The Paleo List Answers:IS LOX PALEO?

Shaking things up in the breakfast protein department can make a Paleo diet a lot more manageable for the newbies. Most of us are used to carb-loaded breakfasts, and can’t seem to get on board with all eggs all the time. So, what about some Eastern European lox? Is it Paleo?

What is Lox?

Lox is thinly sliced cured, cold salmon. It is incredibly popular for breakfast, and can be found garnished with tomatoes, onions, lemons, and capers, or paired with bagels and cream cheese. Although it is often confused with smoked salmon, they’re actually different. While smoked salmon is smoke-cured, lox is cured in sweet and salty brine, and never with heat or smoke. This results in a much smoother, silkier consistency.

Lox was traditionally made from the belly of the salmon, and is often named based on region (Nova Lox comes from Nova Scotia), or the preparation. You can easily make your own lox at home, because it is made with just a few ingredients.

Is Lox Paleo?

Store-bought…not really! Unfortunately, even though Lox is made with just a few ingredients, one of them is white sugar, which automatically disqualifies it from the “Paleo” title. If you’re not worried about a little sugar, then there really shouldn’t be anything else to dissuade you from enjoying a little store-bought lox. You might even be able to find a brand without sugar, but you’ll have to read the ingredients carefully. However, it is really easy to make lox at home, and you can use organic coconut sugar, or other sweeteners of choice!

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