So it's only been two days, but I'm a little surprised at the products I've pulled off the shelf that have sugar in them. I'm not expecting everything to be naturally sugar free, but here are some things I regularly use in the kitchen do have at least 1g per serving which surprised me:
1. HP Sauce
2. Colemans Mustard
3. Sriracha
4. Trader Joe's broths (beef, at least)
Vinegar based condiments have always been part of my diet, for a quick way of spicing something up and adding moisture, so finding out that it's "not technically paleo" is sort of a shock to the system. Tabasco is essentially vinegar, pepper mash, and salt, and if that's out... I guess I'm going to have to stick to the spice cabinet and mustards.
The diet itself is fine, so far. I'm enjoying the extra time in the kitchen which was one of my main goals. More time in front of the oven gives me more time with my girlfriend who studies in the back room, as well as less time on my rump in front of the TV. So far, my only craving has come towards the end of the day, when I usually have an apple or an orange or something to get my sugar fix. With a piece of fruit with lunch, and a few raisins or sugar free cranberries in the morning, I'm done with my fruit quota for the day. I'm thinking of replacing this with either a peppermint or cinnamon type tea (goes against my English heritage) or some sort of lemon/lime juice diluted and frozen.
I was wondering about vinegar and thinks like balsamic vinegarette....not paleo? I should probably stop being lazy and actually read something on this...
ReplyDeleteHow do you tell if vinegar is paleo or not? Coin flips until you get your desired result?
ReplyDeleteDT, because of the minor amount I find in these sauces, I've decided not to single them out, as with the >1g sugar as well. I understand your views on the "paleo diet" to be non sustainable in a true world, and I fully agree, but for me the first step is control and inventory, then letting things back in, bit by bit. Also run on sentences.
ReplyDeleteDole, I don't begrudge you for elimination of sugared foods in your experiment.
ReplyDeleteI find the arbitrary nature of paleo (assumptions based on speculation, or vice versa) to be amusing. See also: Vinegar, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Saturated Fat, Bananas, Fruit, Honey (wtf this is just sugar), dairy (at the extreme, most say non-paleo), et al. I find anecdotally that people who like these things are for or ok with them, and people who don't like them tend to say that they are not ok. YMMV.
I think a diet based mainly on "paleo" principles is sustainable and in fact close to ideal for some, I just wish it weren't so black and white to paleo folks all the time. I do see merit in a strict approach if you are testing for food allergies, of course.
I wish you success in your diet.