cucumber
Fennel
Garlic
Garlic spears (sort of like big chives with a bulb attached; prepare like asparagus)
Green onions (scallions)
Green or yellow beans
Kale
Kohlrabi
Jicama (raw)
Leeks
Mustard greens
Onions
Parsley
Peppers (bell and hot)*
Purslane
Radishes
Rhubarb
Shallots
Snap peas
Snow peas
Spinach
Swiss chard
Tomatillos*
Tomatoes*
*If you have inflammatory issues, you might attempt a trial of avoiding tomatoes and other nightshades (all tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, eggplant, and goji berries) for a time.
Note: I tend to recommend avoiding most root vegetables, as they have a high starch content that can boot you out of ketosis fast and create a significant glycemic response/increased blood sugar. The exception would be small amounts of raw carrot and jicama.
Lettuces
Arugula
Boston lettuce
Butter lettuce
Endive
Escarole
Frisée
Green leaf lettuce
Iceberg (poor in nutrients)
Lovage
Mâche
Mizuna
Oak leaf lettuce
Radicchio
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine
Watercress
Sprouts (broccoli, sunflower)
Watercress
FRUITS
Any sweet fruit (even those somewhat lower in sugar) should probably be avoided by those having metabolic issues, such as obesity, diabetes or other blood sugar problems, gout or high uric acid levels, and inflammation. While fruit isn’t essential to the Primal Fat Burner Plan, fresh berries are an optional inclusion for those without blood sugar issues, metabolic challenges, or inflammation. Wild blueberries in particular—the skins being especially rich in sirtuin-enhancing pterostilbene (better than resveratrol)—are certainly an acceptable and potentially health-enhancing treat for most.
Avocado
Berries
Blackberries
Blueberries (preferably wild)
Cranberries (only unsweetened)
Gooseberries
Marionberries
Raspberries
Salmonberries
Strawberries (only organic)
Lemons
Limes
Olives
HERBS AND SPICES
All herbs and spices (fresh or dried) are fine to use, as long as they are organic and nonirradiated. Fresh herbs can be grown inexpensively in your own garden.
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Coconuts
Hazelnuts (filberts)
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Pili nuts (sold by Wild Mountain Paleo; see “Nourishing Resources” on page 285)
Pine nuts
Pistachios
Walnuts
Seeds
Chia seeds (in small amounts)
Flax seeds (in small amounts)
Hulled hemp seeds (only organic, nonirradiated)
Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds (sparingly, due to high omega-6 content)
Note: Most seeds (except flax and chia) are extremely high in inflammatory omega-6s and should be minimally consumed and/or balanced with dietary omega-3s. Chia and flax, however, are fairly estrogenic and should be kept to a minimum. Most hemp seeds are routinely irradiated.
MUSHROOMS
My personal favorites to cook with are shiitake and maitake mushrooms for their excellent flavor and their uniquely beneficial health properties. The least nutritious are the button, cremini, and portobello varieties (which also happen to be the most commonly sold). For excellent educational information on mushrooms and many of their extraordinary healing properties, as well as to learn which can be easily grown at home, go to www.fungi.com.
Chanterelles
Chestnut
Enokitake (enoki)
Field
King brown
Lion’s mane
Lobster
Maitake (hen of the woods)
Matsutake
Morels
Oyster
Pine
Porcini
Portobello
Reishi
Shiitake
Swiss browns (cremini)
Truffles (very expensive)
White or button
Wood ear
FATS FOR COOKING AND EATING
Avocado oil*
Black seed/black cumin oil* (I recommend the one from Pure Indian Foods)
Chicken fat (schmaltz)**
Duck fat**
Goose fat**
Organic virgin coconut oil
Cultured ghee (the one safe for dairy sensitivities is sold exclusively by Pure Indian Foods)
Pastured, non-hydrogenated lard
Macadamia nut oil* (rich in palmitoleic acid—a newly discovered omega-7 fatty acid—fabulous for weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity, great on salads and drizzled over cooked meats/fish/veggies)
Extra-virgin olive oil*
Sesame oil (in small amounts)
Grass-fed tallow
*Best used on salads or with very low heat
**Best used with low to medium heat
SWEETENERS
Whole-leaf or unrefined stevia (I like Stevita brand)
Monk fruit extract (lo han guo)
SEAFOOD AND OTHER OCEAN PRODUCTS
The risk of contamination by mercury, PCBs, radionuclides, Corexit, and other harmful substances means that you should avoid the following types of seafood:
North Pacific seafood in general, and anything from the Gulf of Mexico
Atlantic salmon (always farmed)
Chilean sea bass
Grouper
Mackerel (especially king mackerel)
Monkfish
Orange roughy
Shark
Shellfish: clams, crab, lobster, oysters, mussels, scallops, and shrimp, unless from verifiably wild, pristine Southern Hemisphere sources
Swordfish
Tilefish
Tuna
Avoid kombu, due to its high natural MSG content. Also, at this time I do not recommend other seaweed or sea vegetables from the Northern Hemisphere due to potential contamination issues.
