A Paleo diet, also called the “caveman diet” aims to include only foods that could be eaten by hunters and gatherers millions of years ago. That means no added sugar, no dairy, and many other foods that are prevalent in a typical Western diet. Does that mean you have to avoid any herbs and spices, too?
All plain herbs and spices ARE Paleo-friendly, but certain seasonings can contain hidden ingredients that aren’t Paleo. Examples of some of these non-Paleo ingredients include corn starch, sugar, and MSG.
We’ll explain why herbs and spices are paleo and more detail about ingredients to watch out for that can disqualify a seasoning mix or spice blend from being paleo in this article.
Paleo recap
A paleo diet aims to include only the foods that people living in the Paleolithic era (around 2.5 million years ago) could hunt and gather. Food has changed a LOT since then thanks to the modernization of crops, so many of today’s most popular foods and drinks are avoided on a paleo diet.
Most notably, some of the foods avoided on a paleo diet include:
- All grains (wheat, corn, barley, etc), including gluten-free and “ancient” grains.
- “Pseudocereals” like quinoa (though some Paleo dieters eat them – there is some debate on that topic).
- Dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, etc); ghee is allowed.
- Refined sugar/sweeteners, as well as artificial sweeteners.
- Legumes (beans, peanuts, soy, etc.)
Some of the main foods that are included in a paleo diet are:
- Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, etc.
- Eggs
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Nuts
- Seeds
Which herbs and spices are Paleo?
The good news is that plain herbs and spices (including fresh, dried and ground or just dried, like cinnamon sticks) are paleo-friendly and naturally gluten-free. Herbs and spices come from the leaves, stems, roots, bark, and seeds of plants, which hunters and gatherers could eat millions of years ago.
The exception for plant foods on a Paleo diet are modern crops like wheat and corn which weren’t domesticated until around 8,700 years ago (so a lot more recent than the Paleolithic era). These grains are all avoided, but things like coconut flour and arrowroot powder are okay since they’re from paleo-friendly foods.
Which herbs and spices AREN’T Paleo?
While plain herbs and spices are Paleo, there are a few sneaky exceptions for certain seasoning blends and spice mixes. These blends like taco seasoning and Chinese Five Spice Powder can contain added ingredients that aren’t Paleo, like corn starch and cane sugar.
That means you’ll have to be a bit of a label-reading detective to ensure your favorite spice mixes and seasoning blends are okay to have on a Paleo diet.
Some of the most common ingredients in seasoning blends that aren’t Paleo can include:
- Corn starch (potato starch is okay, though)
- Sugar
- High-fructose corn syrup or corn syrup
- Dextrin (usually from corn)
- Whey or buttermilk (from milk and is present in ranch dressing seasoning mix and potentially others)
- Monosodium glutamate (an ingredient added as a flavor enhancer found in processed foods)
How to make Paleo-friendly seasoning blends
Is your favorite seasoning blend not considered Paleo? Not to worry – there is likely a Paleo-friendly recipe to make a homemade mix you can get your hands on! Many Paleo-friendly seasoning blend recipes simply swap out Paleo alternatives like arrowroot starch for cornstarch and coconut sugar for cane sugar.
When in doubt, stick with plain herbs and spices which are always Paleo-friendly. For instance, skip the packaged taco seasoning and use plain spices that are found in taco seasoning like chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
FAQs:
Honey is a Paleo-friendly sweetener. Raw honey is recommended for paleo since it’s not pasteurized, which is a form of processing that is typically avoided in a paleo lifestyle.
Salt and pepper are perfectly fine on Paleo. Many Paleo dieters prefer pink Himalayan salt because it’s less processed (it’s considered unrefined) than iodized white salt.
Garlic is Paleo-friendly, whether fresh or in the form of garlic powder (granulated garlic). Watch out for some types of garlic salt, which can contain added sugar and cornstarch, both of which aren’t Paleo.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer often used in processed foods and some fast food. MSG occurs naturally in some foods like tomatoes. According to the Paleo Foundation, MSG is “a synthetic substance”, so it didn’t exist in the Paleolithic era. Foods can’t be certified as ‘Certified Paleo’ if they contain added MSG.
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