We all are facing uncertain & challenging times due to havoc created by the spread & outbreak of COVID-19. It is not clear what will be impact & how long this crisis will last but social distancing is a good strategy to protect ourselves against COVID-19. However, folks who follow the ancestral paleo diet are facing another unique challenge. How can you have a diet consisting of whole food when you cannot go out to buy groceries & super markets are not stocking whole foods.
Better part is we have a lot of paleo diet friendly options available which have longer shelf life. So how should you maintain Paleo pantry during COVID-19. Maintaining a healthy nutrient dense diet is important to keep our immune system healthy & maintain a healthy gut. Your gut health & immune system are interrelated since healthy gut microbiota promotes development of robust immune system.
Nutrient dense, ancestral diet which is free from processed & harmful foods, builds a stronger case for a healthy immune system. Paleo diet does not contain the following harmful food ingredients such as:
- Industrial Seed Oils: This leads to chronic inflammation. To know more about harmful impact of industrial seed oils, please check our blog.
- Refined flour: It is considered as empty calories & is calorie dense( nutrient deficient). Since the method of its preparation wipes off all necessary nutrients. This impacts your gut health & leads to inflammation. Its consumption also increases our sugar level.
- Excess added sugar: This directly impacts our gut health & lead to impaired immune system.
Given the current state of spread of CoronaVirus, it is important to prepare ourselves & our family for a long period of social isolation & disruption of normal schedule. You should look at purchasing & stocking self-stable & frozen foods. So if super markets are completely sold out, you have following options available:
- Purchasing directly from the manufacturer
- Purchasing from Amazon- checking back regularly if something is sold out.
- Using delivery services which stock foods that work well with Paleo , Keto, Grain-free & other diet variations.
Building a paleo pantry
Below mentioned foods are good to have on hand any time & a lot of them offer health benefits that are important now.
Healthy fats are calorie dense food that are quite nourishing & can be used to cook healthy meals for the family. I recommend stocking up the following:
- Ghee
- Olive Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Coconut Oil
Besides , Coconut Milk is another health fat that is perfect addition to Sauces & Smoothies
Bone Broth: Bone broth has incredible health benefits when it comes to strengthening your immune system & improving your gut health. These are versatile kitchen staples that can enhance the flavor and nutrition of your meals.You can easily make Bone Broth at home.
Canned Fish & meat: These are the best option available when you cannot find fresh or frozen. For canned meat, look at their labels to check if they have some sauces, preservatives or any other ingredients. Wild sea foods & pasteurized meat offers high nutrition.
Nuts, Seeds & Nut Butter: These are perfect food items for snacks & are high in nutrients. When purchasing nuts & seeds, see either raw or those soaked & sprouted. For nut butters, look at their labels so that you are away from industrial seed oil or refined added ingredients.
Grains & Legumes: Look for Quinoa, Lentils, Millets, Rice , Sprouted oats. You can also sprout raw oats by soaking in water for 5 to 18 hours to make this digestible & increase their bioavailability. Besides, you can also consider almond or multi grain flour for occasional eating.
Carton Milk: While traditional dairy milk is hard to find, stocking carton milk with longer shelf life is a good strategy. If you are not sure if product is shelf stable, look at its packaging.
Herbs & Spices: These are great immunity booster & are inflammatory in nature: You should consider stocking the following:
- Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and helps to regulate the immune system.
- Garlic, which has antimicrobial effects and can improve immune function.
- Ginger, which may have antiviral properties.
Long Lasting Perishable options: Consider stocking the following:
- Citrus fruits and peppers, which are great sources of vitamin C.
- Fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and cheese
- Eggs
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash.
Paleo snacks: These are great to stock & have high nutrient value
- Jerky or meat sticks
- Cured meats like salami
- Dried fruits
- Olives
MOST IMPORTANT: Check label of packaged foods since a lot of them contains, sauces, high sodium, preservatives,added sugar &, industrial seed oils