OTHER FOODS
Fast food
Grains: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice and rice milk, rye, sorghum, spelt, tapioca, teff, and wheat
All GMOs
Processed food
Protein bars, powders, or energy bars
Sugar
Sodas
Juices
Sports drinks
Hot dogs
Bologna and other processed lunch meats
Nitrate- and sugar-laced bacon (nitrate-free, sugar-free bacon is okay)
Conventionally cured ham, salami, and pepperoni (fats may be rancid)
Peanuts and peanut butter (peanuts are a legume, a common allergen, and prone to aflatoxin)
Refined table salt, iodized or non-iodized (it will say “sodium chloride” on the label)
Figs
Dried fruit
Legumes
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Black beans
Broad beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Navy beans
Peas
Pinto beans
Soybeans and soy products such as soy milk and soy sauce
Tofu
White beans
Dairy
Milk
Cream
Sour cream
Dairy and/or store-bought yogurt
Ice cream
Cheese
Butter (contains milk solids that can lead to inflammatory response for those immune reactive to them)
Regular ghee (contains milk solids; only the Pure Indian Foods Cultured Ghee and Turmeric Super Ghee are certified as free of dairy proteins)
Sugars
Agave (please avoid all of it)
All artificial sweeteners (see www.doctoroz.com/article/list-names-artificial-sweeteners for a complete list)
Amazake (made from rice)
Barley malt
Beet sugar
Brown sugar
Cane sugar
Coconut nectar or sugar
Corn syrup
Date sugar
Fruit juice concentrate
Honey (yes, honey—unless using the high-MGO manuka variety for a sore throat)
Maple syrup
Molasses
Palm sugar
Raw sugar
Rice syrup
Sorghum syrup
Sucanat
Turbinado sugar
White table sugar
Xylitol (may be GMO and has a delayed glycemic response)
Canola oil (never—not even the supposedly organic variety)
Corn oil
Cottonseed oil
Grapeseed oil (extracted using hexane)
Hemp oil
Margarine
Palm oil/red palm/palm kernel oil (may cause gut inflammation,6 is frequently interesterified, and is environmentally unsustainable)
Peanut oil
Rice bran oil
Safflower oil
Soybean oil
Sunflower oil
Wheat germ oil (also contains gluten)
All processed commercial vegetable oil blends
Though primal fat burners do love fat dearly, our love is not unconditional. It’s very important to avoid fats that have become rancid and/or oxidized, which happens when fats and oils are overprocessed, improperly stored, stored for too long, or overheated. Any of these things can generate especially aggressive, damaging free radical activity in the body. Remember, fat and fat-soluble nutrients have a profound effect upon your mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA and may even affect your nuclear DNA, initiating or modifying gene expression and gene transcription. This power can work for you or against you, depending upon the quality and relative balance of those fats and fat-soluble nutrients. A rancid fat is more likely to generate a genetic mutation than to support optimal health. Follow these five rules for using fats safely.
Fats naturally present within meats, nuts, and seeds are far safer within the matrix of their natural home than they are when separated from it. Once a fat has been removed from its natural source, it should either be used immediately or stored properly in a cool, dry place away from sunlight (ideally in a dark-colored glass container) or kept refrigerated or frozen. Once the container is opened, fat varies quite a bit in stability. Coconut oil and tallow are pretty stable and can last a few months unrefrigerated. Vegetable oils such as olive and avocado oils are less stable and once opened should be used up within a couple of months. Other more fragile oils need some means of proper preservation: vitamin E, rosemary oil, and vitamin D. Check the label.
