Paleo Diet Without Dairy and Gluten: What You Can and Can't Eat

Understanding the Paleo Diet

The paleo diet has become an increasingly popular way of eating over the last decade. It emphasizes eating whole, unprocessed foods that our early hunter-gatherer ancestors would have consumed during the Paleolithic era. There are many purported health benefits to following a paleo diet, including weight loss, reduced inflammation, improved blood sugar control, and more.

A key part of the paleo framework is eliminating foods that became common in the agricultural era and the modern processed food supply. This means avoiding grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugars, vegetable and seed oils, and processed ingredients. Instead, the diet recommends meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil.

With its focus on whole foods, the paleo diet ends up being naturally gluten-free and dairy-free. Let's take a closer look at why these items aren't paleo-friendly and what foods you can enjoy on a dairy-free, gluten-free paleo diet.

Why No Dairy on Paleo?

Dairy products like milk, cheese, butter, cream, and yogurt come from cows, goats, and sheep. Our Paleolithic ancestors living in hunter-gatherer societies would not have had access to milk-producing livestock.

Additionally, evidence suggests that humans began domesticating livestock animals and consuming dairy products only after the advent of agriculture around 10,000 years ago. That's a tiny fraction of the millions of years of human evolution and far too short for our bodies to fully adapt to digesting milk products.

This is why lactose intolerance is extremely common worldwide, affecting 68% of people globally. Those with lactose intolerance lack enough of the lactase enzyme required to properly break down lactose, the main carbohydrate sugar found in dairy products.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, gas, cramping, diarrhea, and nausea after consuming dairy foods. Even those not considered lactose intolerant may struggle to properly digest dairy due to its high concentration of hormones, proteins, and carbohydrates foreign to human metabolism.

Following a paleo diet without dairy products will help you avoid these common digestive issues that can undermine your health goals.

Why No Gluten on Paleo?

Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. As with dairy, consuming grains and gluten is evolutionarily novel for humans. Grains were also first cultivated with the advent of agriculture around 12,000 years ago.

Additionally, modern grains have been heavily altered from their ancestral forms through selective breeding and hybridization efforts to increase yield and shelf life. They contain new proteins potentially harmful to human health.

Gluten and other grain compounds are difficult for many people to properly digest. An estimated 1% of the population has celiac disease, where gluten triggers severe damage to the digestive tract. Far more people suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which can cause diarrhea, fatigue, and nutrient deficiencies.

Avoiding grains and gluten on a Paleo diet sets up your digestive system for success. As the paleo philosophy implies, your body wasnt designed to handle large amounts of grains, gluten, and processed food byproducts.

Foods You Can Eat on Paleo Without Gluten and Dairy

Following a gluten-free, dairy-free paleo diet still leaves you with a plethora of delicious whole food options to create satisfying, nourishing meals. Here are some of the great food groups you can enjoy freely on paleo within a dairy-free and gluten-free framework:

Vegetables

All vegetables are fair game, but organic and local varieties are best to minimize pesticide exposure from conventional farming. Eat an array of colors and types like:

• Greens: kale, spinach, lettuces, chard, collards
• Cruciferous: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower
• Root: carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, onions, garlic
• Squash: pumpkin, yellow, zucchini
• Nightshades: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
• Sea vegetables: nori, wakame, kombu

Fruits

Favor low-sugar fruits in moderation, like:

• Berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
• Stone fruits: cherries, plums, peaches
• Citrus: lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit
• Tropical: mango, pineapple, banana
• Melons: watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe

Meat and Poultry

Grass-fed, pasture-raised meat and poultry provide protein along with important vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, selenium and B vitamins:

• Beef
• Bison
• Lamb
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Goose
• Duck

Fish and Seafood

Sustainably-sourced wild fish and shellfish like these offer anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids:

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Anchovies
• Sardines
• Oysters
• Shrimp
• Lobster
• Crab
• Cod
• Scallops

Eggs

Pasture-raised eggs from free-range hens provide protein along with carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin for eye and skin health.

Nuts and Seeds

RAW tree nuts and seeds are nutritious additions to the paleo diet, like:

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Cashews
• Brazil nuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Hazelnuts
• Pecans
• Pistachios
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds

But stay away from processed peanut butter and higher omega-6 seeds like canola or cottonseed oil.

Healthy Fats and Oils

Quality fats should comprise a solid portion of your daily paleo intake for energy, vitamins, and cell protection:

• Avocado
• Olives
• Coconut products
• Olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Coconut oil
• Walnut oil
• Ghee or clarified butter

Sample Paleo Meals Without Dairy or Gluten

Use the whole food groups above to craft well-rounded paleo meals and snacks free of gluten and dairy:

Breakfast:

• Scrambled eggs with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes
• Avocado stuffed with tuna and choice of veggies
• Berry smoothie with coconut milk, spinach, and almond butter

Lunch:

• Taco salad with lettuce, beef, avocado, salsa, and olive oil
• Roasted vegetables over arugula with chicken or salmon
• Leftover chicken and veggies stir-fried in coconut oil

Dinner:

• Pesto salmon with roasted asparagus and sweet potatoes
• Ground turkey lettuce wrap tacos with tomato, onion, lime
• Broiled lamb chops with rosemary, oven fries, and spinach salad

Snacks:

• Fresh berries
• Handful of raw nuts like almonds or walnuts
• Carrot sticks with guacamole
• Hard boiled eggs
• Leftover chicken or steak

The Takeaway

The paleo diet offers a flexible, gluten-free and dairy-free framework full of delicious whole foods to support optimal health. Avoiding difficult-to-digest compounds found in grains, gluten, and milk products can alleviate inflammation and digestive troubles for many people.

At its core, paleo simply guides your food selection towards nutritious choices more aligned with human evolutionary heritage and metabolism. Plants, high quality animal proteins, and beneficial fats should comprise the bulk of your eating. Listen to your bodys signals to see if and how dairy or gluten may be problematic for you.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.