Where does your food come from paleo network-min

Do You Know Where Your Food Really Comes From?

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I saw a documentary the other day that was both fascinating and disturbing. I've given so much thought to the quality of what I eat, eating locally and seasonally – and avoiding processed foods. But it turns out there’s a significant aspect to what I eat that I hadn't considered.

Where does your food come from paleo network-min

Who is involved in getting your food from the field to your plate?

The documentary focused mainly on fruit and vegetable farms right here, in Australia. I’m always careful to make sure all of my produce is Australian and I’d naively assumed those involved in picking and packing would be protected and treated fairly. Apparently this is not the case.

Whilst the majority of the work force at these farms is lawful and “on the books”, many of them were reported to rely on cheap workers, who are often forced to work incredibly long hours, underpaid, and in some cases struggle to get paid at all. The farms go through 3rd party labour providers, which seems to be a way they can bury their heads in the sand, claiming they had no idea the workers were being mistreated. Many of the third party labour providers were reported to with-hold part of the minimum $21 hourly wage the workers had earnt, which is clearly illegal.

Significant numbers of the farm workers are in Australia on Working Holiday Visa’s –the exact visa I first came into the country on. This visa enables the holder to work for 12 months, but it is possible to extend it to two years on completion of qualifying farm work. It appears the promise of granting the valuable second year visa extensions allows a lot of the farms to manipulate the workers even further.

I was also amazed at the sheer volume and range of well-known companies and brands some of these farms were reported to be supplying. With salad, fruit and vegetables going to all of the major supermarkets (often packed as their own brand) as well as restaurants and fast food outlets, it seems almost impossible to have the confidence to buy produce that you can be certain is not from exploited workers.

Is there any way we can be certain the food we're eating was picked and packed ethically?

Understanding the Hidden Human Cost of Our Food

When we talk about ethical eating, the conversation usually revolves around animals, sustainability, and environmental impact. But the human side of the food production chain often receives far less attention. The reality is that many of the fruits and vegetables lining Australian supermarket shelves have passed through the hands of people who may have been underpaid, exploited, or left vulnerable due to legal loopholes and poor oversight. This raises a huge question for those of us trying to follow a conscious, paleo-inspired lifestyle: can food really be considered “clean” if the people behind it are not treated with basic dignity and fairness?

The Labour Hire Problem

At the heart of the issue lies the widespread use of third-party labour hire companies. These firms are often contracted by farms to supply seasonal workers without the farms directly employing them. While this system is supposed to provide flexibility, in practice it has created layers of separation and a lack of accountability. Labour hire companies are often unregulated and transient, making it easy for them to underpay or exploit workers with little fear of long-term consequences. Farmers can then plausibly deny knowledge of any wrongdoing, despite benefiting from the labour.

Who Are the Workers?

Many farm workers in Australia come from overseas, particularly via the Working Holiday Visa scheme. Others arrive under the Seasonal Worker Programme or the more recent Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. These programs were intended to provide mutual benefit: seasonal workforces for farms, and income and job experience for visitors and Pacific Islanders. However, workers are often placed in isolated areas with limited access to support, unfamiliar with their rights, and reliant on their employers or agents for housing and transport. This power imbalance can quickly become exploitative.

Why It Matters for Paleo Consumers

If you follow a paleo lifestyle, you’re already thinking carefully about what you put into your body. You avoid artificial ingredients, limit processed foods, and source ethically reared meat. It only makes sense to extend that same mindfulness to the people involved in growing your food. A paleo diet that supports health and wellbeing should also align with broader ethical values. Supporting exploitative food systems not only undermines the integrity of your choices, but also perpetuates suffering within our communities and food supply chains.

Steps Towards More Ethical Food Choices

So what can be done? While no solution is perfect, there are several strategies to reduce the risk of unknowingly supporting unethical labour practices:

  • Buy direct from growers: Farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes, and farm gates offer more transparency. Speaking directly with producers can give insight into how workers are treated.
  • Look for ethical certifications: While still limited in fresh produce, some Australian farms are beginning to adopt certifications that include fair labour standards. Watch for initiatives like Fair Farms or SEDEX certification.
  • Support co-operatives: Food co-ops are often more invested in transparency and community-based farming practices.
  • Ask questions: Whether shopping at a grocer or eating at a restaurant, ask where the produce comes from. Customer demand can push businesses to examine and improve their sourcing.
  • Grow your own: Nothing beats the peace of mind that comes from harvesting your own veg. Even a few herbs or leafy greens on a windowsill reduce your reliance on questionable supply chains.

The Role of Major Retailers

Supermarkets have tremendous power to influence working conditions through their buying practices. Unfortunately, price competition has often meant squeezing suppliers to the lowest possible cost. This pressure gets passed down the chain, creating incentives for unethical shortcuts. While some retailers have started introducing ethical sourcing policies and auditing procedures, they often fall short or lack transparency. Consumers pushing for better traceability and demanding clearer labelling can play a role in accelerating change.

