Practical Paleo

I love this book. The Paleo diet has received a lot of attention in recent years but much of the available information on how to implement the diet is limited. The previous book that I reviewed, The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf, contained a few recipes, a list of do's and don'ts, and only one photograph of Robb Wolf. On the other hand Practical Paleo does a fantastic presentation on the subject with lots of photographs, charts, and infographics.

The book is written by Diane Sanfilippo, a certified nutrition consultant. She breaks the Paleo diet down into easy to understand sections with clear graphic representations. There is a discussion on why someone may choose the Paleo diet and what health benefits might be obtained by following it. There are several 30 day meal plans specific to individuals with certain health conditions. In other words, a person who wants to lose weight or improve a thyroid condition can find a 30 day paleo meal plan to help them achieve that goal. There is additional support with a large collection of paleo recipes and resource list. And for a bonus, each recipe has a large, clear, color photograph. A big win for any kind of diet recipe book.

The food in the book looks delicious. I did try out a few but because I lacked certain ingredients in my pantry, they didn't work out as well as they could have. The recipes are mostly based on whole, fresh foods that can be acquired at just about any grocery store. Some ingredients are expensive and may be difficult to find like coconut or almond flour (though they can be ordered online). The book is large and heavy, so it might be difficult to lay on your kitchen counter open to a specific recipe. Even so, that is a minor complaint.

This is the first book I recommend to patrons at the library who want to know more about the paleo diet.

Book rating: 5 stars

The books I select for review are books which I personally select from my local library. I do not receive any reimbursement from authors or publishers or free books. I do provide links to Amazon as a convenience to the readers of this blog. I do earn a small referral pittance which is not even enough to buy a soda.