If you’re a frequent fad dieter, you’re probably familiar with the term water weight. Those diet pills, crash diets, and cleanses boast fast and big weight loss results mostly because of it. We’re going to explore what causes water weight and how it could be affecting you.
What is Water Weight?
Water weight can make the scale fluctuate frequently. Our bodies are made up of 50-60% water, but sometimes we retain more than that. This extra water is stored in cells, tissues, or between blood vessels.
But, unlike fat gain, water weight isn’t necessarily connected to calorie intake and energy expenditure. Water weight has more to do ...
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The Ultimate Guide to Paleo Snacks
Without a doubt, the most frequent question we get at UPG is about snacks.
“What are appropriate snacks?”
“When am I supposed to eat snacks?”
“Snacks for me are easy, but what about kid-friendly ones?”
It’s worth noting that snacking is not necessary following the Paleo diet. When it comes to eating snacks, it’s best to listen to your body. If you notice you get hungry between breakfast and lunch, then by all means, enjoy a snack. But if your meals are keeping you completely satisfied, then snacking is not essential.
Nutrition in general is completely individualized, and what works for you might not work for someone else. ...
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FYI: Polyunsaturated Fats
Fats are confusing. Bad fats, good fats, omega-3s, saturated, unsaturated, trans...it can be difficult to keep them all straight. Not to mention that fat was targeted as THE macronutrient to avoid in the 1980s-1990s thanks to low-fat campaigns by organizations such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. A couple decades later, we’ve realized that fat wasn’t necessarily the issue with the standard American diet. Fats play a vital role in how our body functions, so it’s important to know which ones are best for you.
Our series on fats continue. This time we’re talking about PUFAs - polyunsaturated fatty acids!
A ...
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What is Tallow?
It can definitely be categorized as another one of those “buzzwords” that you might not have heard of until you entered the Paleo or primal world.
What is tallow?
Tallow is fat rendered from meat other than pork
- most commonly beef. Basically, pork is to
lard as beef is to tallow. Tallow is processed from the suet of an animal. Suet is the hard, nutrient-dense fat that surrounds the kidneys and loins. This fat is rendered (melted down), the impurities removed, and used as a high-quality cooking fat.
Why use tallow?
Tallow is often considered a must-have in many Paleo kitchens. This is for a number of reasons. First off, tallow has a ...
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Soy – What is it Good for?
Soy - it is perhaps one of the most controversial and widely-debated foods. Scan the research and you’ll start to see why. You can find studies that say it’s great for you and others that say to stay away from it at all costs. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? What should we believe???
Let’s discuss…
Soy is a legume, and is therefore NOT considered Paleo. The goal of the Paleo diet is to eliminate common allergens and toxins - and legumes such as soy fall into this category. By doing this elimination, we give our body (starting with the gut) time to heal. It no longer has to spend energy battling these toxins and can therefore start to repair ...
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The Wonders of Sardines
They may be little, but sardines are a nutrient-dense powerhouse. Often overshadowed by bigger fish, like salmon or tilapia, sardines offer incredible health benefits and are so simple to add into your diet.
Take a quick look at the nutrition facts for sardines and it won’t take long to realize why people talk up the benefits of these little fish. In a standard 3.5oz can of sardines, you’ll get 23 grams of protein and 10.5 grams of fat. This isn’t your standard old fat though. Sardines are one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids on the planet. By eating a can of sardines, you’ll receive 61% of the daily recommended value of ...
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Raw Food Paleo Diet: Is it Possible?
Raw food diet...raw foodism...raw fooders. These are terms used when talking about a diet composed only of food that has not been cooked. This way of eating has become increasingly popular thanks to the claims that followers will lose weight, increase energy, and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
What is a Raw Food Diet?
First, it’s important to note that dietary practices within this way of eating will vary greatly depending on the person. That being said, there is a plant-based emphasis on eating food that has been uncooked and unprocessed. A raw food diet could include fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, nuts/seeds, legumes, ...
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FYI: Monounsaturated Fats
Fats are confusing. Bad fats, good fats, omega-3s, saturated, unsaturated, trans...it can be difficult to keep them all straight. Not to mention that fat was targeted as THE macronutrient to avoid in the 1980s-1990s thanks to low-fat campaigns by organizations such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. A couple decades later, we’ve realized that fat wasn’t necessarily the issue with the standard American diet. Fats play a vital role in how our body functions, so it’s important to know which ones are best for you.
Today we’re going to shine the light on monounsaturated fats.
Saturated vs. Unsaturated
In a general sense, ...
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What is MCT Oil?
Whether you’ve been in the Paleo world for a while or you’re a newcomer, you’ve probably heard some talk about MCTs or MCT oil thanks to the popularity of things like Bulletproof coffee and coconut oil.
What is MCT oil? What are the benefits? How do you incorporate it into your diet?
Let me lay out the facts for you...
What is MCT?
MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides (also referred to as medium chain fatty acids). To fully understand MCT oil and its benefits, we first need to discuss the different types of fatty acids.
Types of Fats
Fats can be classified as one of three types depending on the chemical structure: short-chain ...
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FAQ: What are Nightshades?
One of the most frequent questions we get at Ultimate Paleo Guide is about nightshades. For most of the population, eating nightshades is completely fine. For people with autoimmune conditions or leaky gut, though, consuming these vegetables can cause incredibly painful symptoms.
Background
Nightshades fall into the plant family Solanaceae. While the Solanaceae family contains thousands of species of plants, most of them are considered inedible and even poisonous. Edible nightshades, while fewer in number, are quite common in our diets today. These include tomatoes, white potatoes, eggplant, peppers (both hot and bell), and spices that ...
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