Paleo vs. Traditional Cooking

The showdown started with my husband reading his new book about the Paleo diet on one couch, and me reading Nourishing Traditions across the room from him.  I had to laugh, each was sharing something exciting from their book, trying to win over the other person with a fantastic fact for our future.

In January this past year, I started researching how to help my family eat healthier.  As I have mentioned in other posts, we implemented many changes in our diet, and the biggest was cutting out sugar, and processed foods. The result, aside from the complaining children over what they no longer get to eat, will hopefully be a life altering approach to our favorite pass time - eating! Although, I really enjoy my Nourishing Traditions book, and the fantastic nutritional scientific analysis Sally Fallon provides in her book, I am forced to figure out what  I can continue cooking and what must go.

A question that keeps running through my mind is, Why not MILK? Eliminating milk in all it's forms is required with the Paleo diet, and I admit this bothers me. My family has been consuming raw, fermented, full- fat dairy since January, and loving every minute of it. I use the raw milk in different ways, one of which is for kefir.  I enjoy making smoothies as a probiotic drink with kefir, and for soaking our oatmeal (kefir is one way to help break down our grains - through fermentation).  The raw cream is fantastic!  I use it for cream soups (no more processed powder substitutes or canned milk products), homemade whip cream, drizzled over fresh fruit, or in a cup of coffee (no more artificially processed creamers).  Yes, the milk tastes delicious, and none of my kids have complained of any tummy pains. I believe this is where Loren Cordain, the author of The Paleo Diet, falls short.  I would really like to see research by Cordain or the Paleo scientists on raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized, grass fed cow's milk. The facts and research he states in his book I agree with, no one should consume the highly processed milk from the store. The research is definitely out there, just start reading to find the many layers with which our government is involved in our food, it is stifling.

I feel a little better after Franklin sent this post to me today about dairy, and another with regards to the paleo diet.  I believe for now we will continue to drink milk, at least those not infected with Lyme in our family, but reduce the quantity of raw milk consumed each day.  As for cheese, I had already made the switch from shredded, colored, or highly processed cheeses, to the longer aged, milk based (raw grass fed - if possible) and to learn more about the farm or region that our cheese came from.  I have found some acceptable cheeses at Costco, costly , but the taste is amazing. No longer does my family oink down cheese like we used to.  We are limited to one slice when served for a meal (because of cost), and this has been fine considering the quality of the cheese is notably better.  Research that I had found, stated  that the longer the cheese aged the less lactose it has, the less lactose in cheese the less carbohydrates present; result less sugar and that is great.

Even though I am clinging to our dairy, my husband will be dairy free, and Zachary, well he is trying very hard to figure out all these new changes.  Like my younger son exclaimed, "I am on the Paleontologist diet, like dad!" as he joyfully refused his glass of milk today. With laughter in our hearts we remember we are on this journey together, and God will help us.