The Challenge of Own Brand Products

Many exploited workers are packing produce under supermarket own-brand labels. This makes it difficult to differentiate between ethical and non-ethical options on the shelf. While it’s easy to assume a higher price or attractive packaging means better sourcing, that isn’t always the case. Until supply chains are made more transparent, even health-conscious and well-meaning shoppers may be supporting practices they would never knowingly endorse.

How Policy Could Help

At a government level, stronger regulation of labour hire companies is desperately needed. Proposals include creating a national licensing scheme, increasing penalties for wage theft, and investing in independent auditing systems. Consumer advocacy groups also argue for improved visa protections and clearer pathways for reporting abuse. While large-scale change takes time, supporting organisations that campaign for worker rights and voting for policy reforms are meaningful steps any consumer can take.

Ethical Eating Is an Ongoing Journey

If this feels overwhelming, it’s important to remember that ethical eating is not about perfection. It’s about intention. No one can trace every ingredient back to its source, but being aware of the broader context is a powerful first step. Choosing transparency where possible, asking questions, and voting with your wallet all help push the system in a better direction. As more consumers align their ethical values with their dietary choices, pressure builds for the food industry to evolve.

Final Thoughts

The shocking reality is that some of the most nutritious, seemingly wholesome foods on your plate may be hiding a dark backstory. If we truly value the principles behind paleo – real food, sustainability, connection to land, and holistic wellbeing – then we must include the people behind our food in that equation. Ethical eating isn’t just about avoiding processed ingredients or choosing organic. It’s about being part of a food culture that values both people and the planet. Let your shopping list reflect not only your nutritional goals, but also your compassion.

The Age Victoria Newspaper article Melbourne Australia paleo diet the paleo network interview-min

Melbourne Paleo

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Welcome to those who've found the site through the article in this weekend's “The Age” newspaper.

It's great to see Paleo getting more and more publicity and for more people to consider removing the grains and changing their diets.

If you're interested in finding out about Paleo there's lots of information on the site and a free guide to Paleo Australia ebook you can download now. Sign up to my newsletter on the right to get your free guide.

The Paleo Movement in Melbourne: Then and Now

Back in June 2012, I was honoured to be featured in The Age newspaper in an article titled “Meat and Greet: Modern Hunger for Caveman Diet”. The article explored how the Paleo lifestyle – once seen as a niche movement – was beginning to take off in Melbourne and beyond. It was so encouraging to see mainstream media not only notice Paleo, but take it seriously enough to speak to everyday Australians who were living and breathing the lifestyle.

At the time, there were only a handful of us in Australia talking about Paleo online. The concept was still relatively unknown outside of CrossFit gyms and health forums. The Age article profiled a variety of Paleo advocates: CrossFit trainers, pregnant mums, software developers, and even musicians, all of whom had embraced the lifestyle and were seeing real, tangible health benefits — from clearer skin and better digestion to improved energy and weight loss.

I shared my own story in that piece – how I’d lost 17kg in just three months by cutting grains and processed food and how my lifelong asthma disappeared. That was the moment Paleo stopped being just a personal experiment for me and became a passion to share with others. Soon after, The Paleo Network started gaining traction, and what had been a small personal blog quickly grew into a go-to resource for Australians wanting to embrace a more ancestral approach to health.

Why Paleo Resonates in Melbourne

Melbourne has always had a strong food culture – we love our brunches, our farmers markets, our artisan producers. But alongside the café culture, there’s also been a deep interest in wellness and sustainability. Paleo ticks a lot of boxes for health-conscious Melburnians:

  • It focuses on whole, real food, with an emphasis on seasonal and local produce.
  • It avoids highly processed foods and seed oils – common culprits in many modern health conditions.
  • It’s flexible – Paleo isn’t about deprivation but about choosing the most nourishing options available.

Since 2012, Melbourne has only become more Paleo-friendly. There are now more butchers who understand the value of grass-fed and pasture-raised meat. Organic markets have popped up across the suburbs. Cafés offer grain-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free options – and even if they don’t use the word “Paleo”, they’re speaking the same language.

Even CrossFit boxes and strength gyms across Victoria continue to champion the Paleo way of eating, often combining it with intermittent fasting, cold exposure, and mobility work – all elements inspired by our ancestral roots.

The rise of the Paleo diet in Melbourne, featuring media coverage and Paleo lifestyle benefits

The Impact of Media on the Paleo Movement

Being interviewed by a major newspaper helped bring Paleo into the Australian mainstream. The Age article gave a human face to the movement and highlighted the diversity of people trying this lifestyle – it wasn’t just “fitness bros” or wellness influencers. It was mums, professionals, people with autoimmune conditions, and busy workers looking for sustainable health solutions.

Mainstream media coverage helped break down the misconceptions around Paleo. Suddenly, people weren’t just seeing it as a weird diet based on caveman clichés – they were seeing it as a real option to help them feel better, lose weight, improve digestion, and even reverse chronic conditions.

Today, we have podcasts, Instagram pages, YouTube channels, and documentaries – but back then, a single print article could ignite thousands of conversations. And it did.

