Paleo diet, no sweet potatoes or beans?

[Kurt A Gross]

Why wouldn't sweet potatoes or beans (kidney beans, etc.) be allowed on the Paleo diet? Seems to me that proto-humans would certainly have eaten these. I know some raw beans are toxic, but not all. How about peas? Peas are easily picked and eaten raw. I would really miss sweet potatoes.:sad:

[Jibreel Freeland]

I have wondered about peas myself. They behave very differently than beans. They cook much faster and don't seem to cause me gas.

As far as sweet potatoes, who claimed that they weren't "paleo"?

[David Stegman]

The "paleo diet" book lists sweet potatoes as unfavorable.

I still eat them though!

[Travis Mulroy]

I'm also confused by the sweet potato thing... I think regular potatoes are part of the night-shade family and nutrient deficient, but not sweet potatoes (although I'm not sure about this). From the research I've seen, it seems our ancestors would have eaten many tubers.

I wonder if sweet potatoes were orginally put on the "bad" list of paleo foods simply because Cordain was afraid people would over-indulge??? They are a dense source of carbs, and I could imagine eating way more than is beneficial...

[Michael Leach]

after what i've read (Cordain says to avoid them, others say they're okay), i continue to eat sweet potatoes. i also continue to eat black-eyed peas, green peas, and green beans.

you shouldn't eat the skin though, i peel mine, bake them, top with some cinnamon and enjoy. :-)

[Kim Dowse]

Sweet Potatoes aren’t in nightshade family, they are actually a part of the morning glory family. In Paleo Diet for Athletes Cordain speaks to sweet potatoes (tubers, etc) for PWO in endurance athletes. I consume about 2 sweet potatoes per week...top them with pumpkin pie spice and earth balance.