If that open bottle of olive oil has been sitting in your cupboard for more than a couple of months, it may very well not be worth keeping around. Better to buy smaller bottles and use them relatively rapidly than that big “bargain bottle” of olive oil that sits in your cupboard oxidizing for a year.
Practicing safe cooking methods is incredibly important when it comes to retaining the quality and integrity of the fats you consume and ensuring they help your health, not harm it. It’s always safest to cook at low or medium heat (unless you are boiling water). If you do fry or sauté using higher heat, pick the right fat or oil and pay careful attention to the smoking point. This is the temperature threshold where fatty acids and other volatile compounds undergo rapid degradation and also produce toxic, volatile, noxious, peroxidized, potentially damaging, and even carcinogenic compounds (such as free radicals and various toxic aldehydes). Signs that you have passed the threshold include actual smoke rising from the pan, an associated acrid odor, or a darkened color. Abort mission! Immediately discard the heated fat (pour it into a glass jar until it’s cool enough to go into the trash), and if possible, avoid food cooked in such damaged oil. This may sound extreme, but the potential consequences of consuming spoiled fats are serious.
Most saturated fats and oils will hold up fine up to 350°F (medium heat). Butter tends to burn at lower temperatures, often between 250° and 300°F, because of its relatively high protein (milk solids) content. Cultured ghee, free of proteins, is more forgiving. Refined olive oil may burn at temperatures as low as 325°F. The smoke point varies depending on how refined the oil is, so use your eyes and nose. If you fry or sauté, it’s safest to use lard or cultured ghee. I personally never heat any fat above medium heat. Most of the cooking I do is right at about 250° to 275°F.
Boiling or poaching fatty meats and fish—fully immersing the protein in boiling water—greatly minimizes the potential for unhealthy oxidation. As long as you don’t overdo it and you melt a great oil on top (or my fabulous Primal Gaucho Chimichurri), the results are terrific. (The new trend of sous-vide cooking takes this to melt-in-your-mouth, gourmet extremes.)
To truly safeguard your health when cooking, invest in an induction-based cooking technology. It eliminates a lot of risk and guesswork by giving you exact temperature control when frying, simmering, sautéing, searing, barbecuing, melting, and grilling. There are even affordable, freestanding induction hot plates. Ever since I got mine, I don’t use the regular stove anymore.
It is wise to have both quality refined and unrefined coconut and olive oils on hand. Use the cold-processed, organic, unrefined, or virgin oil for raw use (salads, flavorings, etc.), and you’ll get their antioxidant and nutritional goodness. But the presence of naturally occurring organic particulate matter makes the unrefined versions vulnerable to damage when heated, so use the refined versions (or just lower the heat) for frying or sautéing.
Aged fats refers to deli meats and fatty meats preserved with nitrates or nitrites. Bacon needs to be carefully sourced. Seek fully pastured and non-GMO-fed pork that has been processed without sodium and sugar. I always cook my low-sodium, sugar-free, nitrate-free bacon in the oven at 350°F for about twenty minutes, give or take. I season it myself, and it is to die for. I promise that once you have tried this using an oven you will never look back. The bacon turns out perfect every time and the fats are not overheated. You can even save the bacon fat for a couple of days and use it to sauté on low heat if you want, but don’t keep it any longer than that or heat it any higher. Conventional brands of bacon are to be avoided because they use nitrates or nitrites (either industrial sources or the seemingly innocent “celery powder” sources of these same sketchy compounds), lots of commercially refined salt (which is highly inflammatory), and a ton of sugar. The animals are also frequently fed GMO feed. It pays to be fussy with bacon.
The science is clear that industrialized oils like canola and soy are “trash oils”—they’re often extracted with toxic solvents, GMO sourced, lose omega-3s in the hydrogenation/interesterification process, and go rancid when exposed to heat. Yet many if not most restaurants cook with them, because they are dirt cheap! They are pervasive in grocery store delis (including at supposedly “natural” food stores) and in most processed foods (check the label of your mayonnaise). Ask restaurants and delis what they use for cooking and dressings. If it’s “vegetable oil,” canola, or soy, go elsewhere and tell them why that concerns you. Better restaurants will often specially cook your food in olive oil (hopefully at a lower heat) and will bring olive oil and balsamic vinegar for salads if you request them.