I don't think 'banning' things is about cruelty. Overall, the rules of both paleo and primal are really more so to get you in tune to what you are truly putting into your body to make it function optimally. Here are some of the negatives of legumes:





It's really matter of personal opinion on whether to incorporate these into your diet or not, and whether or not your body processes these types of food okay.

I follow the philosophy (which I usually get crucified for) that if I want black beans, I will indulge and have them. They won't become a daily staple, but mentally, it helps me understand that this is a way of life, not a diet.

Also, if on the rare occasion I eat something (I can't tolerate chickpeas) and I feel like a big bag of gas and yuck the next day, I know that the few minutes of enjoyment in high calorie hummus wasn't near as as helpful to me as feeling good physically.

Eating clean (in the context of Paleo and Primal) has these advantages as we know what we put in our mouths, and how each of these ingredients impacts us.