Paleo Success Stories from Melbourne

Over the years, I’ve received countless emails from people in Victoria sharing how Paleo changed their lives. A few highlights include:

  • Anna from Fitzroy, who healed her PCOS symptoms and lost 10kg without counting calories or doing endless cardio.
  • Damien from Richmond, who credits Paleo and intermittent fasting for helping him manage Type 2 diabetes and avoid medication.
  • Miriam from St Kilda, who switched her whole family to Paleo after her daughter’s behavioural issues improved dramatically on a grain-free, additive-free diet.

These aren’t isolated cases – they’re part of a growing body of anecdotal evidence showing how a whole food, ancestral diet can help address modern health issues at the root cause.

Where to Start with Paleo in Melbourne

If you’re new to Paleo and found this post through The Age or another mention, here’s where to begin:

  1. Download my free guide – it’s tailored specifically for Australians, including local ingredient swaps, where to shop, and Aussie-friendly recipes.
  2. Explore the blog – there’s a treasure trove of information here on topics like batch cooking, eating Paleo on a budget, and navigating social events.
  3. Join the Paleo community – we’ve got an active mailing list and social media pages full of recipe swaps, events, and support.
  4. Check out local resources – farmers markets, CrossFit boxes, organic grocers, and ethical butchers are great places to start living Paleo without compromise.

And if you’re not in Melbourne? There are Paleo communities popping up across Australia – from Brisbane to Hobart, Byron Bay to Adelaide – and I feature them regularly here on the site.

Paleo Today: Fad or Foundation?

Back in 2012, critics were quick to dismiss Paleo as a fad. Dietitians called it “extreme” or “unsustainable”. But here we are over a decade later – and Paleo is still going strong. The key reason? It works.

Unlike crash diets or 6-week challenges, Paleo isn’t about deprivation or dogma. It’s about removing inflammatory foods, nourishing your body, and reconnecting with real food. Once people feel the difference – clearer skin, fewer bloating episodes, steady energy, better sleep – they don’t want to go back.

Sure, the name “Paleo” may not be as trendy now as “Whole30”, “Ancestral Health”, or “Clean Keto”, but the principles remain the same: Eat real food. Avoid modern junk. Honour your body’s needs.

Final Thoughts

Looking back at the Age article reminds me just how far the movement has come. I was proud to be one of the early voices advocating for a smarter, ancestral approach to food – and I still am.

If you’re here because of that article or because someone shared it with you: welcome. Whether you’re experimenting with Paleo for the first time, or you’ve been on this journey for a decade, there’s a community here to support you.

Let me know in the comments:

  • Did you read the Age article when it came out?
  • Have you noticed more Paleo options in Melbourne since 2012?
  • What’s your number one tip for someone starting Paleo today?

Let’s keep spreading the word – and keep building a community where ancestral health isn’t a fringe idea, but a normal part of everyday life.

Butter guilt trip paleo diet-min

The Butter Guilt Trip: Is It Justified?

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Here in Australia a commercial that I find particularly irritating, is for a brand of Margarine, MeadowLea.  Their advert is centred on concerned mothers promising to switch from butter to margarine.  If the product was pixelated out and the words replaced, you could easily think the mothers were pledging to give up hard drugs for the sake of their families – such is butter vilified in the advert.

The MeadowLea website explains how Saturated Fats are bad fats which increase cholesterol in the blood and should be limited.  They list fatty meats, butter, chicken skin, cream, full cream milk, cheese, coconut oil and palm oil in the danger category.  (I wonder how much longer until the lipid hypothesis is finally laid to rest?)

The monounsaturated and polyunsaturated categories – which they say can be included in “everyday healthy eating”, include margarine spreads, canola oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil and cottonseed oil.  So basically they pretty much recommend the complete reverse to Paleo, as you’d expect from a company making money from selling margarine.

Think of the Children!

Their new campaign is to encourage Australian families to improve their diet by swapping butter for (their brand of) margarine – and once enough people make the pledge* they will plant seed gardens in children’s hospitals in Australia.

From a corporate perspective, it’s actually a pretty smart campaign.  They know mothers tend to procure the families groceries and therefore control the family diet.  They also know mothers are concerned about their families’ health.  Tying the campaign in with children’s hospital almost puts an extra pressure on mothers; it almost feels as though if families don’t stop eating butter, they won’t be helping out children’s hospitals – how selfish.  I also think tying the campaign in with hospitals will make people subconsciously associate their choice of butter or margarine, with ill health – particularly the ill health of children.  “Swap butter for margarine and we’ll build an animal rescue centre” just wouldn't have the same emotional pull, would it?

Imagine the outcry if a cigarette company promised to build hospital wards, if enough people converted their families from non-smokers to smokers?  Surely there is enough information in the public domain now, for substantial objection to the health claims of a margarine manufacturer?  Yet they are allowed to guilt-trip mothers into making ill-informed decisions into the nutrition of their families.

