If you have an autoimmune disease or are dealing with inflammation, Dr. Aaron or Dr. Rob may have introduced you to the Autoimmune/Anti-inflammatory Paleo protocol (AIP). This protocol includes completing an elimination diet to help decrease inflammation throughout your body and help determine if there are foods that your body is reacting to unfavorably.
But you may be wondering… why are these foods, some of which I thought were healthy, being eliminated? Let’s take a look. In this blog series, we will cover why processed foods, grains, dairy, legumes, nightshades, sugar (refined and artificial), and refined vegetable oils are on the list of foods to avoid in the protocol.
(Even if you have not been prescribed the AIP diet, we still recommend reducing your intake of processed foods, sugar, and refined vegetable oils whenever possible.)
Processed Foods and Inflammation
It’s no surprise that processed food is more inflammatory than the natural, whole foods that our bodies are designed to digest. Often, processed foods contain significant amounts of ingredients like sugar—which can affect your blood sugar (a deal breaker)—and sodium—which, in excess, can also provoke an inflammatory response. But it isn’t just the sugar and sodium that are concerning.
Processed foods often contain inflammatory vegetable oils, artificial flavors/ingredients, and fillers, and contain less fiber and fewer micronutrients than whole foods. This creates a double whammy! Not only are processed foods promoting inflammation due to what they do contain, they make it harder for your body to fight inflammation and carry out it’s duties due to what it they don’t contain.
With a whole-food, AIP protocol, the goal is to decrease consumption of foods that cause inflammation AND to increase foods that will provide your body the most micronutrients possible to help fuel it properly.
What if the processed foods are organic and non-GMO?
Although opting for organic and non-GMO foods is always preferred, even organic and non-GMO processed foods can be unhealthy. They are still likely to contain too much sugar, salt, or inflammatory oil, and not enough fiber and micronutrients.
Are any processed foods safe?
Yes, there are a few processed foods that are safe to consume during the AIP elimination phase, although we still recommend using them in moderation. Why? We want your diet to be as diverse as possible. Reverting to the same food for every snack or for most meals doesn’t help you achieve that diversity.
That being said, here are a few examples of processed foods that can be enjoyed while following an autoimmune paleo protocol:
- Primal Kitchen Mayo (original mayo or garlic aioli mayo only)
- Jackson’s Honest Sweet Potato Chips
- Epic Bars (Venison Sea Salt Pepper only)
- Wild Zora Bars (Mediterranean Lamb and Apple Pork only)
- Wild Zora Lemon Chicken Soup
- Pure Wraps Organic Coconut Wraps
