319 Paleo Foods – The Definitive Paleo Food List
I created this Paleo Food List after getting fed up with people commenting on how restrictive they think my Paleo diet must be. Especially when you consider that the bulk of a SAD diet seems to contain just one ingredient: Wheat.
Bread, pasta, pizza, cakes, cookies, pretzels, muffins, scones, breakfast cereals, donuts, waffles and crackers – they are all made with wheat. Hardly variety.
I’ve put this post together to try to demonstrate just how much variety a Paleo diet includes. All it omits is grains, legumes and (for some) dairy. Which means it includes literally hundreds of completely different types of foods.
The basic “Paleo Food List” contains Meat, Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Seeds, Vegetables and Fruit – which I’ve listed 319 different examples of; both different varieties – and in the case of meats different cuts.
Leafy & Salad Vegetables
Amaranth, Arugula, Beet greens, Bok choy, Broccoli Rabe, Borage greens, Brussels sprout, Cabbage, Catsear, Celery, Celtuce, Ceylon spinach, Chaya, Chickweed, Chicory, Chinese Mallow, Chrysanthemum leaves, Collard greens, Corn salad, Cress, Dandelion, Endive, Fat hen, Fiddlehead, Fluted pumpkin, Garden Rocket, Kale, Komatsuna, Kuka, Lagos bologi, Lamb's lettuce, Land cress, Lettuce, Lizard's tail, Melokhia, Miner's Lettuce, Mizuna greens, Mustard, Napa cabbage, New Zealand Spinach, Orache, Pak choy, Paracress, Poke, Radicchio, Sea beet, Sea kale, Sierra Leone bologi, Soko, Sorrel, Spinach, Summer purslane, Swiss chard, Tatsoi, Turnip greens, Watercress, Water spinach, Winter purslane and Yarrow
Flowers and flower buds
Artichoke, Broccoli, Caper, Cauliflower, Courgette flowers and Squash blossoms
Bulb and stem vegetables
Asparagus, Cardoon, Celeriac, Celery, Elephant Garlic, Florence fennel, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leek, Kurrat, Lotus root, Nopal, Onion, Pearl onion, Prussian asparagus, Spring Onion/Scallion, Shallot, Welsh onion and Wild leek
Root and tuberous vegetables
Bamboo shoot, Beetroot, Burdock, Broadleaf arrowhead, Camas, Canna, Carrot, Cassava, Chinese artichoke, Daikon, Elephant Foot yam, Ensete, Ginger, Hamburg parsley, Horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, Jícama, Mashua, Parsnip, Pignut, Prairie turnip, Radish, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Skirret, Swede, Sweet Potato or Kumara, Taro, Ti, Tigernut, Turnip, Ulluco, Water chestnut, Yacón and Yam
Sea vegetables
Aonori, Carola, Dabberlocks or badderlocks, Dulse or dillisk, Hijiki, Kombu, Laver, Mozuku, Nori, Ogonori, Sea grape, Sea kale, Sea lettuce and Wakame
Other Vegetables/ Fruits
Bell pepper, Bitter melon/Bitter gourd, Chayote, Courgette, Cucumber, Ivy Gourd, Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal, Luffa, Pumpkin, Squash, Sweet pepper (Capsicum), Tinda, Tomatillo, Tomato and Winter melon
Fruits
Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana, Bilberry, Blackberry, Blackcurrant, Blueberry, Currant, Cherry, Cherimoya, Clementine, Date, Damson, Dragonfruit, Durian, Eggplant, Elderberry, Gooseberry, Grape, Grapefruit, Guava, Huckleberry, Jackfruit, Jambul, Kiwi fruit, Kumquat, Lemon, Lime, Lychee, Mandarine, Mango, Cantaloupe melon, Honeydew melon, Watermelon, Rock melon, Nectarine, Orange, Peach, Pear, Pitaya, Plum, Pomegranate, Purple Mangosteen, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Rambutan, Satsuma, Star fruit, Strawberry, Tangerine and Ugli fruit