Butter Guilt Trip – Reconsidering Butter on the Paleo Diet

 Mainly Natural Sources

In case you wondered, the ingredients for MeadlowLea are:

Vegetable Oils 65% (containing 52% Canola & Sunflower Oil), water, salt, <1% (emulsifiers (soy lecithin, 471), preservative (202), food acid (lactic)), milk solids, maltodextrin, natural colour (beta-carotene), vitamins A & D, flavour.

I'm very curious as to what the mysterious 13% of vegetable oils is, that isn't listed?  Their site and labelling seem very coy on this.  But hey, “99% of the ingredients in MeadowLea are from natural sources” – so it must be good!  Using that logic, it must be positively healthy to add Petroleum to lunch, given that it’s a natural product from natural sources.

The typical ingredients in butter:

Cream, water.

People only seem to eat margarine because they buy into the health claims – I'm yet to hear of anyone who actually prefers the taste.  Once the mainstream come to accept they've been mislead on fats, I can’t see how companies making products like margarine will be able to survive.  Campaigns like this are perhaps an inevitable part of the companies’ frantic journey through the unwinding of the lipid hypothesis.

Have you seen the advert yet?  Did you feel similarly irritated by it?

*If you happen to look at their website and see the number of people who have made the promise, reduce the number by one.  I accidently clicked the promise button – and they don’t have a button for un-promise’s.  As much as I don’t like breaking promises, this is one I will take pride in breaking – starting with lots of animal fat for dinner.

The Real History of Margarine

It’s worth taking a step back and looking at where margarine actually came from. Originally developed in the 19th century as a cheap butter alternative for the French military, margarine was never intended to be a premium or health-promoting food. Early versions were made from beef tallow and skim milk. Later, as vegetable oils became more accessible and industrial seed oil processing was developed, margarine evolved into the highly processed spread we know today.

During World War II, rationing pushed margarine into more homes, and over time, food manufacturers promoted it heavily as a modern, scientific upgrade from butter. This narrative aligned perfectly with the emerging lipid hypothesis of the mid-20th century, which incorrectly blamed saturated fat for heart disease — a claim that has since been widely challenged, if not debunked, by modern nutritional research.

So it’s rather ironic that something with such artificial roots is now sold to us as a health-conscious choice. The food industry didn’t start making margarine to improve health — they made it to maximise profits. That hasn't changed.

Understanding Industrial Seed Oils

Margarine’s primary ingredients — canola, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed, and corn oils — are all industrial seed oils. These oils are not cold-pressed or naturally extracted. Instead, they undergo intensive processing involving high heat, chemical solvents like hexane, deodorisation, and bleaching to make them palatable and shelf-stable.

This process strips the oils of any nutritional value and makes them prone to oxidation, which can cause inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Some margarines are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, creating trans fats — now widely recognised as harmful and banned in many countries, though still present in trace amounts in ultra-processed foods.

Even the so-called “non-hydrogenated” versions are problematic due to their high omega-6 content. In excessive amounts, omega-6 fatty acids can promote inflammation when not balanced with omega-3s — something virtually impossible on a modern processed-food-heavy diet.

What About the Cholesterol Argument?

Many people still avoid butter due to its cholesterol and saturated fat content. However, new research has shown that dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol levels for most people. In fact, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans removed the long-standing recommendation to limit dietary cholesterol, stating it’s “not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.”

Moreover, saturated fat plays a vital role in hormone production, brain function, and the integrity of cell membranes. Demonising it based on outdated and flawed studies does a disservice to those trying to make informed decisions about their health. Naturally occurring fats from quality animal sources — including butter — provide fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2, all essential for long-term health.

Why Butter is the Ancestral Fat

Butter has been a staple fat in traditional diets around the world for centuries. Whether it’s clarified into ghee in Indian cuisine or simply churned from raw cream in Europe, butter is as close to a whole food as you can get in the fat category. It’s naturally rich in nutrients, especially when sourced from grass-fed animals.

Grass-fed butter contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been linked to fat loss and improved metabolic health. It also boasts higher levels of vitamin K2, a nutrient critical for directing calcium to the bones and teeth, rather than soft tissues like arteries. None of these benefits exist in margarine — and they certainly weren’t added by MeadowLea.

Marketing Over Meaning

What’s perhaps most concerning is how much sway food marketing continues to have over public health narratives. Colourful labels, wellness buzzwords, and emotionally manipulative ad campaigns often distract consumers from the actual ingredient list. It becomes about what a product represents — not what it is.

The butter guilt trip plays into fears and outdated science, instead of empowering families to embrace real food. Encouraging parents to swap a traditional fat like butter for an industrial spread based on flawed cholesterol science isn’t just misleading — it’s irresponsible.

Choosing Health Over Hype

If you’re still unsure whether to choose butter or margarine, here’s a simple way to decide: look at what your great-grandparents would have eaten. Margarine didn’t exist in their kitchens — butter, tallow, lard and other traditional fats did. These fats have stood the test of time. They didn’t need health claims or hospital tie-ins to be considered food — they just were.

So rather than being guilted into giving up butter, perhaps we should be questioning how margarine ever gained such a health halo in the first place. Health is not found in chemically altered, plastic-like spreads — it’s found in nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods that our bodies recognise and thrive on.

