Debates about authenticity aside, the paleo diet has been and still is a pretty large trend in gyms across the globe, particularly for CrossFitters. More often than not, mixed within gym orientation or onboarding classes is a nutrition class or two highlighting the perks of eating an unprocessed and, most likely, paleo-based diet.
Typically, a few handouts are given and the questions begin. Can I drink almond milk? Cashew milk? What about peanuts? Popcorn? What can I eat? What can’t I eat? Knowing we all navigate these questions, I thought it was a great time to review the Paleo Central app from Nerd Fitness. The app has been out since last year, but has been updated recently.
Paleo Central provides a simple interface for searching for foods to determine whether or not they are paleo. The search field keeps things simple, but if you’d like to browse through a list of foods, simply swipe to the right for a list of options, including “Browse Paleo Food.” The browse function allows you to look at everything from beverages, to fats and oils, to meats. You can easily see what foods might have added ingredients that are not paleo, and what foods are simply not paleo-approved.
Additional Features
Along with the simple search functions allowing you to stay on the straight and narrow of paleo dining in a modern processed world, there’s a “Paleo Guidelines” option. This option gives some additional resources for recipes, addresses the issue of dairy, and provides a basic guideline for dining like a caveman.
Left: Menu screen; Right: Guidelines screen
Any Issues?
As with any food search tool, I’d love a way to log meals as well, especially with the tendency to undereat when first starting with paleo. But that’s just not the way this paleo cookie was meant to crumble. Perhaps they’ll bring that feature in for future versions.
Summary
For people first trying out a paleo lifestyle, this could be a great tool for dining out, going to cookouts, or simply hitting the grocery store. Some simple recipes would be a great addition to this app, but overall it succeeds in answering the basic question: “Is it paleo?”
The Paleo Central app is available for $0.99 at NerdFitness.com.