Beef
Blade Steak, boneless, Blade Oyster Steak, Blade Roast, Chuck Steak, Chuck Roast, Rib Roast, bone in, Rib Eye Steak, Rib Eye Roast, Rib Steak, Rib Roast, Sirloin Steak, T-Bone Steak, Sirloin Steak, boneless, Sirloin Roast, boneless, Fillet Steak, Fillet, Rump Steak, Topside Steak, Topside Roast, Silverside, Round Steak, Brisket and Skirt Steak
Lamb
Neck rosettes, Shoulder roast, Shoulder roast, boneless, Forequarter roast of chops, bone-in, Forequarter chops, Best neck cutlets, Rib loin cutlets, Rib loin (rack) roast, Rib loin chops, Rib loin roast, Mid loin chops, Mid loin roast, Chump chops, Chump roast, Leg roast, bone-in, Leg steak, Leg chops, Shank, bone-in and Lamb Breast
Pork
Foreloin roast, Foreloin chop, Loin roast, bone in, Loin chops, Rump chop, Rump steak, Leg chop, Leg steak, Leg, Hock, Trotter, Hand, Belly, Bacon and Ham
Chicken
Whole Chicken, Halves, Breast Quarters, Split Breast, Split Breast without Back, Boneless, Skinless Breast, 8-Piece Cut, Whole Chicken Wing, Wing Drummettes, Wing Mid Section with Tip, Wing Mid Section, Whole Chicken Leg, Boneless, Skinless Leg, Thigh, Boneless, Skinless Thigh, Drumsticks and Giblets
Other Meats
Alligator, Bear, Bison, Crocodile, Duck, Elk, Emu, Goat, Goose, Kangaroo, Ostrich, Pheasant, Quail, Rabbit, Rattlesnake, Reindeer and Venison
Offal/ Organ Meats
Liver, kidney, heart, sweetbread, brain and tripe
Fish
Bass, Dogfish , Eel, Flounder, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Herring, Hoki, Krill, Lobster, Mackerel, Mackerel icefish, Monkfish, Mullet, Mulloway, Mussels, Nephrops, Oysters, Perch, Pikeperch, Plaice, Pollock, Prawn, Red Snapper, Rock lobster, Sablefish, Saithe, Salmon, Sardines, Scallops, Sea bass, Shark, Shellfish, Shrimp, Sole, Sunfish, Swordfish, Toothfish, Trout and Tuna
Oils and Fats
Avocado oil, bacon fat, butter, coconut oil, ghee, lard, tallow, nut butters, walnut oil, macadamia oil, olive oil and coconut milk/ cream
Eggs
Hens eggs, duck eggs and goose eggs
Nuts & Seeds
Almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, cashews and hazelnuts
Quite some variety, isn't it?
When you consider the number of different ways you can prepare and cook your Paleo ingredients – the recipe potential is unlimited.
Have I missed off any of your favourite Paleo foods? Or do you disagree with some of the foods I've included? Let me know in the comments!
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I use arrowroot and tapioca (cassava) flour for thickeners
Not too mention all the fresh herbs one can use as well. I love mesclun and herb salad
That salad sounds amazing Julianne… and thanks for the thickener additions too!
I wanted to ask someone about tapioca? Wouldn’t it be the same as yams? Very high in complex carbs.
Also what are other peoples thoughts on Teff flour?
I like the dried varieties of fruit too dates are great for a snack or to add to a recipe 🙂
Ahh yes, dried fruits are great. Thanks Lisa!
This is fantastic! I’ll be using and linking often!
People are always saying “then what do you eat?” and I said “food. I eat food. real food.”
Thanks Graham! Exactly – proper real whole food!
Good one! Thanks for putting this together for the rest of us who get the same comment all the time! Will definitely use this 🙂
Thanks Aloka!
Pineapple!
Of course! What an omission!
