FITCORP ASIA PRESENTS

EATING PALEO in Thailand

nts M e a t P l a

Inside
What is Paleo?
Paleolithic Diet Overview
Paleo? Primal? Ancestral? Evolutionary? What is the reasoning behind this kind of diet. A brief introduction into the why and how of paleo.

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DIET THE PALEO s uits and Nut

Why Paleo?
The Rationale
Not convinced? Here are some reasons why you should eat Paleo.

Dont eat anything your great grandmother wouldnt recognize as food.

Wha t is a P a l e o l i t h i c D i e t?

What can I eat?

What can I eat?
A quick list of foods allowed on the Paleo diet. Includes a brief explanation on some debated foods.

f you have researched nutrition in the last 10 years, you may have heard the term, Paleolithic Diet. This is one name for a popular nutrition model used by many to lose weight, gain muscle and improve overall health.

by Michael Pollan,Don't eat anything yo u r g re a t g ra n d m o t h e r wouldn't recognize as food.

Eating In and Out

Ordering and Cooking
Some helpful tips for ordering and cooking your own Paleo food. Include helpful Thai phrases and substitutions.

The are many variations of the Paleo model, these include: Primal, Ancestral, Caveman, Archevore, Evolutionary even Paleo 2.0! Despite all these intense - sounding names, the paleo philosophy can best be encapsulated in a famous quote

The basic idea of any ancestralstyle diet is that people should strive to eat real food. Nothing out of a box, no McDonalds, nothing with ingredients you cant pronounce, nothing with ingredients you cant see or taste.

Learn More
Research
Some useful articles, books, podcasts and gures in the paleo world. Broaden your knowledge and decide on your own.

Paleo diet advocates limit themselves to preindustrial and preagricultural foods.

hats 90% of the diet right there. Hotdog deep fried in soy oil? No way. Grilled beef, chicken, pork or sh? Eat as much as you want. Strict paleo diets go a bit further than this. They examine how the human diet has changed over our evolutionary history. The word paleo refers to the Paleolithic era or old stone age. Strict paleo advocates limits themselves only to food available to our ancestors before we developed agriculture or the modern food industry. These strict Paleo 1.0 eaters wouldnt consume anything assumed to be unavailable to cavemen. This includes: milk, all grains and baked goods, seed oils, legumes (beans, soybeans peanuts etc.), many tubers (potatoes). There is a lot of scientic evidence to suggest that the above foods are unhealthy for many people. Even though these foods make up a large
The paleolithic food pyramid. Try to drink mostly water. Eat as many vegetables as you want. Try to get a good variety of meats, poultry and sh. Eat fruit and nuts in moderation. Feel free to use herbs and spices for avor.

part of the modern diet, they may also be the cause of the rampant: obesity, allergies, inammation, heart disease, diabetes and other diseases associated with modern society.

Instead of focusing on what you cant eat, think of the foods that open up to you. On the paleo diet, you are free to eat as much meat, vegetables and fruits as you want. No more worrying about calories or fat!

Meat, Eggs and Fat, oh my....

Many people are surprised to learn that they can eat many fatty foods on the Paleo diet. Recent research suggests the the fat phobia of the 1980s and 1990s was largely based on inaccurate data. Modern Veggies nutritional research suggests that 12% 25% Meat no one macronutrient (fats, 12% Fruits proteins, carbohydrates) is Nuts inherently bad. Instead, people Fats/Oils 25% 25% should strive to nd a balance. That means about 30% of your diet should be healthy fats. Many people lose weight if they reduce their carbohydrate intake and balance their calories with more protein and healthy fats like coconut oil, organic red meat, avocados and even durian!

Some paleo theorists believe we should exercise more like our ancestors. What does that mean? Walk more throughout your day, lift heavy things 2-4 times a week and be sure to sprint or work at 100% intensity once a week too. Light jogging for 30 minutes a week is probably not enough to see results.

So what do I eat? What do I avoid? Why?

y far, the biggest question people have about the paleo diet is what they can or cant eat. The easiest answer is to eat real food. Nothing out of a box or colorful bag. A longer answer would be to eat nutrient dense food instead of calorically dense food. Why eat rice when you can eat more vegetables? Why snack on cakes or potato chips when you can eat grilled chicken or fruit?