🧈 Have you made the switch back to real fats like butter? Do you notice a difference in how you feel? I'd love to hear your story in the comments below!

It's Dangerous to Quit Grains sponsored by Kelloggs paleo diet-min

It’s Dangerous to Quit Grains (Sponsored by Kelloggs)

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I received an interesting comment pointing me to an article on the website of the Dietitians Association of Australia (update: this has since been removed), all about the Paleo Diet.  The four paragraph critique questions whether there is any merit to this way of eating.  It concludes that they do not support the diet, as

It excludes nutritious core foods such as breads and cereals, and dairy foods

They are also concerned that

The Paleo Diet encourages restrictive eating – an approach that is not sustainable in the long-term. And by banning certain nutritious foods, followers of the diet will be at a greater risk of falling short on important nutrients, such as calcium. Like many fad diets, the Paleo Diet, is no substitute for expert, individual dietary advice from an Accredited (SIC) Practising Dietitian.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest calcium balance, rather than calcium intake is of crucial importance – something that a paleo diet promotes.  Sadly they don’t mention the other nutrients they are concerned about.  This would interest me greatly, as when I have tracked my daily diet I have greatly exceeded all of the micro-nutrient RDA’s (except calcium) by eating in this way.

They say Australians should eat a diet with a wide variety of food from all food groups; that meets their health needs; that is sustainable in the long term and that fits in with their lifestyle.  This implies that they don’t consider a Paleo diet meets these criteria.  I know I'm not alone in finding Paleo is the best diet for my health; very sustainable and fits in easily into my lifestyle.  The fact that it is restrictive in not including processed foods and grains, certainly isn't what I’d call restrictive.  I don’t consider grains a proper “food group” and I think my diet is far more varied than those who eat from the food pyramid.

It's Dangerous to Quit Grains – Sponsored by Kellogg’s? Paleo Diet Perspective

Before I let the inaccuracies and complete lack of research and studies bother me further, I had a look at the partners of the Dietitians Association of Australia.  It might surprise you to see that their partners include Kelloggs, Nestle, Unilever, Dairy Australia and the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council!

Just to be completely clear, that’s Kelloggs, who make “healthy” high-carb breakfast cereals.  Nestle who make drinks, snacks, breakfast foods and confectionery – which for the most part all share grains, sugars and other un-Paleo “foods” in their ingredients lists.  Unilever – whose products include margarine and diet meal replacement shakes.  I think we can guess which foods Dairy Australia and the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council endorse.

Sadly I think the more popular Paleo becomes, the more we will read stories like this warning about the dangers of a Paleo diet.  There just isn't the same degree of money for the food industry in real, unprocessed foods like meat and vegetables.

How can we trust an organisation that has a financial relationship with these partners, to give us true, researched dietary advice?  I wonder what would happen to their partnerships if they were to take a different stance on grains?

What Happens When You Actually Quit Grains?

For all the alarmist headlines, very few critics of Paleo actually explore what happens when you stop eating grains. The reality? Most people experience significant health improvements. From reduced bloating and clearer skin to stable energy and improved blood sugar control, ditching grains is often the catalyst for transformation.

It’s important to remember that grains — particularly highly refined ones — are a modern staple, not an ancestral one. They dominate processed food products and are heavily subsidised, marketed and fortified. But the presence of fortification doesn't equal health. Adding synthetic nutrients to a product doesn’t make it nourishing — it makes it artificially compliant with government guidelines.

When people remove grains, they often increase their intake of nutrient-dense whole foods: vegetables, healthy fats, animal proteins and mineral-rich broths. These are the foods that humans have thrived on for millennia. Grains, by contrast, often displace these more beneficial options in a typical modern diet.

The Calcium Question — Again

One criticism that always rears its head is calcium. “But where will you get your calcium without dairy?” they ask. The assumption is that dairy is the only source of this vital mineral. That simply isn’t true. Leafy greens like kale, collards, and bok choy are excellent sources of calcium — and unlike dairy, they don’t come with added hormones or inflammatory proteins that affect sensitive individuals.

Moreover, it’s not just about calcium intake; it’s about calcium balance. A real food diet low in sugar and rich in magnesium, vitamin K2, vitamin D and phosphorus supports proper calcium regulation. Bone health depends on the synergy of nutrients — not simply consuming high-calcium foods. Ironically, grain-heavy diets may actually decrease calcium absorption due to the presence of phytates, which bind to minerals in the gut and inhibit uptake.

Sustainability and Variety — A Paleo Reality

It’s often said that Paleo is unsustainable. That it’s too restrictive. That it’s anti-social. But the reality is that Paleo can be tailored to fit a wide range of lifestyles, from busy families to competitive athletes to weekend foodies. With proper planning and a bit of creativity, Paleo is no more restrictive than any intentional way of eating — in fact, many people report feeling far less limited once they discover how varied their food choices can be without processed grains, seed oils, or refined sugar.

