Paleo Junk Food

I've been thinking about a conversation that happened on Twitter this week for a few days now. It went like this:


Stacy and Matthew (Stacy and Matthew (@PaleoParents)
10/3/11 3:51 PM
It's unfortunate #Paleo(ish) brownies are assumed to make us want SAD Enough already w/ food guilt! #realworld #paleokids #SWYPO @whole9life

Whole9 (@whole9life) 10/3/11 6:34 PM @PaleoParents A big part of the #Whole30 is eliminating cravings. How can you do that while eating brownies? We want folks to succeed. {m}

Stacy and Matthew (@PaleoParents) 10/3/11 7:04 PM @whole9life I think working within the #whole30 framework it makes sense. Your lit spoke to that. This post tastes more of an overall tone.

Whole9 (@whole9life) 10/3/11 7:09 PM @PaleoParents Yeah, it's overall. A "Paleo" dessert is still a dessert.

Stacy and Matthew (@PaleoParents)
10/3/11 7:23 PM
@whole9life Stating grainfree lowsugar "special treats" lead to #SWYPO is an assumption. They helped our family succeed. Worth a thought...

I think the whole thing (no pun intended) started with this post from Whole9. In a nutshell (pun intended!), it cautions against the Paleo-lithification of desserts and junk food while reminding us that a paleo-dessert is still a dessert. In my opinion, they assume that if we keep the Paleo version of our old eating habits, at some point, we will just revert back to our old eating habits (in a non-Paleo form). I disagree with them here and really believe that if I wasn't able to eat some Paleo junk food when I first went Paleo that there's NO WAY I would have stuck with it. Also, as a mother, I realize that kids are going to have some junk food. Whether it is in our house, at a friend's house, at a birthday party, or at school, they are going to leave the Paleo friendly walls of our home and they will consume junk food because it tastes good to them. I'd much rather send them into the world with a limited amount of Paleo junk food rather than to have them eat a friend's lunch that is full of sugar, gluten, grains, and all around nasty stuff. I'm assuming this is the position of PaleoParents as well. I do appreciate Whole9's reminder though. While Paleo junk food is better than the normal junk food floating around 99% of the lunch boxes in America, it is still not nutritious. If your goal is to lean out, maximize benefits found in nutrients from food, and perform well, you just need to stay away from all junk food - Paleo junk food too! All Paleo junk  food has a sweetener, usually honey or maple syrup, which causes an undesirable insulin response in your body. They are usually full of fat too (almond flour, coconut flour, etc). While fat isn't a bad thing, too much of it isn't good. In this case, it could be what is causing you to miss your weight loss goals, your performance goals, or your health goals. Bottom line, eat Paleo goodies if that's what you need to do to keep you Paleo but limit them. If your goal is to lean out and perform well, give them up completely. Junk food is still junk food no matter how it is packaged.