Dont I need to eat healthy whole grains? No. Grains are cheap and easy to process into products like our and sugar, but they are not essential to the human diet. There is no nutrient found in grains that is not found more abundantly in vegetables, fruit or meat. You will not miss anything other than empty calories and perhaps some inammatory allergens. What about beans and legumes? Though some paleo proponents are starting to reintroduce legumes that are soaked and fermented properly, many people on a paleo diet avoid these foods all together. This is because many legumes, especially peanuts are highly allergenic and can cause systemic inammation and long term intestinal issues. This

could lead to problems such as obesity, nutrient deciencies and even cardiovascular problems. Try to eliminate all legumes for 30 days and see how you feel. Again, protein, ber and other nutrients are more readily available in meat, fruits and vegetables. But dairy is good right? Dairy is an integral part of many societies. Many vegetarians wouldnt be able to get enough quality fats and proteins if it werent for easily

available dairy. Unfortunately, many populations, especially in Asia, dont do well with dairy. Dairy causes many stomach issues that could aect your overall health. Quality of dairy is also very important. Grass fed, non homogenized, lightly pasteurized dairy is probably much healthier than grain fed, ultra processed UHT dairy. Some paleo variations such as Mark Sissons Primal Blueprint or Crosst Footballs Paleo +Dairy template can be eective for putting on muscle or weight. If you are trying to lose fat, dairy is an easy food to eliminate. Even if you are not allergic to the casein or the lactose, it is a calorically dense, insulinogenic food. Dairy is essentially perfect for causing small mammals to grow bigger. If you dont want to grow bigger, dont drink dairy products. So no dairy, what about soy? Its not in the scope of this guide to explain. Stay away from soy products.

Why Paleo? Reasons and benets.

hy should you eat Paleo? Paleo diets have numerous health benets which have been validated by scientic studies, but the simplest reason? Its easy and it works. Theres no need to agonize over calories and fat content. Theres no need to be hungry. Just decide whether or not a food is paleofriendly. If it is, eat it. Easy weight loss is probably the most obvious benet of the paleo diet. Numerous studies have shown that relatively low carb, real food diets are very eective for weight loss. Perhaps more importantly, people who try these diets have a much higher compliance rate. That means that people who start eating paleo, often keep eating paleo. Compared with older caloric restrictive or low fat diets such as the Ornish or Pritikin diet, people who eat paleo are often happier and healthier. Be happier and more energetic on a paleo diet. Recent studies have shown that extreme low fat diets often lead to depression and anxiety. Healthy fats and cholesterol are an integral part of cell and brain health. Fat is more satiating and you will feel full longer than when eating lots of processed carbs. Once you adjust to the lower carbs, your energy levels will be more stable. No more mid day fogs or need for a post lunch snack! Less carbs means more stable blood sugar and insulin levels. This means no more hunger attacks or low blood sugar issues. Burn fat not carbs on the paleo diet. By reducing your carb intake, your body will learn to burn fat as a fuel. This make take a few days to

adjust to, but once your body learns to start burning fat again, the weight will melt o. This also means you will be able to go longer without any brain fog you used to get due to low blood sugar levels. This is called metabolic exibility and it is one of the most important markers for overall health.

addition to adjusting your sodium/ potassium levels, eliminating excess crabs from your diet will reduce your sodium retention. This means lowered blood pressure. Improved insulin and leptin sensitivity. Both leptin and insulin play a large role in adjusting your adipostat, or your bodys set weight. By improving your sensitivity to these hormones you will be less hungry and will

Improve your health markers. Eating a paleo diet has been shown to help improve many health bio markers. Once you free yourself from the high insulin trap, you will experience the following benets: Lowered blood pressure. In

automatically decrease your set weight. This will also help people with pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Many skin issues such as acne and eczema are also cured or reduced when following a paleo diet.

Eat in g o u t
Moo Dad Deaw

s p i T l u f Use
In addition to the set meals, use these phrase to modify your order:

Nam Tok Moo

Sundried strips of pork which are sometimes grilled or fried to nish cooking. Very tasty, but watch out for seed oils used in frying. Probably best to dehydrate your own meat. Grilled pork salad. Pork mixed with onions, mind, spices and a negligible amount of crunchy rice powder. A surprisingly light salad option. Served in Isaan restaurants and food stalls. Ask for it haeng haeng if youd like it extra dry with less liquid. Also try saying, Mai aow nang for less fatty cuts of meat.

Make it healthier
I dont want.....
Mai ow..... Rice Khao Fat/Skin Nang Oil Nam Mon Sugar Nam Dtan MSG Pong Chu Rod

BYOCO
Most street food stalls strive to make their food as cheap as possible. This means resorting to cheap seed and soy oils. If you have a regular stall, try bringing your own bottle of healthy coconut oil to the stall. Many permanent stalls/restaurants are willing to use your ingredients if you supply them.

Gai Yang
Isaan-style grilled chicken. Usually about 35-40 baht a piece. Often served at Isaan restaurants in conjunction with Som Tum. Delicious by itself. Watch out for the side sauce which often contains MSG and sweeteners.