One of the beautiful things about Paleo is that it actually encourages variety. You’re not eating the same sandwich every day for lunch or reaching for another box of cereal because it's convenient. Instead, you’re trying new vegetables, experimenting with slow-cooked meats, and embracing seasonal, local produce. If anything, Paleo widens your food horizon, especially when you explore ethnic cuisines that use traditional cooking methods and whole ingredients.

Questioning the Conflict of Interest

Let’s address the elephant in the room: how can we rely on nutritional advice from organisations financially tied to ultra-processed food manufacturers? It’s not a conspiracy theory — it’s a matter of documented fact. When the same companies that manufacture sugary cereals and hydrogenated spreads are also the key sponsors of the bodies issuing dietary guidelines, how can we pretend this isn’t a conflict?

Imagine if a company selling cigarettes sponsored lung health research. You’d rightly question the findings. Yet in nutrition, this is business as usual. Public confidence in dietary recommendations is eroded every time “experts” dismiss ancestral diets in favour of branded products with nutrition labels designed by marketing departments, not by ancestral logic or biochemistry.

The Rise of Independent Nutrition

The good news? More people than ever are thinking critically about their food choices. They’re turning off the mainstream noise and doing their own research. They’re using apps to track their nutrient intake, not just calories. They’re connecting the dots between what they eat and how they feel. This is especially empowering when you realise that decades of eating by the pyramid have led to rising rates of obesity, metabolic dysfunction, autoimmune conditions, and lifestyle-related disease.

Paleo isn’t the only way to improve health, but it is a powerful reset that removes the most inflammatory elements of the modern diet and helps people reconnect with real food. It doesn't require supplements, meal replacements or a subscription. Just meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit, herbs, natural fats — and a willingness to let go of outdated food rules.

The Bottom Line

Quitting grains isn’t dangerous. It’s not extreme. And it’s certainly not irresponsible. What is dangerous is blindly following nutrition advice shaped by commercial interests that rely on keeping us hooked on addictive, low-nutrient foods.

If you’ve found better health by stepping away from the grain aisle, trust your experience. No headline or dietitian soundbite can override how your own body feels when it’s properly nourished. Keep asking questions. Keep reading ingredient labels. And most importantly, keep listening to your body — it knows more than you’ve been led to believe.

🥣 Have you been told Paleo is too restrictive or unhealthy? How do you respond when people question your grain-free lifestyle? I’d love to hear your experiences — drop a comment below.

Eat more gluten magazine article paleo network-min

Eat More Gluten!

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I can't wait for the day when the “health” magazines start advocating more of a Paleo approach, with real food and eating of  fat encouraged.  But it seems like we still have a long way to go.

Un-Paleo Messaging in Mainstream Magazines – 'Eat More Gluten'

I came across the snippet below in the March edition of “Weight Watchers” magazine.  Just in case any of their readers had been considering avoiding carbs, they warn that

“carbohydrates provide the body and brain with their primary source of fuel and are essential for energy levels”

Interesting. I tend to have fewer than 50g of carbs a day, so presumably I must have no energy?  Yet, bizarrely, I find I have more energy than ever before.  Just yesterday I had so much energy I felt compelled to break out into a sprint on my way home.  But I must be mistaken! It says so in a magazine after all.

Are Carbs the Enemy? 'Eat More Gluten' Magazine Commentary

Without eating enough carbohydrates you might get

“fatigue, lightheadedness, headaches, sugar cravings and irritability”

and they advise that you choose carbohydrates like

“wholegrain bread and cereals, grainy crackers, oats, fresh fruit and low-fat dairy”

Well, I've somehow managed to avoid any of those symptoms.  I'm not sure that avoiding sugar cravings, by eating foods that break down into sugar, really counts either.  And as for low-fat dairy being a good source of carbohydrates?

Magazine Article: Eat More Gluten – Paleo Network

The other article I read was from the March/ April 2012 edition of “Australian Diabetic Living”.  They ran a piece on Celiac disease.  The question was

“Should I avoid gluten products, just in case I might have Celiac disease?”

My answer would be that since gluten has detrimental effects on so many people, even those who don’t test positive for Celiac disease, it certainly should be avoided by everyone.  Given how long gluten stays in the body for, I think a strictly gluten-free diet is the right approach, for everyone.  Did they come up with a similar answer?

“No.  You can actually make it harder for your body to digest gluten if you cut most of it from your diet without good reason”.

Unfortunately there were no references for this startling revelation, which I’d have been very interested to check out.  So basically the diabetic magazine wants its diabetic readers to make sure they eat lots of gluten – which often come hand in hand with the not so diabetic friendly refined carbs?

What do you think?  Do you struggle to find the energy to function without bread and cereals?  Do you make sure you eat lots of gluten, to, er, help your body digest the gluten that you eat?

Magazine Article Titled 'Eat More Gluten' – Paleo Network

Debunking the Carbohydrate and Gluten Myths

It’s no secret that conventional health advice often clashes with ancestral wisdom. While mainstream media continues to push outdated recommendations like “eat more wholegrains” and “choose low-fat dairy for energy,” those following a Paleo lifestyle know there’s a different path to sustainable energy and optimal health. Unfortunately, these myths persist—largely due to the influence of decades-old nutrition dogma and a failure to acknowledge emerging research on the role of real food in human health.

