The Top 20 Paleo Acronyms

There is so much jargon used in the Paleo-sphere and people often ask what a particular abbreviation means.  This is my list of what I think are the 20 most commonly used terms.

1.       N=1   This is used to indicate a personal experiment; your own experience

2.       SAD  The Standard American Diet (but I think this works just as well with Australian or Anglo too) – i.e. the western diet.

3.       CW  Conventional Wisdom, generally of the “eat more whole grains” variety

4.       GF  Gluten-Free

5.       IF  Intermittent Fasting (though often used talking about any type of fasting, event a regular daily fast – which seems to miss the point of “intermittent”?)

6.       NAD  Neolithic Agents of Disease; Dr. Kurt Harris’s phrase for un-Paleo foods

7.       WAPF  The Weston A Price Foundation

8.       MUFA/ PUFA  Mono-Unsaturated Fat(ty Acids)/ Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids

9.       CLA  Conjugated Linoleic Acid; A beneficial MUFA

10.   SFA  Saturated Fat(ty Acids)

11.   LCT/ MCT  Long Chain Triglycerides/ Medium Chain Triglycerides

12.   EVCO/ EVOO  Extra Virgin Coconut Oil/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil

13.   CLO  Cod Liver Oil

14.   HDL/ LDL  High Density Lipoprotein/ Low Density Lipoprotein

15.   CHO  Carbohydrates (Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen)

16.   LC/ VLC/ ZC  Low Carb/ Very Low Carb/ Zero Carb

17.   CF/ WOD  Crossfit/ Work-out of the Day

18.   HIIT/ HIT  High Intensity (Interval) Training

19.   PWO  Post Work-out

20.   VFF  Vibram Five Fingers barefoot shoes

Even More Paleo Jargon: 15 Additional Acronyms and Terms Explained

As the Paleo world grows and evolves, so too does its language. Beyond the original 20 acronyms and abbreviations already listed, there are many more you may come across in forums, blogs, books and podcasts. Understanding these can help you better navigate conversations and avoid confusion. Here are 15 more commonly used Paleo, ancestral health, and low-carb lifestyle terms worth knowing.

21. AIP — Autoimmune Protocol

The AIP is a stricter version of the Paleo diet, developed to help those with autoimmune conditions. It eliminates common inflammatory foods like nightshades, eggs, nuts, and seeds, in addition to standard Paleo exclusions like grains, dairy and legumes. The aim is to calm the immune system and heal the gut, before gradually reintroducing foods to identify triggers.

22. LCHF — Low Carb High Fat

This acronym refers to a dietary approach that drastically reduces carbohydrates and replaces them with fat as the primary energy source. While similar to Paleo in many ways, LCHF often allows dairy and doesn’t always emphasise food quality or ancestral context. It’s commonly followed by those managing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or looking to lose body fat.

23. NSNG — No Sugar No Grains

Coined by fitness expert Vinnie Tortorich, NSNG is a simplified take on low-carb eating. By cutting out sugar and all forms of grains (even “whole” ones), it removes the most common sources of blood sugar disruption and inflammation in modern diets. It's often used as an entry point for people who find Paleo too overwhelming at first.

24. EMF — Eat More Fat

Seen frequently in low-carb and ketogenic communities, EMF encourages replacing carbohydrate energy with fats like avocado, coconut oil, nuts, fatty cuts of meat, and olives. It’s particularly relevant for those transitioning to fat adaptation or trying to stabilise hunger and energy throughout the day.

25. NK — Nutritional Ketosis

Nutritional ketosis is the state in which your body primarily uses ketones (produced from fat) for energy instead of glucose. It is typically achieved by eating a diet with fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. NK is commonly pursued for mental clarity, fat loss, epilepsy management, and endurance performance.

26. RO — Resistant Organics

A term sometimes used in farming and food sourcing circles, RO refers to crops and animal products raised without chemical fertilisers or antibiotics, and often in regenerative systems. Paleo enthusiasts interested in sustainability and nutrient density often prioritise RO foods.

27. GNG — Gluconeogenesis

This is the metabolic process by which your body converts protein or fat into glucose when dietary carbs are insufficient. Often misunderstood, GNG is essential and tightly regulated — it ensures you can still fuel essential functions like brain activity even on a low-carb or ketogenic diet.

28. FODMAP — Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols

These are types of fermentable carbohydrates that can cause digestive distress in people with irritable bowel syndrome or gut dysbiosis. The FODMAP protocol eliminates high-FODMAP foods like onions, garlic, apples and some dairy to help identify triggers. While not a Paleo protocol, many people combine low-FODMAP with Paleo eating for gut healing.

29. BPA — Bisphenol-A

Not food itself, but BPA is a chemical found in many plastic containers and linings, especially in canned foods. It’s an endocrine disruptor, and avoiding it is common in clean-living circles. Look for BPA-free tins and store food in glass rather than plastic when following a Paleo lifestyle.

30. OMAD — One Meal A Day

A form of extended intermittent fasting where individuals consume all daily calories within a single meal, typically in a 1-hour window. It can be part of a ketogenic or Paleo approach and is sometimes used for weight loss, autophagy benefits or simply convenience.

31. HPO — High Protein Omnivore

This describes someone who emphasises a very high intake of animal protein in their diet. While not necessarily “Paleo,” it often overlaps in the desire for real, unprocessed, animal-based food. HPO followers may focus heavily on meat, organs, fish, and eggs.

32. TBH — Tallow, Bone Broth and Honey

A cheeky acronym sometimes used in ancestral health communities to refer to traditional healing foods. While honey is used sparingly in Paleo, tallow (rendered beef fat) and bone broth are staples due to their nutrient density and gut-supportive benefits.

33. RT3 — Reverse T3

A thyroid hormone sometimes measured in functional medicine to assess thyroid function. Elevated RT3 can indicate stress, inflammation, or poor conversion of T4 to the active T3 hormone. Paleo protocols focused on adrenal and thyroid healing often explore RT3 markers.

34. SAPs — Standard Australian Packets

A tongue-in-cheek term for the boxed, plastic-wrapped convenience foods that fill most supermarket shelves in Australia. In the Paleo world, SAPs are the foods most avoided — ultra-processed, shelf-stable, and devoid of real nutrition.

35. BBG — Barefoot Before Grass

This one’s more obscure but sometimes found in minimalist footwear circles. It’s used to describe those committed to barefoot or minimalist shoe living — even indoors — as a way to restore natural gait, posture, and foot strength, often alongside Paleo lifestyle practices.

Building Your Paleo Vocabulary

While the acronyms may seem overwhelming at first, they become second nature as you spend more time immersed in Paleo living. Many of them reflect key pillars of ancestral health: real food, quality movement, proper rest, and avoiding the chemical and dietary pitfalls of the modern world.

As the community continues to grow, so too will the language. If you're new, don’t be afraid to ask when something doesn’t make sense — the Paleo world thrives on sharing, learning, and helping others navigate the jargon on their journey to better health.

So, what’ve I missed off the list?  Which Acronyms and Abbreviations keep cropping up in your reading?