This article (and the original, which can be accessed here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3001541/)
was so apropos of prior debates on this very board, that I thought I'd cross-post it here. This is why I am so skeptical of recent "scientist-recommended" diet trends like the sugar-is-toxic movement and the Paleo "lifestyle." It's a short read but quite informative. Full disclosure (in case you didn't know) is that I'm a research scientist and a physician.
http://blogs.plos.org/obesitypanacea...eview-article/

BTW, before someone jumps on me to say that Paleo, (or sugar-free, or wheat-free, or vegetarian, or whatever restriction they follow) works for them when nothing else ever did, please note that I am NOT stating that eliminating your trigger foods won't help you keep weight off. Of COURSE that works. And if your trigger foods are wheat, or sugar or fat-laden, then it's only common sense that staying away from them will promote your weight maintenance efforts. I'm just saying that there's a difference between foods that are triggering and foods that are somehow "toxic" in moderation to an omnivore.

Good one, Andrea. Yes, it's much like using Bible verses (or those of other holy books) to prove one's point of view on certain ethical considerations. You can always find something to back up your argument.

I think the one idea that's key, though, is "toxic in moderation." I don't think any food is toxic in moderation--the problem is, how do we determine what is moderation in a society where simple carbs and a high-fat content is so readily available?

I think that many Americans overconsume sugars without even being aware of it. I know that when I started looking at calories and macronutrients in food, I was shocked not only by the high calorie count of typical American foods, but also by the high grams of carbohydrates. We expect, perhaps, that a Quarter Pounder with Cheese would contain 610 calories, but who would think it also contains 43 grams of carbohydrates, of which 10 grams are sugars? I didn't expect that.

Jay

Thanks!