What is Pink Fruit/Dragon Fruit?
Hylocereus undatus (also known as pink fruit or dragon fruit) is a member of the Cactaceae family. This includes all species of climbing cacti.
The scientific Latin name of the fruit is derived from several words. Hyle means woody, ceurus is waxy, and undatus describes something wavy.
As a type of cactus, hylocereus undatus thrives in dry climates. These plants produce fruits in four to six cycles per year.
This plant is referred to by names referencing its large, white flowers which bloom only during the evening. These include: moonflower, Cinderella plant, and Lady of the Night.
The oval-shaped ...
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All About Oregano Oil
What is Oregano Oil?
Oregano oil is a type of oil that is prepared from the herb oregano. Also known as Origanum vulgare, this perennial plant is a part of the mint family.
The plant has oval leaves and clusters of flowers, ranging from pure white to pink or violet.
Oregano can be cultivated as ornamental (for its attractive flowers) or culinary variety. The culinary varieties are grown for their flavorful leaves.
Ornamental types of oregano tend to taste blander, and are not recommended for use in cooking. (Source)
Read Our Guide To Essential Oils
The History of Oregano
The name oregano translates from Greek as “joy of ...
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Coconut Butter: The Ultimate Guide
What is Coconut Butter?
Coconut butter is essentially butter that is made from the flesh of a coconut. The white coconut flesh is blended or mashed to create a thick spread.
Before we go into more detail about coconut butter, let’s cover the key (and only) ingredient: coconuts!
[color-box color="blue"]Read our guide to coconut oil here[/color-box]
Coconuts are the fruit of the cocos nucifera, a type of palm. Despite the misleading name, coconuts are actually classed as a type of drupe fruit.
These include any fruit with a seed that is enclosed by a stony layer, such as olives or peaches.
Drupe fruits of any sort – including ...
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Can You Microwave a Sweet Potato? (And Other Info About This Root…)
A sweet potato, also known as ipomoea batatas, is a type of plant. The dark red, brown or purplish roots are the edible part of the plant.
Sweet potatoes are one of the OG Paleo superstar foods. And rightly so, it's delicious, nutritious, and super versatile.
If you have ever had questions about this root, this article is going to answer all of your questions. And chances are, you'll be craving a sweet potato when you're done. :)
So, Can You Microwave a Sweet Potato?
Unlike regular potatoes, sweet potatoes can be enjoyed raw. As the name suggests, they have a sweet flavor that is ideal for all sorts of dishes.
But sweet ...
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Are Beets Paleo?
The Quick Answer
Yes, beets are Paleo.
Why Are Beets Paleo?
Beets are Paleo because they are a root vegetable that is loaded with a variety of vitamins and minerals. In fact, beets are known to be a health promoting and disease preventing functional food.
Researchers consider beetroot to be a promising therapeutic treatment in a range of health issues associated with oxidative stress and inflammation; their antioxidants are even considered to have chemo-preventive activity.
Beets are a versatile vegetable that can be prepared in several ways, even eaten raw and added to salads or juices, but watch out for packaged beets that are ...
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Is Buckwheat Paleo?
What is Buckwheat?
Buckwheat is a triangular-shaped seed harvested from the flowering buckwheat plant. The seeds can be used whole (called ‘groats’) or ground into flour and used in baked goods.
Despite its name, buckwheat isn't related to wheat or other grains. Instead, it’s classified as a pseudo-cereal (or pseudo-grain), as are quinoa, chia, and amaranth.
Is Buckwheat Paleo?
Check out our Paleo Food List
Strictly speaking, no. The Paleolithic Era ended in 10,000 BP, while the first evidence of human buckwheat consumption was more than 7,000 years later.
Regardless of this stringent definition, some in the ancestral health ...
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Paleo Protein Powders
“Is protein powder Paleo?”
This is one question we get repeatedly, and it’s almost always followed by, “can you recommend some brands?”
This post aims to clear up the confusion for you.
First things first, let’s assume that we all understand that, even though cavemen did not have access to protein powder, that doesn’t mean we CAN’T eat it in our modern world.
The whole “eat everything a caveman would” is so mid-2000s, right?
That being said, not all protein powders are created equal. And, we don’t advocate for all of the protein in your diet coming from protein powder. It’s always a good rule of thumb to get the majority of ...
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Paleo-Friendly Sugar – Is There Such A Thing?
We’re going to dive into the deep, dark world of Paleo-friendly sugar. We get a lot of questions about this topic. And for a good reason - it can be confusing.
What is Paleo-friendly sugar?
I don’t know about you, but when I first started the Paleo diet, I spent hours and hours learning all I could about it. This included recipe hunting. And, of course, as I sought out recipes, I found all kinds for Paleo cookies, cakes, brownies...the whole gamut.
For a beginner, this was confusing. Many resources claimed that the Paleo diet is a sugar-free diet. But these dessert recipes included ingredients like coconut sugar, honey, maple ...
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The Ultimate Paleo Guide to Butter
Can you eat butter on the Paleo diet? Cavemen didn't do that.
I’m going to be honest here - sometimes, the whole “eat as a caveman would…” does more harm than good. I’m not going to go into the specifics as to why that logic is flawed - Google can easily tell you that.
But, while eating as our ancestors did is a good guideline to follow, I think it can divert focus away from our ultimate goal which is eating for HEALTH.
The Big Question
One question that we get often is regarding butter.
Is butter technically Paleo? It is a dairy product, so no it’s not.
Did cavemen eat butter? Nope, they sure didn’t.
Regardless of this, though, we ...
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Rice: Is it Paleo?
Rice: Is it Paleo?
Is rice Paleo? So you know that grains are a no-go on the Paleo diet. Still have questions about that? Be sure to check out our guide on grains to familiarize yourself of the “why.”
But what about rice? Is that technically a grain? Can you eat rice while following a Paleo diet?
Rice is a grain
First things first. Rice is a grain. Plain and simple.
Again - read all about why grains are excluded on the Paleo diet if you don’t know the reasoning behind it or if you need a refresher.
Ok, now that we have that out of the way, we can get into the more nitty gritty. Even though it is a grain, more and more Paleo ...
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