Wait… I Thought That Wasn’t Paleo
This was a response I received from a few readers after yesterday’s post on Barnana’s Chewy Energy Bites (made of banana, and nothing else. It’s just dried fruit!), and for others I’ve written as well.
Understandably so, as the premise of True Paleo is to eat real, fresh whole food in season.
So where does something like Barnana or perhaps a ‘Paleo Energy Bar’ fit into the spectrum?
Here’s the deal: there are going to be times when fresh isn’t available. Or, as in yesterday’s post, times when, for example, a small, packed, dried banana stuffed into the pocket of your run bottle makes more sense to bring along on a long run instead of trying to hold a fresh banana in your hand or pocket.
Also, for an in-a-pinch case, such as being on a road trip far longer than you’d planned during which you’ve already eaten the fresh salads and veggies with protein and fat and the only other option is stopping at a road-side gas station and hoping for the best.
No, I would not recommend subsisting on packaged foods of any kind, any sooner than I’d start recommending starting the day with (faux) Paleo Pancakes.
My message remains the same.
Do your best to keep true to the real Paleo approach and when a grey area comes up, which it will, unless you’re making 100% of your food at home all the time, make the best choice out of what might be two or more less than ideal options.
It’s no different from being at a restaurant and opting to have the filet mignon sans béarnaise sauce with a side of steamed veggies, even thought the meat isn’t grass-fed and the broccoli isn’t organic. That entree is still the better option than Fettuccine Alfredo.
Ya dig?