On Thu, 15 Apr 1999, Aaron A. Weiss wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Apr 1999, Todd Moody wrote:
>
> > If it is chemical-free the sugar alone would not make it
> > non-paleo, so that should be okay.
>
> But refined sugar does not exist in nature.  I'm not saying that people
> shouldn't eat it if they like it and have no problems associated with it.
> I personally avoid sugar because it makes me hungry (especially for more
> sugar).

"Refined" simply means isolated from other ingredients, and so of
course you're right that sugar does not occur separate from other
ingredients in nature.  But when did this become a guideline for
what is paleo?  Pemmican uses refined (i.e., twice rendered) suet
fat, which also doesn't occur in nature.  Neanderthin allows the
use of olive oil, which doesn't occur in nature outside of
olives, and fruit juices, which in nature are restricted to whole
fruits, etc.

I don't doubt for a moment that overconsumption of sugar can be
problematic, just as overconsumption of vitamin A can be
problematic.  But sugar itself is quite natural and is found in
moderate amounts in many natural foods.  The tiny amounts found
in cured bacon cannot plausibly be considered a risk of
overconsumption, or anything close to it.

One might have other reasons for wishing to avoid sugar
altogether, but those reasons have nothing to do with "keeping
paleo" because paleo foods contain sugar.

Todd Moody
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