The world’s major religions came along thousands of years after the Paleolithic era ended. Each religion set forth different dietary laws, guidelines, and restrictions. Today, The Paleo Diet® is helping millions of people globally achieve their health goals. These people have reverted to pre-religious era diets, but can the modern Paleo Diet be adapted to harmonize with religious dietary restrictions?
Is Paleo Kosher possible? Can practicing-Muslims, -Catholics, and -Hindus follow the Paleo Diet? For the most part, yes, such adaptations are possible, simple, and straightforward. And for Hindus and devotees of other religions advocating vegetarianism, certain aspects of the Paleo Diet can significantly improve these diets, from a nutritional perspective.
Judaism/Kosher
Kosher laws are extremely complex, but generally include restrictions on how animals are slaughtered, which animals/birds/seafood can be eaten, and which animal parts can be eaten. Pork products and shellfish are generally forbidden. There are also restrictions on consuming meat and dairy at the same meal. As The Paleo Diet eliminates dairy, this latter restriction is easily satisfied. In lieu of pork, you can consume kosher cuts of other animals, including beef, lamb, and fowl. Shellfish are off the menu, but you can consume most other marine life. Kosher laws do, however, forbid fish without fins and scales. Most commercially available fish are acceptable, but certain species, including catfish, marlin, eel, stingray, swordfish, and turbot are not permitted.
Organ meats are, of course, a mainstay of the Paleo Diet. Organ meats can be kosher, but must come from kosher animals and must be properly prepared. For example, kosher laws prohibit the consumption of blood. Removing blood from muscle meats is accomplished by soaking the meat in water, salting it, then re-soaking. Liver and other organs, however, contain larger amounts of blood and thus must be made kosher by special broiling techniques. To be sure, buy meat and organ meats from kosher butchers or buy kosher-labeled products from your supermarket, marked with the OK or OU Kosher Certification symbols.
Additionally, we recommend the consumption of grass-fed/pastured animals as opposed to grain-fed animals. Grass-fed beef generally isn’t kosher, but there are some progressive companies raising pastured animals and slaughtering them in accordance with kosher principles.
