In With the New
So you’ve committed to Avoiding Poisonous Things for 30 days. You read the articles from yesterday’s post, cleaned out your pantry and fridge and are ready to get Primal. Now what? After Out With the Old comes in with the new, of course, so it’s time to do some shopping. I want you to fill your kitchen with food that Grok would recognize. These are the foods that the human body is meant to consume. The foods that give us energy and vitality, that make us lean and support our immune systems for a long, healthy and happy life. In short and in full: meat (beef, pork, fowl, fish, etc.), eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, and healthy derivative fats/oils and butters (with herbs, spices, extracts, and supplements rounding things out).
When making the transition to Primal, giving up grains and minimizing sugar consumption is just part of the equation. The next challenge is to accept that fat is healthy and should make up a majority of your caloric intake. Of course, not all fats are created equal, so you need to choose wisely. Additionally, it’s not just the type and quality of your dietary fats you need to be concerned about. In The Primal Blueprint and How to Forage in the Modern World I emphasize the importance of choosing clean meats and eggs, and certain fruits, nuts and vegetables over others.
Just like yesterday I’d like to direct you to a slew of articles that I’ve written on these topics. But first, let’s remind ourselves that a big part of this challenge is about eating real food – plants and animals just like Grok.
The following represent the most popular MDA articles on each of these nourishing food groups. You’ll learn why these foods should make up the entirety of your eating plan, which fats, meats, nuts/seeds, vegetables and fruits are preferred, how to shop for these foods and how to do it all on a budget. Below you will also find my answers to FAQs. Do your homework and then get out there and eat some Primal grub!
Fat
The Definitive Guide to Saturated Fat
Is All Olive Oil Created Equal?
Trans Fat: Why It Should Be Avoided Like the Plague
Meat
Did Grok Really Eat That Much Meat?
Choosing Chicken: A Primal Purchasing Guide
The Problems with Conventionally Raised Beef
What Cowpooling Is and How to Find a Cowpooling Source
Organ Meats: It’s Not So Offal
In Defense of Meat Eaters: The Evolutionary Angle
Eggs
Vegetables
Top 10 Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer Vegetables
Is Organic All It’s Cracked Up to Be?
Why Do I Have to Eat Vegetables At All?
A Visual Guide to Sea Vegetables
The “Smart Fuel” Category (contains many vegetable profiles)
Fruit
On the Problems of Cultivated Fruit
The Wonderful World of Coconut Products
The Many Uses of Coconut Flour
Nuts/Seeds
FAQs
What does your meal plan look like, Mark?
A Primal Blueprint Sample Menu
Should I be taking supplements?
Grok Didn’t Take Supplements So Why Should I?
Vitamin D: Sun Exposure, Supplementation and Doses
Protein Powders: How Do They Measure Up?
What about fish oils?
The Definitive Guide to Fish Oils
What about dairy?
What about bugs?
Insects: Not Just for Breakfast Anymore
How can I go Primal without breaking the bank?
How to Eat Healthy and Save Money
How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
How to Build a Square Foot Garden in 10 Easy Steps
Tell me more about fat!
The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil
How to Render Beef Tallow and Bacon Fat
Coconut Oil and Ghee: Together At Last
Bone Marrow: Delicious, Nutritious and Underappreciated
We’re two full days into the 30-Day Challenge. Let me know how things are going for you so far. Grok on!
Subscribe to the Mark’s Daily Apple Newsletter and Get Challenge Updates All Month Long
Posted By: Mark Sisson
(
Thing so far are tasty!
I’m excited about the challenge (I actually started it three weeks early) and the support available for clean eating here.
Thank you, Mark!
Mark, it’s so good of you to link all these articles together. This gives the newbies a quick and easy reference for success!
I’ve been Primal since April, but it’s been a little too easy to slip up here and there over the summer. With the cooler weather hitting us here in Toronto, it’s nice to kick-start back into full Primal mode.