Khao Kha Moo

Braised pork leg in chinese spices. A delicious, hearty meal. Usually served with a boiled egg, boiled greens, pickled mustard greens and spicy vinegar. Tell the server, Mai Aow Khao to get a plate of pork without rice. Try Mai Aow Nang to reduced the amounts of fat and skin in the dish. For extra pork, ask for Pi Set Moo. Remember, on a paleo diet, animal fat isnt something to be afraid of.

Ordering Advice
Meat on a Stick
Much of Thai street food comes grilled on a stick. Tell the vendor how many sticks youd liked. The thai word for stick/wood is Mai. The correct way to order things like moo ping is by ordering the number of sticks.

I only eat things that I kill with my bare hands. That includes most soi dogs, cats, rats and cockroaches, but not pure bred dogs. Pure bred dogs werent available to cavemen. Henrik Olofsson Fitness Manager at The Aspire

Sugar!
Most modern Thai dishes are made with a tooth-aching amount of sugar. For example, Pad Thai usually includes about 3-4 tablespoons of sugar. Thats about 40-60 grams of sugar! Try saying: Mai sai nam dtan for a sugar free dish. Requesting mai aow wan will make the dish slightly less sweet, but still full of sugar.

Milk, Milk and Milk

Watch out for condensed milk or nom kon waan which is diabetes in a can. Try normal nom sot.

E a t in g Out C ont i nu ed
Green Tea
There are about 3-4 easily available sugar free green teas in Thailand. Avoid the regular green teas, which have as much sugar as soda. Common brands include: Ichitan Sugar Free, Fuji Natural, Oishi Sugar Free and Pokka Sugar Free Jasmine. Some 7-11s dont stock sugar free options. If your closest 7-11 doesnt carry what you need, walk 2 meters down the road to the next one. Also consider looking into a powdered green tea called matcha. Just mix the powder into water and drink!

Coconut Water
Not to bed confused with coconut milk. The fresh water from the coconut is a great source of minerals and electrolytes. Usually about 20 baht a coconut. Get it in a cup or fresh out of the coconut. Ask for neung leuk which means one sphere.

Kaw Moo Yang

Grilled pork neck/shoulder. Also served at Isaan restaurants. As with other pork dishes, try ordering mai aow nang or mai aow mon to reduce the amount of fat. Be mindful of the side sauce which often contains MSG and some form of sweetener.

Cafe Bolan/Coffee
Thailand has plenty of coffee vendors to buy from. Most thai coffee comes loaded with sugar, condensed milk, sweetened milk, non dairy creamer and other unhealthy additions. Simple cafe bolarn is usually about 15 baht for a cup. Thais are often confused at the concept of black coffee, but it is possible. Try asking for cafe o ooah. If the vendor doesnt understand, try cafe darm mai sai nom, mai sai nam dtan Though the vendor will try to dissuade you, assure them that you like your coffee without sugar or sweet milk.

Pad Pak Ruam

Stir fried mixed vegetables. Usually includes broccoli, greens, carrots, mushrooms and garlic. Available at most street vendors with a wok. Can usually ask for meat to be added. Try pad pak ruam gai for some added chicken. Price is generally between 35-60 baht for a plate. Ask for it haeng if you dont want any cooking liquid on the plate.

Khao Mok Gai

Literally Chicken buried in rice. Not strictly paleo on its own, but very easy to modify. The rich spices of this moist, baked chicken are a nice change from traditional thai avors. Usually served with a delicious green coriander sauce and cucumbers. Ask for no rice and request a specic number of chicken pieces. Try Aow gai song chin for two pieces of chicken. Usually about 15-30 baht per piece of chicken. Dont ever indulge on the deep fried onions.

Gao Lao
A great alternative to most noodle dishes. Gao Lao is always seved without noodles. The server will provide extra vegetables and meat in place of noodles. Classic Gao Lao is served with blood, but this isnt necessary. One bowl is about 40 baht. Ask for pi set moo to pay more for extra meat. Say, mai sai leuk chin for no meat balls.

Moo Ping
No. Not chicken satay. Moo Ping is a ubiquitous street food found everywhere in Bangkok. Strips of pork grilled to perfection. Order by the stick or mai. Five sticks would be ha mai. Usually between 5-10 baht per stick depending on size and quality. Say no to the sticky rice.

E a t in g o ut co nti n ue d
Yam Ma Muang.
Mango Salad. Like classic som tum but tangier due to the use of green mangoes. A nice alternative if you want switch things up. Many shops will try to put raw crab in. Say Mai sai poo for no crab. Also try to avoid the fermented sh sauce or pla la.