Actually, tapioca is covered under cassava, but he didn’t mention arrowroot. Thickener is actually enough starch to make me pretty bloated, but if there aren’t digestive problems, go for it.
Also missing are other edible flowers is nasturtium leaves and flowers (peppery!). Actually, there are a lot of flowers that are edible, begonia (leaves, flowers and stems), calendula, carnations, chrysanthemums, clover, cornflower, dames’ rocket, daylilies, apple blossoms, citrus blossoms, fuschia, gladiolas, rose of course. Many more: http://whatscookingamerica.net/EdibleFlowers/EdibleFlowersMain.htm
Thanks Kit – I forgot about flowers – Marigolds are meant to be great in salads too!
Yea its funny isn’t it how the SAD diet is so much a habit anyone who tries to ‘opt out’ and think for themselves is a bit suspect! At a party last week someone commented. ‘Oh your on a diet’ watching me just take the fresh stuff. I find it’s easier just to nod.
Great to have a few more ideas as well.
Sometimes it definitely is easier just to agree instead of getting into a debate about it…
Another great thickener is chia seeds; either ground or as is.
I second this, the chia is a great little seed!
I agree that the list of what we CAN eat is so vast, I had to winnow it down to keep grocery shopping more manageable for me–I combed the NDB for foods highest in Omega-3, lowest in total sugars, and fit within the Paleo-recommended 4:1 ratio. I was suffering from choice overload.
Now I’ve got a more manageable shopping list of foods to choose from. The Primal-mentioned 80/20 Principle strikes again–I’ve kept the “crucial” 20% while ditching the other 80%.
Since my husband isn’t losing weight, I’m ditching the fruit and a few vegetables that don’t appear on the Atkins induction list, like carrots. What I’m not buying doesn’t really bother me, because what I can do with what remains makes up for it. I think “perceived deprivation” is at the heart of nay-sayers’ objections.
Agreed Wenchypoo! I’ve done the same with fruit too.
Chilean Sea Bass? Black Cod? Winter Squash (Butternut & Spaghetti Squash)? Quail Eggs? Anago? Man I love those foods too in addition to the massive list you have provided! 🙂
Some great additions there GiGi!
I find that my menu is limited because it’s hard to break a life-long habit of eating carbs and wheat! I actually have identified my biggest issue is not having “convenient” food. I have to re-work my day so I have time to prepare my food….”slow” food as some call it! I think I was lazy before…I was always looking for “quick”. I made a delicious eggplant parmesan tonight, but I had to work the prep time into my day. No biggie because the taste and the health is so worth it, but it’s difficult breaking a habit!
I also have used duck fat (which you can get when in season from Whole Foods) is in my frig now….
I’ve solved that problem with cooking large portions at one time and then refrigerate or freeze. Using the microwave to reheat isn’t the healthiest option but it’s quick and keeps the easy fix carbs at bay. Bacon fat can also be saved for frying up eggs or whatever!
What about mushrooms? I don’t see them on your list.
Thanks for the list! I’m just starting out and trying to get in the swing of things. I usually just crave beef but I know I need to eat other things as well. I didn’t know butter which kinda makes me happy for caramelizing onions, they are my addiction haha
plantains! crab!
cranberry
Bone marrow, tongue, oxtail, edible snails, squid
Green Chile!
Chayote is a great potato sub in stews/soups.
Years ago a naturopath put me on a “wheat free, dairy free, sugar free diet”. It focused completely on what you could NOT eat, so always made you feel like you were forever compromising and missing out. I love that Paleo is a really positive mind set and it’s all about what you CAN eat! Same difference really, it’s just in the way you sell it to yourself!!
SEEDS EATEN WHOLE ARE NON DIGESTABLE AND CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO INTESTINES. ALSO THE BODY REJECTS SEEDS , KICKS IMMUNE RESPONSE INTO GEAR. THINK , DIVERTICULITIS,CRONES, HEMEROIDS, LEAKY GUT!
Mahi – I love fish tacos!!!