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Visiting CrossFitterFree 1-on-1 Intro
Call us: 303-578-8455
Call us Text us Drop in Pricing
Visiting CrossFitterFree 1-on-1 Intro

Number 6: Eliminate Legumes, Starchy Vegetables, and (gasp) Squash

8 rounds of:
:30 row ( cal )
:30 burpee
1:00 rest

Number 6: Eliminate Legumes, Starchy Vegetables, and (gasp) Squash

The Paleo Diet is based on the way our ancestors ate prior to the invention of agriculture.  Sure, there’s some gray area and because we weren’t there with video cameras, we don’t know exactly what Paleo man ate (see Bones, I’ve acknowledged this fact); however modern science, anthropologic studies, and carbon dating has given us a pretty good idea.

From a Paleo perspective, legumes and starchy vegetables are not included in the Paleo Diet because Paleo Woman did not consume them on a consistent basis (if at all) prior to the rise of agriculture. From a scientific, nutritional, and molecular perspective legumes and starchy vegetables are not fit for consumption because of their antinutrient content which includes lectins and saponins (we’ll cover lectins and saponins in a post next week, or you can Google them).  These antinutrients wreck the hormonal and immune systems.  Legumes and starchy vegetables are also not edible unless cooked.

“Increased intestinal permeability has been associated to many chronic low-grade inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes or multiple sclerosis. Lectins and saponins are able to increase intestinal permeability hence increasing the risk of inflammatory diseases.”

Legumes and starchy vegetables have the following characteristics: 
· Cooking destroys most but not all of the toxins. Insufficient cooking can lead to sickness such as acute gastroenteritis.
· They are all rich sources of carbohydrate, and once cooked this is often rapidly digestible, giving a high glycemic index (sugar spike)
· They are extremely poor sources of vitamins (particularly vitamins A, B-group, folic acid and C), minerals, antioxidants and phytosterols.

Therefore diets high in legumes and potatoes, as well as grains:
· Contain toxins in small amounts
· Have a high glycemic index (ie have a similar effect to raw sugar on blood glucose levels)
· Are low in many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytosterols- ie they are the original “empty calories”
· Have problems caused by legumes and potatoes displacing other foods

Wait!  What About Squash?!

1. It’s a vegetable
2. The Paleo Diet classifies squash as a Paleo vegetable
3. The WTF Challenge is not a Paleo-specific challenge.  We’re using Paleo principles, sure, but it’s not a Paleo challenge.
4. The WTF Challenge does not allow squash for Level 6 or higher
That’s all folks!

For Level 6, eliminate:

Legumes
– All beans (adzuki beans, black beans, broad beans, fava beans, field beans, garbanzo beans, horse beans, kidney beans, lima beans, mung beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, string beans, white beans)
– Black-eyed peas
– Chickpeas
– Lentils
– Peas
– Miso
– Peanut butter
– Peanuts
– Snowpeas
– Sugar snap peas
– Soybeans and all soybean products, including tofu
Starchy Vegetables
– starchy tubers
– cassava root
– manioc 
– potatoes and all potato products (french fries, potato chips, etc.)
– sweet potatoes
– tapioca pudding
– yams

Squash

all kinds

Resources:
Introduction to the Paleo Diet (great information, including background on antinutrients!)

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11 Responses
  1. Nick

    Bringing in the last of the apple harvest at 11:30 today. A couple people asked for a bunch – so come in and get them!

    Some cute little bear cubs have wreaked havoc on the remaining apples in the last couple nights.

  9. Vettefan77

    so how is a vegetarian supposed to get enough protein to build or maintain muscle if you wipe out legumes entirely? Lentils alone are best bang-for-buck I have been able to find protein wise…am I supposed to become a squirrel and stick to only nuts and seeds??

    1. Angela Sotiriou

      Paleo is much healthier!! legumes are very acidic!! Pasture raised meat better bang-for-buck 🙂