We get asked about alcohol a lot, so we thought it was time to share our thoughts on drinking alcohol on the Paleo Diet in a blog post.

The most popular question we get is of course, “Can you drink on the Paleo Diet?”

We always like to answer that with a smile and, “Would we do this if we couldn’t?!”

Joking aside, while the stricter schools of Paleo do not believe alcohol consumption to be a Paleo practice and we ourselves are not promoters of regular drinking on any diet, we don’t think that a drink for enjoyment now and then should be frowned upon–after all, life is meant to be enjoyed–so don’t deprive yourself. That said, your Paleo Diet food Pyramid should definitely not look like this:

What it comes down to however, is making healthy choices. On a modern Paleo Diet the same principles apply to alcohol as they do to food. That means steering clear whenever possible of the Paleo-unfriendly food groups and items such as wheat, white potatoes and refined sugar. What does that mean in alcohol terms? It means avoiding wheat beers, liquors like vodka that are made out of white potato, and sugary cocktails or mixers that typically have large amounts of cane sugar. Try and limit your alcohol consumption to gluten-free beers, ciders with low sugar content and wine.

You may also experience a lowered tolerance for alcohol since following the Paleo lifestyle, as you are no longer consuming large quantities of carbohydrates which help absorb alcohol. Just tell people you’re a bargain for a date! But in all seriousness, because of this you may find yourself feeling the effects of alcohol faster, so please be careful. You may also find that the natural sugar in most wines, for example, causes blood sugar spikes and, if enjoyed too late at night, may hinder your ability to sleep soundly.

It’s a personal decision as to how you feel about incorporating alcohol into your Paleo Diet and an equally personal experience as to how your body copes with it.

Our advice is to listen to your body and, if you do choose to indulge, try to limit your indulgences to the more Paleo-friendly alcohol choices.

Some other great sources of information are as follows:

 For Dummies Guide to How Alcohol Fits into the Paleo Diet

Loren Cordain’s One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila…Primal!

The Paleo Effect’s Paleo Alcohol Guide

Choose well and drink responsibly,

Camilla Carboni

@camillacarboni | camillacarboni.com