The Real Role of Carbohydrates in Energy

One of the most persistent claims is that carbohydrates are the body’s only source of energy. This simply isn’t true. While it’s accurate to say that glucose is a quick source of fuel, it’s far from essential in the quantities we’re often told to consume. In fact, the body is perfectly capable of converting fats into ketones—a clean, efficient, and long-lasting energy source that powers not just muscles but the brain as well.

Plenty of people thrive on lower carbohydrate intakes—especially those following a Paleo or ketogenic approach. Fatigue and brain fog are more likely to be caused by unstable blood sugar levels from refined carbohydrates than by a lack of them altogether. When your body is adapted to fat as its primary fuel, energy becomes steady, cravings disappear, and that post-lunch slump becomes a distant memory.

Is Wholegrain Bread Really the Gold Standard?

Let’s break down some of the foods so often recommended as ideal carbohydrate sources:

  • Wholegrain bread: Often loaded with anti-nutrients like phytic acid and gluten, which interfere with nutrient absorption and can irritate the gut lining.
  • Grainy crackers and cereals: Usually highly processed and quickly converted into sugar during digestion, even when labelled as “wholegrain.”
  • Low-fat dairy: Stripped of its natural fat, low-fat dairy often has added sugars to improve taste and texture.

In contrast, Paleo-approved carbs—like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, berries, and other fruits—provide slow-burning energy along with fibre, antioxidants, and micronutrients. These foods don’t just fuel the body—they nourish it.

But Don’t You Need Gluten to Help Digest Gluten?

This one’s a head-scratcher. The idea that you must regularly eat gluten so your body can “remember” how to digest it is biologically unconvincing and unsupported by scientific literature. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley that can trigger an immune response in many people—not just those with diagnosed coeliac disease.

Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity is a well-recognised condition, where individuals experience symptoms like bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain when consuming gluten, but test negative for coeliac markers. Even in the absence of symptoms, gluten is known to increase intestinal permeability (aka “leaky gut”), potentially allowing toxins and undigested food particles into the bloodstream. That’s hardly a compelling case for keeping it in your diet.

Why You Won’t Find Paleo Advocates Low on Energy

Despite the fear mongering around carb reduction, many people on a Paleo or low-carb diet report higher energy levels, better sleep, improved mood, and enhanced mental clarity. Why? Because their bodies are no longer caught in the rollercoaster of glucose spikes and crashes.

With stabilised insulin levels, a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, and a diet focused on nutrient density, Paleo eaters often experience a newfound vibrancy that runs completely counter to the grain-focused advice handed out in popular diet magazines.

The Media’s Inconsistent Messaging

One of the biggest problems with health media is inconsistency. One article urges readers to eat low-fat yoghurt and cereal to lose weight. The next warns about rising diabetes rates. One page suggests fruit juice is a healthy snack; the next, that sugar is a national health crisis. These contradictions don’t just confuse—they erode trust in health advice altogether.

Meanwhile, thousands of people quietly improve their health by ditching processed carbs and grains, increasing their intake of healthy fats, prioritising sleep, and getting outside. Yet these approaches rarely get a column in mainstream health magazines, likely because they challenge industry norms and don’t sell snack bars.

Reclaiming Health Through Ancestral Nutrition

The Paleo diet is based on the premise that our modern bodies are best nourished by foods we've evolved to eat: meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and natural fats. It excludes recent agricultural products that our digestive systems are less adapted to handle, like grains, legumes, dairy, and refined sugars.

By removing these modern foods and focusing on nutrient-dense alternatives, many people see dramatic improvements in everything from digestive health to autoimmune conditions. Energy, the very thing magazines claim you’ll lose without bread, often becomes more abundant than ever.

So, Should You Eat More Gluten?

Unless you're trying to win a prize for inflammation, probably not. While not everyone is sensitive to gluten, there is little evidence that it offers any unique health benefit—and plenty of data suggesting it can be problematic, even in small amounts. Removing gluten is not about restriction; it's about giving your body a break from an inflammatory trigger that adds little nutritional value.

Even if you’re not ready to go fully Paleo, you can still benefit by simply removing gluten-containing grains and replacing them with whole-food carbohydrates like root vegetables and seasonal fruit. You may be surprised at how much more energy, clarity, and vitality you gain.

What’s your experience with ditching gluten? Have you noticed a difference in how you feel, think, or perform? Leave a comment below and share your story—we’d love to hear how real food is working for you.

Butter-or-Margarine-min

Another Margarine or Butter “Health” Article

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I was reading the Summer 2012 edition of “Woman’s Weekly Health” earlier, when I came across this double page spread debating whether Margarine or Butter is better for your health.  Fighting the corner for butter was a cook, Fran Abdallaoui.  Arguing the case for margarine was Barbara Eden, Nutrition Manager at National Heart Foundation of Australia.  I'm not sure how pitching a cook against a nutritionist (especially one representing the national heart foundation) is a balanced debate.  I don’t think they want their readers to side with butter, do you?

