On Mon, 20 Feb 2006 13:27:16 -0600, Ashley Moran
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>
> You probably think you need carbs because you never went a day in your
> life without them before you started paleo.
This isn't really directed at you, Ashley, but to the list in general.
There seems to a presumption here that a paleo diet is low carb. The
"carbs are evil" mantra is repeated often.
I don't get it. From my perspective, lowering the carb intake is a side
effect of the paleo diet, not the goal. Elimination of all the grains and
sugars that are present in the typical modern diet will definitely cut
your carbs dramatically, but again, that's a side effect.
The goal, as I see it, is to eliminate foods that are artificial, highly
processed, or inappropriate for our bodies. That obviously includes just
about everything in the typical grocery store other than the meat and
produce sections. No problem there. But there are plenty of good foods
in those sections that are acceptable to paleo dieters that are also good
sources of carbs -- fruit of all types, honey, carrots, parsnips, squash,
etc. I have no doubt paleo man would have eaten his fill of whichever of
those he happened to have at hand. If the choice was to run down an
antelope or to pluck an apple off a tree, I suspect the antelope lived to
see another day.
My current food intake is pretty much an even split across the three
macronutrients -- about 1/3 carbs, 1/3 protein, and 1/3 fat (as percent of
calories). I don't see any reason why I should strive to make that 1%
carbs, 33% protein, and 66% fats.
I understand carbs raise the insulin level, but that's a natural response
to food. Eating food also raises the acid level in your stomach, but we
don't get upset about that.
Am I missing something?
--
Robert Kesterson
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