Paleo with Pete Evans Part 1 and 2
By Nutritionist Journalist Noosa Nutrition
This week I had a chance to interview celebrity chef and paleo enthusiast Pete Evans on his life, his first introduction to paleo, his favourite meals and recipes and what’s new for him.
1 ) When did you first become interested in food?
P) I started my cooking career at the age of 13 working in a friend’s bakery and pie shop and I’ve been cooking ever since.
2 ) What led you to the Paleo diet and how have you found it’s most positively shaped your life?
P) My wife Nicola discovered Nora Gedgaudas book “Primal body, Primal mind”, and we both decided to implement the simple and common sense approaches which were absolutely delicious and our health on all levels improved dramatically. I have more energy and clarity now than I’ve ever had!
3 ) Were you ever sick or unwell before the transition to Paleo?
P) I have had digestive and sinus issues all my life and adopting the simple paleo principles of eating loads of vegetables, small amounts of well sourced seafood or meat, good (non dairy) fats as well as having broths and fermented veggies.
It has been the best decision for my family and I when it comes to health.
4 ) What is the biggest thing you have learnt by going Paleo?
P) That the majority of the population puts items into their shopping trolleys that no longer looks like food to me. The health of the population can easily be understood by observing what people eat on a daily basis.
5 ) Would you tell us what your favorite meal is?
P) My favourite meal is the one myself or my wife is cooking next….
Part 2: I sat down with celebrity chef Pete Evans who took me through a normal daily diet for him and explained the real paleo way. This is part 2 of our interview.
1 Would you tell us what you eat and drink in a normal day?
P) It depends but I usually eat one or two meals a day, or I’ll fast for a day.
A normal meal would consist of a small amount of well sourced animal protein from land or sea and then the plate, bowl or pot is filled to the brim with fresh vegetables or salads with some good (non dairy) fats on the plate, a side of fermented vegetables and a daily broth or set bone broth jelly and that is it. If it is two meals then it will be the same!
2 While I love the whole food focus that the paleo diet has brought to light, what are your thoughts on the high animal product ingestion and the science emerging suggesting that it increases inflammatory molecules, accelerated ageing and disease?
P) I promote small amounts of animal protein not large amounts, which I think is where some of the confusion around Paleo has come from. We are big on where the meat has come from and chose well-sourced animals that have had a natural diet and raised ethically by caring farmers or caught by fisher people.
We also advocate nose to tail, which is the most sustainable way forward.
3 What do you find fun or enlivening about your work or life?
P) Sharing the never ending success stories of people that have gone paleo and are getting off medications, healing their health issues and living the lives they have always dreamt of living.
So many vegetarians and vegans, as well as people eating a SAD (standard Aussie diet) have decided to adopt paleo principles and share their stories with me of how easy and how much common sense it makes to eat this way.
This is the most rewarding part of my work!
4 What new projects, books, talks, and work do you have coming up that you would like to share?
P) Our latest book on gut health has just been released with the amazing Helen Padarin and we are doing an event in Sydney and Melbourne in January next year which will be life changing for people.
Remember once you heal your gut then the magic can start!
Cook with Love and Laughter
Find Pete and more on Paleo at www.thepaleoway.com and find the complete interview with Pete on my website www.noosanutrition.com.au
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