The Paleo List Answers:IS MAYONNAISE PALEO?

Whether you’re planning for a week of leftover corned beef sandwiches, or just going about your day, mayonnaise is often debated in the Paleo, Primal, and Real Food circles. Is mayonnaise healthy? Is it Paleo?

What is Mayonnaise?

Mayonnaise is a thick and creamy sauce or dressing emulsion made from egg yolks whipped with oil, vinegar, sugar, and other seasonings. It’s basically the same thing as an aioli, though usually with canola oil instead of olive oil, and perhaps Dijon mustard instead of crushed garlic. Much like you might expect, mayonnaise in the jar contains inflammatory seed oils, many of which are sourced from GMOs (canola, soybean oil). If you look on the label of a jar of mayonnaise, you’re likely to see just one or two real, Paleo-approved ingredients: eggs and egg yolks.

Is Mayonnaise Paleo?

As far as we can tell, there aren’t any Paleo brands of store-bought mayonnaise, as most of them seem to contain sugar and a variety of other preservatives. It is difficult to find packaged mayonnaise that follows the healthy Paleo rules, and the first ingredient in “real mayonnaise” from the store is often soybean oil. However, making homemade mayonnaise is pretty simple, and the basics are 100% Paleo! You can use avocado, coconut, or olive oil, and blend or whisk it into your eggs and vinegar to make a thick and creamy mayonnaise for your Paleo sandwiches, egg salads, ranch dressings and more.

Are you struggling with which foods are Paleo?  Do you need help planning some Paleo meals?  Check out this great Paleo cookbook: