Hu Kitchen Butter Nut
Paleo and the City
By Devi Nampiaparampil, MD, MS (“Doctor Devi”)
or many of us New Yorkers, fitness is a priority. We climb countless subway steps, ride our Citi-bikes, and try to limit our calorie intake. “Jess was a typical New York City girl,” recounts Jordan Brown, CEO of Hu Kitchen, describing his sister’s habits years ago. Jessica Karp, co-founder of the Hu restaurants, added, “I ate 100-calorie packs-- I didn’t care as much about the ingredients. Then when I had my daughter—when she started eating food—I did not want chemicals in her food which in turn forced me to address the question - what am I putting in my body?” Shortly afterwards, Brown, Karp, and Karp’s husband, Jason, teamed up to create Hu Kitchen, one of the few locations in the city that centers around paleo food. The paleo diet aims to mimic the diet our caveman ancestors might have followed. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables and meats while eliminating grains, processed foods, and dairy products. Typically, vegans and those with glutensensitivity can find satisfying food options in paleo establishments. None of Hu Kitchen’s three founders had prior experience of the food industry beforehand. Brown had been working in real estate development. The Karps had a finance background. About six years ago, Brown found himself in a Las Vegas airport looking for a book to read. He found Mark Hyman’s The Ultra Mind 58 | OUR CITY, YOUR LIFE | JUNE 2016
Solution, which introduced him to different concepts such as the relationship between gluten and inflammation. “I’d always thought I was healthy and athletic. I had never really considered the root cause [of our health problems.] I thought I’d try one thing—I’d cut out gluten. Within five to six days, I had reversed a skin condition that had I had seen several doctors for. It was pretty incredible! Just the removal of something for days eliminated something that had been a nuisance in my life for years. That rash disappearing is what opened my eyes.” Several studies have highlighted the benefits of eliminating gluten to those with undiagnosed sensitivity. Many large studies support the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. In mid-May, a study of over 90,000 women suggested apples, bananas, grapes, oranges and kale can protect adolescent girls from developing breast cancer later in life. In the fall of 2015, the World Health Organization warned against the cancer-causing potential of processed meats. A few studies have investigated the paleo diet as a whole. One suggested it might reverse metabolic syndrome and the cardiovascular risks associated with increased belly fat. Others showed that a healthy paleo diet could potentially lower your blood pressure, lower your triglyceride levels, lower your hemoglobin A1c (a measure of your average blood sugar), and facilitate weight loss. Together, these changes would presumably lower your risk of heart disease.