What Are the Best Grains to Add to Paleo?

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What are the best grains to add to Paleo? Enjoy my Primal Diet – Modern Health podcast on this topic for even more information.

Grains and the Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet eliminates cereal grains (grass seed) such as wheat, rice and corn, and suggests avoiding pseudo-grains such as quinoa, wild rice, millet and buckwheat. This article on “The Definitive Guide to The Paleo Diet” explains what to eat, why, and much more.

Paleo avoids grains (the seeds of grass) because:

• we did not evolve to graze on grass seed
• intense hybridization, genetic engineering, pesticides and/or fertilizing
• toxic and inflammatory seed Lectins can lead to Leaky Gut and food allergies
• high starch and calorie content, causing elevated Insulin, blood sugar cycling and weight gain
• anti-nutrients such as Phytic Acid preventing us from absorbing nutrients
• grains are a modern food from only 12,000 – 15,000 years ago

Cereal Grains vs. Pseudo-Grains

Cereal grains are the seeds of cultivated grasses and include wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn and barley. We’ve altered them from their original wild state as short, unimportant grasses with tiny seed heads. Corn and wheat now have huge, heavy seed heads growing on industrial acreage.

“Pseudo-grains” are seeds from SHRUBS or bushy plants, not grasses. They include Amaranth, Buckwheat, Quinoa and Millet.

Wild rice is not a true rice or Cereal Grass – it’s a reed-like Aquatic Grass. It grows in shallow water with the seed heads visible above the water. It is related to “rice” but has not undergone extensive hybridization. The seeds are large and dark brown, native to North America and China.

Pseudo-Grains and the Paleo Diet

Quinoa, Buckwheat, Millet and Wild Rice are seeds from shrubs. They have Lectins, Phytic Acid and Saponins as all seeds and grains do.

Many people find grains (wheat, corn) and pseudo-grains difficult to digest because of these seed coatings.

BUT the nuts and seeds we eat on a regular basis (almonds, flax, walnuts, sesame) also have these “anti-nutrients”.

Can we remove the anti-nutrients that affect digestion and absorption?

Best Grains to Add to Paleo

I find Quinoa and Wild Rice to be the best grains to add to Paleo.

They can be difficult to digest if you are sensitive to FODMAPS foods. The key is proper preparation.

Properly Prepare Quinoa and Wild Rice

Here’s a summary of my general rules:

• Buy organic and non-hybridized
• Soak a long time to remove Phytic Acid
• Cook longer than directions state to break down complex plant fibers and help digestion
• Only eat small amounts to avoid carbohydrate surge

Red and Yellow Quinoa

• Quinoa is a staple of Peru and Bolivia
• It is a complete nutrient-dense protein
• Quinoa is high in carbohydrates and calories
• Contains anti-nutrients (Lectins, Saponins, Phytic Acid)
• Digestion may be difficult if not prepared properly (see below)
• Avoid if Glucose, Triglycerides and weight are an issue

Most Quinoa is pale yellow, but it does come in colorful varieties. You can buy Sprouted Quinoa too.

How to Properly Prepare Quinoa

• Rinse 1 to 2 cups Quinoa well in a small mesh strainer
• Soak 6 to 9 hours without refrigeration to start sprouting
• Rinse well to remove saponins – gently “scrub” the seeds in your hands while rinsing
• Bring to a very slow simmer in a small saucepan with just enough water or broth to cover
• Cook covered for 12 minutes. Check if more liquid is needed. Keep cooking, covered
• Cook about 25 minutes in all

The rinsing, soaking and extra cooking time help remove anti-nutrients and make quinoa more digestible to those of us who’ve avoided grains a long time. Reintroduce slowly and don’t overeat. Maybe a tablespoon at a time…

This website has a good article on prepping Quinoa.

What is Wild Rice

• There are 2 kinds of Wild Rice – one is cultivated, one is wild
• Both are nutty in flavor and slightly chewy
• True Wild Rice grows wild in 2 – 10 feet water, is harvested by hand
• Cultivated Wild Rice grows on farm acreage in 1 foot water
• Both are nutrient-dense but high in carbs
• Both need proper prep to remove anti-nutrients

This site has reasonable prices and offers both wild and cultivated.

Properly Prepare Wild Rice

Proper prep makes Wild Rice and other pseudo-grains more digestible. Removing Phytic Acid allows your body to better absorb minerals.

• Rinse 1 cup wild rice well in a strainer
• Soak 7 to 12 hours on the kitchen counter to start sprouting process
• Rinse well
• Add 3 cups filtered water or broth and bring to slow boil
• Cook covered on low for 30 minutes. Check to add water or broth. Keep cooking, covered
• Cook about 45 to 90 minutes in all, longer than directions state

True wild rice is Jumbo sized and requires even longer cooking. Longer cooking helps break down carbohydrate structures and improve digestibility.

Digesting Quinoa and Wild Rice

If you’ve been grain-free or Paleo for several years, or feel best on a low FODMAPS diet, try only small amounts of these foods, well-soaked and well-cooked. Try cooking them even longer and see if that helps. Take it slowly and see if the gut adapts.

Start with 1/4 cup of cooked Quinoa or Wild Rice to help the gut adapt to a new source of carbohydrate.

Vegetables and winter squash are your main carbohydrates when eating Paleo. Some amounts of potato, yam and pseudo grains are acceptable.

Extra Carbs May be OK for Many

If you are at a good weight, you may need more carbs than just vegetables. Slim persons may need potato, yams and occasional pseudo grains to get 75 grams of carbs a day. Even with 6 – 8 cups of vegetables.

This article and Podcast on easy carb counting helps plan a 75 grms/day goal.

Leaky Gut and Digestive Support

If Quinoa and Wild Rice are difficult to digest, add them more slowly so the gut can adapt.

You may have an inflamed gut from eating wheat and other grains or taking steroids or antibiotics. This creates Leaky Gut (Intestinal Permeability).

Here is one of my articles and Podcasts on Leaky Gut for more on repairing Leaky Gut.