Thursday, September 27, 2012

Day 5: Quinoa (Pronounced: Dee-lish-us)

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Quinoa is, technically speaking, a seed and not a grain. It's also packed with more protein than you can shake a stick at.  So why, oh why, can't I find it on any Paleo food list?

Paleo is like the English language.  It has rules ('i' before 'e', except after 'c'), and rule breakers ('science').  Which is why sometimes Paleo drives me bat-shit crazy.  I have to remind myself that it's a template - a template, and not a list of laws.  Yes, quinoa is a seed, and still, I've never seen it on a Paleo food list. While some Paleo peops have (after eliminating quinoa) incorporated it back into there diet because they feel their bodies can handle it, many choose to view it as a cultivated, agrarian crop that has no business on a plate meant solely for veggies, fruits and meat.  Yes, it's high in protein, but it's also high in "anti-nutrients" like phytic acid, leptins and du-du-duuuuuh: saponins.  *For more, click here.  

Phytic wha-wha?  Lept-whos-its?  Saponin-a-majigy?  I can't take it.  I need a cookie.

Look, I have absolutely no idea what any of those things are.  But I looked them up, and I found out that they're no bueno for your body.  The funny thing is, you can find those "anti-nutrients" in nuts, and nuts are Paleo.  But if you're a stickler, and a true Paleo perfectionist, you'd know that some nuts come highly recommended (macadamia) and others are practically spit on in the community (walnut).  At this point in the post I'm pretty sure I've lost half of my readers.  Apologies.  

Here's why I'm choosing to forgo quinoa for the next ninety-five days: I'm obese, and I'm trying to become not obese.  Quinoa has a lot of carbs and calories and when I look at my nutrition facts for what I've eaten at the end of a day on Paleo I'm thrilled at the amount of fresh fruits and veggies I've consumed, the grams of protein I've taken in and the lack of carbs and sugar flowing through my bloodstream.  If I tossed in a half a cup of quinoa, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but it would fuel that little carb-lovin' fire in my belly that talks me into eating when I'm full, and encourages me to stand in front of the fridge at ten o'clock at night looking for "just a little something sweet".  

That said, I fucking love the stuff.  Have you tried it? You should!  Eat it by the boat loads.  It's made by mother nature so it can't be bad for you.  And one day, when I transition my much healthier self back to clean eating I will definitely incorporate it into my diet.

The end and good night!

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for clarifying. I feel my comment yesterday may have influenced this post. Yay! I'll mull some more as they arise to give you fodder for your blog.

    Good going btw, on sticking to your guns. I'm doing some tricky eating these days (the exact opposite of your tricky eating) and feeling very healthy and proud of all the junk I'm foregoing everyday. I'm also loosing weight. Love it!

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  2. You totally inspired this post. You're also inspiring a future post I'm working on about the similarities between Paleo eating and Vegan eating. I'm glad you're feeling great, losing weight and loving it! xoxo Tay

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