Gai Sap
Though haianese chicken rice is a famous dish, it can easily be made paleo by eliminating the rice. Simply ask for gai sap or chopped chicken. Specify the amount you want to pay and the server will give you more or less. Standard fee is about 50-60 baht. Tell them, Mai aow nang to remove the skin and fat.

Yam Som-O
Pomelo Salad. Pomelo is the less bitter cousin of grapefruit. This salad is usually made with cooked shrimp and shredded pomelo. Lesson common in street food stalls. Many nicer Thai restaurant will charge about 150 baht for this dish.

Pla Deuk
Grilled cat sh. Found all over the city, often at Isaan street stalls. Can eat whole or have it in a salad when you order laarb pla deuk. Keep in mind that most of these catsh are farmed and may not be that healthy. Generally wild, cold water sh will have more benecial fats and protein content.

Som Tum Thai

Som Tum is one of the quintessential Thai dishes. Ask for it Thai style to avoid raw crabs and fermented sh sauce. Be mindful of the excessive sugar and MSG. Ask for it mai wan or not sweet and mai sai pong chu rot for no MSG.

Laarb
Popular Isaan dish that comes in many varieties, usually chicken (laarb gai) or pork (laarb moo). The dish is mostly meat with several different herbs and spices stir fried together. The vendors will usually add a small amount of dried rice powder or khao kua. This is only a small amount and shouldnt negatively affect most people.

Gaeng Fuk Tong

Pumpkin curry with with eggs. Great source of healthy carbs and the eggs give you some high quality protein. A mainstay at Khao Gaeng-style restaurants. Usually you can get a plate of about 3 different items for 30 baht.

Kai Jeaow
Fried thai-style omelet. Cheap and delicious but very oily. As mentioned before, most street vendors use very cheap and rancid oils. This might be better made on your own with a good coconut oil or possibly grassfed butter. You can ask for extra ingredients such a moo sap (ground pork) to be added.

Pak Boon Fai Daeng

Spicy Stirfried Morning Glory. Great source of ber. Available at most food stalls with a wok. Can be quite spicy and salty. About 30-40 baht for a plate.

E a t in g o ut and Sho pp i ng
Potatoes?
Are potatoes ok to eat? Not as french fries! Try to nd colorful sweet potatoes. They are more nutritious than standard white potatoes. Potatoes can be eaten after exercise and in moderation. They can help restore your glycogen levels if you are an athlete. If trying to lose weight, they are best avoided. Technically Paleo 2.0 or Primal.

Grass Fed Butter?

Is butter paleo? Not strictly, but some templates like The Primal Diet or Paleo 2.0 allow it. If you are going to eat butter, try to only eat real grassfed butter. Its incredibly nutritious and has many benecial fats. Never ever eat margarine or vegetable spreads. They are the opposite of paleo. Other healthy fats include coconut oil and cold pressed olive oil. Always avoid Canola, Corn, and other processed oils.

Sardines
Try Ayam sardines in extra virgin olive oil. Theyre a great source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Sardines are usually much lower in mercury than other sh like Tuna. The avor is great and theyre reasonable priced at about 50 baht a can.

Fur t h er Re a di n g

till not convinced? While its not in the scope of this guide to delve into the science of the paleo diet, we will provide you with some resources to do your own reading. Fit Bomb Fit Bomb is a nutrition and Crosst website. They have a very thorough FAQ which will answer more questions. This should be your rst stop if you want a good overview of the paleo lifestyle. http://www.tbomb.com/p/why-i-eatpaleo.html Robb Wolf is one of the most inuential gures in the paleo movement. He is very knowledgeable and exible in his views. His most famous book is The Paleo Solution. Also consider listening to his podcast. http://robbwolf.com/podcast/

Mark Sisson is the creator of the Primal Blueprint. Primal is essentially the same as paleo but it allows a few extra foods like dairy. Mark also runs Marks Daily Apple, which is one of the best nutrition websites on the internet. He provides a free ebook called The Primal Blueprint which is a very good introduction to the complete paleo lifestyle. http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Chris Kresser is one the more respected leaders in the community. He has a very holistic view of health which you can learn about from his website, The Healthy Skeptic. http:// chriskresser.com/

Whole Health Source is run by Stephan Guyenet, a research PhD who specializes in the food reward hypothesis. He started o Paleo and now focuses mostly on the psychology of eating and obesity theory. http:// wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/

Whole 9 is a popular paleo information site. The have some good intro programs and links to great recipes. Their book, It Starts with Food, is very popular.

This guide was compiled by Andrew Telfer for the use of The Aspire Club and Fitcorp Asia. Please feel #ee to share with your #iends.