It’s great to read all the older posts again. They’re what got me motivated to live primally in the first place. Thank you Mark!
Mark,
Thanks for linking all of those previous posts. I found some old ones that were good to read.
David
Mark, even as a lifetime reader I just have to chime in and say that these last few posts were so well-linked and well-organized, you are unknowingly helping me trim down my enormous folder of MDA bookmarks! Thanks!
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT post! Making life easier with so much stuff in one place. Lost eighteen pounds in six weeks! Thanks Mark!
I’m a day behind, but I’ll catch up in no time!
Challenges are fun – helps me to not “slip” here and there…
I’m trying at least one new recipe from your cookbook every day. (and my slow cooker is transforming a pot of bones into yummy stock…)
Anyone know how to get the casein out of butter? I tried melting it and mixing it with water (to dissolve out the proteins) then letting the ‘purified’ fat float to the top and scooping it off. However wikipedia says casein is hydrophobic so I guess it wouldn’t have dissolved in the water and is probably still in the fat/ghee. I know theres not a huge amount of casein in butter but I want to eliminate it from my diet to fix my leaky gut, but my Kerrygold butter is too tasty and nutritious to give up unless absolutely necessary. Any ideas?
I believe that by making it into ghee, you’re getting pretty much just the fat, which does not contain casein or lactose except in trace amounts. If you’re making your own, you want to be careful about skimming the top layer and not pouring out the bottom layer. The middle layer should be pretty clean, from your perspective. I know that the GAPS diet, which is very strict about these things, allows ghee for all but the worse cases.
You can make clarified butter pretty easily by using this process:
Oops sorry, link didn’t work:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/clarified-butter-recipe/index.html
Then again, this might be better:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/coconut-oil-and-ghee/
I’ve stocked up on grass-fed dairy, macadamia nuts, and almond butter for this month.
Mark,
The food you keep on hand is very important when going Primal. I used to keep bread and cereal in my pantry, but now I don’t and it has made a big difference in my diet and lifestyle.
Alykhan
There’s so much good stuff on this site. I’ve recently added coconut milk, almond milk, almond butter, flax seed and pumpkin seeds to my diet, mainly from things I’ve learned about eating primal.
It’s something I have been trying to explain to my clients for a long time. Maybe next time I’ll just point to your blog and say “nuff said”
Eric
I’m in and all about it. One bummer though- just a few days ago my hours were cut substantially at work. I know eating clean is a huge deal but for now, conventional veggies and meats will have to do. I hope that’s not going too far off the mark!
Things are going great! Just hosted a dinner with friends where we served white wing dove that Calvin hunted last weekend with some sunflower seed meal and sausage dressing! It was delish! We are committed. Life is grand! ~ Karyn
I feel fantastic 2 days in! I’ve been dabbling at primal, but this challenge has motivated me to stick to it. I have hope for kicking the bread cravings in this 30 days.
Whenever I’ve set up my own personally challenges, or joined challenges with a couple of people, I haven’t taken them very seriously. So I didn’t think this one would do much for me.
But having this whole huge community of people who are so enthusiastic about this challenge, and seeing my blogging friends and facebook friends all talking about it… I just got swept up in the excitement and have had 2 AWESOME days so far.
I practically JUMPED out of bed this morning, I have so much more energy. I’m dropping water weight already. And I’ll admit that my brain is a little spacey due to the drop in carbs, but I’m SO FREAKING EXCITED to keep on with this challenge, for the rest of the 30 days and beyond.
I’ve been starting and re-starting plans to improve my health since I was a teenager. Somehow, this time, you made it stick. Thanks Mark!
i am impressed with the quality and the quantity of posts. this is a great resource. thank you
Anybody have advice on making clabber/clotted cream with buttermilk? I’m working on getting a source for raw milk in South Bend, but until then it’s going to be pasteurized
We’re going to the brunch down at the Irish pub tomorrow to ask where they get theirs. Of course, I’m not going to serve it with scones, lol.