NEW to Paleo and I am wondering about red wine and beans page

[susandraystock]

Hi there. I just joined the forum. I have been eating a modified form of the paleo diet off and on. I got it from the Tim Ferris book, The Four Hour body. He pretty much preaches a paleo diet EXCEPT he encourages readers to eat beans and says it is ok to have a glass (or two) of red wine at night. Why are beans not part of the paleo diet and what do ya'll think of red wine. I can live without the beans but I sure enjoy a nice glass of red wine with my grass fed steak. Thanks for having such a great forum!

[brachiate]

A glass or two of wine is good. It seems to be partly due to "hormesis" - the substances in the wine are like a mild challenge to the body that raises its defences and thereby encourages health.

Ferris's diet is about weight loss pure and simple. The once a week re-feed days where you eat large amounts of any crap you want are a good sign long term health is not a big concern of his. Legumes aren't as bad as grains in their insidious effects but they do contain lectins and phytates, both fundamental concerns on a paleo diet (though somewhat reduced by soaking for long periods and thorough cooking). Also if you are going for more carbohydrate to support exercise, could I humbly recommend fruit or starchy vegetables instead? If you're not exercising (very) large amounts, there's just no need for the amount of carbohydrate you get in beans, and the repeated insulin response to them compared to other paleo foods is not your friend if you are aiming for a long healthy life. For long term health, having a very low fasting insulin level is ideal (and a good predictor of other health measures like hsCRP, lipid profile, blood pressure). It also makes you feel mentally clear all day. Ferris is a "biohacker", fun but fundamentally in it for the short term.

I would suggest trying a month adhering to all the little exclusions on a paleo diet, however odd they seem, and then seeing how you feel. You may find you feel amazing, and if not, you haven't lost much in the experiment.

[Glockin Grok]

Wine is good my friend... Eat drink and be merry (the primal way)

Beans... I have them sometimes... such as when someone offers me chili and it has some beans... or I will have a spoonfull or two of baked bean in the summer at a bbq... But that is it

[Yvonne PHX]

A glass or two of wine is good. It seems to be partly due to "hormesis" - the substances in the wine are like a mild challenge to the body that raises its defences and thereby encourages health.

Ferris's diet is about weight loss pure and simple. The once a week re-feed days where you eat large amounts of any crap you want are a good sign long term health is not a big concern of his. Legumes aren't as bad as grains in their insidious effects but they do contain lectins and phytates, both fundamental concerns on a paleo diet (though somewhat reduced by soaking for long periods and thorough cooking). Also if you are going for more carbohydrate to support exercise, could I humbly recommend fruit or starchy vegetables instead? If you're not exercising (very) large amounts, there's just no need for the amount of carbohydrate you get in beans, and the repeated insulin response to them compared to other paleo foods is not your friend if you are aiming for a long healthy life. For long term health, having a very low fasting insulin level is ideal (and a good predictor of other health measures like hsCRP, lipid profile, blood pressure). It also makes you feel mentally clear all day. Ferris is a "biohacker", fun but fundamentally in it for the short term.

I would suggest trying a month adhering to all the little exclusions on a paleo diet, however odd they seem, and then seeing how you feel. You may find you feel amazing, and if not, you haven't lost much in the experiment.

+1. If you search beans and red wine on the blog, Mark has written of each of them, but brachiate gives you a pretty concise explanation here of both. A lot of us still enjoy the red wine with our steaks.

[SoccerGrok]

Nothing like a glass of Red with your Ribeye or NY Strip:-) Enjoy it...

[Hedonist]

I am more archevore than primal. The archevore guy, Dr. Kurt Harris used to be anti-bean. He no longer is. i personally eat beans several times a week. Always traditionally soaked ones. As long as my total carbs stay under around 75 grams/day, I lose fat. And I have zero digestive issues. Beans are good food. More info from my blog.

[pbj]

Nothing like a glass of Red with your Ribeye or NY Strip:-) Enjoy it...

+1