A healthy Paleo diet can certainly include nuts and seeds, just remember that it is the very last (and smallest) category of Paleo-friendly foods. That means that there’s nothing wrong with eating them in moderation, but you have to be careful not to overdo it.
Paleo and Omega Fats
Sacha Inchi seeds (also known as “Incan peanuts”) have recently been hailed as a superfood because of their extremely high Omega fat content. They are particularly high in Omega 3 fats, which are certainly an important aspect of our health. Omega 3 fats are anti-inflammatory, and part of the idea behind a Paleo diet is getting back to a better balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats (the Standard American Diet is currently far too high in Omega 6 fats).
It’s true that Sacha Inchi seeds are high in Omega 3 fats, but there’s more to the story. The Omega 3 fats found in Sacha Inchi seeds tend to come in the form of alpha linoleic acid (ALA), which is more difficult for our bodies to utilize. Sacha Inchi seeds also come with a pretty hefty dose of Omega 6 fats, meaning the Omega 3 fats that they contain are not enough to balance out the Omega 6 fats you might be consuming elsewhere in your diet.
There’s nothing wrong with these Omega fats, as long as they are consumed in moderation, but we should always be wary of products that get promoted as “superfoods”.
Mark addresses the question of whether Sacha Inchi seeds are Primal in this post.
