If you’re like me, you enjoy eating well. And part of that is enjoying delicious tastes. Today I’m reviewing a Paleo barbecue sauce called KC Natural Mastodon Paleo AIP BBQ Sauce. I’m a bit excited because this sauce is tomato-free, chili-powder-free and still pretty low sugar and low carbohydrate. Let’s talk –
Taste Test:
At first taste, I thought it was a bit weird and very sweet. The sweetness is from the carrots that show up early in the ingredient list. Then the sour flavor from the apple cider vinegar kicks in. Take a look at the ingredient list below. The total sugar is 8g in 2 Tablespoons, which is pretty darn good. As I tasted it more, it grew on me. I tried it straight, without food, and uncooked. (I mention this because its meant to be heated over meats.) I’d like to try it again simmered down over a nice piece of chicken or pork rib (pastured if possible).
List of Ingredients for KC Natural Mastodon Paleo AIP BBQ Sauce
This product is legal for those on the Autoimmune Paleo (or AIP) diet, according to the label. This is because it has NO TOMATOES! As someone who’s following this AIP eating plan, I can tell you that mostly its good, but one does at times miss the easy pre-made sauces.
It still contains maple syrup and molasses. “Is molasses really OK for the autoimmune AND the Paleo diet?” I wondered.
Then I realized that there really isn’t a real standard for Paleo as far as I know, but as low/no sugar as possible is ideal. I think of molasses as a by-product of the sugar-making industry. I need to research further whether molasses is really OK for the autoimmune paleo diet (or AIP).
Omit if on GAPS Diet or SCD Diet
Because of those two sugars, this BBQ sauce is not legal for the GAPS diet nor SCD diet. Sorry ~ Maybe you could make your own, or find a recipe online. I think Lucy’s Cookbook (slim, nice curry) had a BBQ recipe in it.
Nutrition information list in KC Natural Mastodon Paleo AIP BBQ Sauce
Compare BBQ Sauces: Sugar Content and Total Carbohydrates:
The total sugar is 8 grams, and 9 grams total carbohydrates in 2 tablespoons, which is pretty darn good. I compared the sugar content in other barbecue sauces – they ranged from 3 grams to 16 grams!! Take a look at the chart below.
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Stubb’s Spicy BBQ Sauce – 3 gms sugar, 6 gms carbs in 2 TB (not too bad!) (info)
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Open Pit Barbecue Sauce (Original) – 9gms sugar, 10 gms carbs in 2 TB (info)
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KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce – 12 gms sugar, 15 gms carbs in 2 TB (info)
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Kraft Sweet Honey Barbecue Sauce – 13 gms sugar, 15 gms carbs in 2 TB (info)
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Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce – 16 gms sugar, 17 gms carbs in 2 TB!! (info)
No Nightshades!!
What excited me was that this product has no tomato nor chili in it. That means its nightshade-free BBQ sauce. This can be a great boon for anyone who’s trying hard to follow a restrictive or special diet, like the autoimmune protocol, and has to omit allergens from their diet.
No High Fructose Corn Syrup!! = No Fat Conversion
Some of the other barbecue sauces have high fructose corn syrup in them. Why do you care about this? All fructose (yes -fruit sugar, too) gets converted into FAT! And guess what substance converts the MOST to fat? High fructose corn syrup! This Paleo diet BBQ sauce doesn’t have it in it.