Butter-or-Margarine-min

Eden says “It comes down to your health and that’s the main factor your (SIC) considering when choosing between margarine and butter, there’s really no choice to make”.  She also tells readers that “A regular butter is made up of… more than four per cent trans fat”, which I find frustratingly misleading, since natural, completely inert trans fats – as found in animal products – are completely different to the harmful trans fats found in many processed foods.

This is all because Eden believes “It’s the saturated fat and trans fat in our food supply that elevates your blood cholesterol levels which increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, and that’s one of the leading causes of death in Australia”

The article also adds “there is the convenience factor of the immediately spreadable product with a longer shelf life” as another reason we should go for margarine instead of butter.  Well, using that argument, shouldn't we all have frozen pizza for dinner – it’s a lot more convenient and has a far longer shelf life than whole food…

In a “health” magazine, readers are going to place much more confidence in a nutritionist (especially one representing the national heart foundation) than they would a cook.  If they really want to present a debate, surely they should present both sides, equally?  Or better still, finally run an article about how wrong they've had it for the past few decades.  I must stop reading “health” magazines – they raise my cortisol levels more than almost anything else and that’s definitely not good for my health!

Butter vs Margarine: Looking Beyond the Label

At face value, it seems like a simple choice — opt for the spread that has fewer saturated fats and a longer shelf life, right? But when you dig deeper into the origins, composition, and long-term health implications of both butter and margarine, it’s anything but simple. And yet, mainstream media continues to present the argument in binary terms, usually casting margarine as the sensible, science-backed choice and butter as an indulgent relic of a less informed era. Let’s dismantle that narrative.

The Origins of Margarine: A Processed Solution

Margarine was invented in the 1800s as a cheap substitute for butter. Over time, it became a Frankenstein’s monster of hydrogenated oils, colourants, emulsifiers, and synthetic vitamins — all engineered to resemble butter while undercutting it in cost. Early margarine was rich in industrial trans fats, which numerous studies have since linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.

Even though many manufacturers have reduced or removed trans fats in modern margarine, the product is still made by highly processing seed oils, often through chemical extraction and deodorisation — not something your great-grandmother would have recognised as food. In contrast, butter is made by churning cream. That’s it.

The Demonisation of Saturated Fat

One of the pillars of margarine’s marketing success lies in the demonisation of saturated fat. For decades, saturated fat was blamed for rising heart disease rates, based largely on flawed observational studies. Yet more recent research, including meta-analyses, has challenged this narrative. The relationship between saturated fat and heart disease is not as clear-cut as once believed.

Butter contains saturated fat, yes. But it also offers conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K2 (especially from grass-fed sources), and a natural fatty acid profile that humans have consumed for millennia. Margarine, by contrast, may be artificially fortified, but it simply doesn’t compare in terms of nutrient bioavailability or synergy.

The Role of Seed Oils in Inflammation

Many margarine products are made using vegetable oils such as canola, soybean, and sunflower oil. These are rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). While omega-6 is an essential fatty acid, excessive intake relative to omega-3 can tip the balance toward systemic inflammation — a key player in many chronic diseases.

Modern diets are heavily skewed toward omega-6, thanks to the widespread use of industrial seed oils in processed foods. Butter, on the other hand, offers a more balanced fatty acid profile, with less potential for disrupting the body’s natural inflammatory responses.

Marketing vs Real Nutrition

The margarine vs butter debate often hinges on one key phrase: “heart healthy”. That label has been stamped on numerous low-fat, processed products over the years — many of which are far from nourishing. The real question is: who decides what qualifies as heart healthy?

Organisations like the Heart Foundation have historically relied on industry funding and outdated dietary guidelines. Their views on fat have slowly evolved, but they remain rooted in a model that favours products fitting a certain nutritional profile on paper — low saturated fat, high unsaturated fat — without always considering the real-world impact of ultra-processed replacements.

Whole Food Wins Every Time

If your primary goal is health, it’s hard to beat food in its natural state. Butter is a whole food — minimally processed, nutrient-rich, and easily recognisable as such. Margarine, no matter how it’s reformulated, remains a product of food science — not nature. This matters.

Our bodies evolved consuming fats from animals and plants in their natural form. Introducing chemically altered versions designed for cost-efficiency or shelf life doesn’t support optimal health. In fact, it raises a bigger question: how many chronic diseases are driven not by dietary fat itself, but by the kind of fat we’re consuming?

Butter in the Context of a Balanced Paleo Diet

For those following a Paleo-inspired approach, the choice between butter and margarine is crystal clear. While strict Paleo purists may exclude dairy altogether, many modern interpretations include ghee (clarified butter) due to its lactose-free profile and traditional roots.

Butter from grass-fed cows can be a fantastic source of nutrients — and it supports satiety, hormone production, and fat-soluble vitamin absorption. Used in moderation, it can be part of a deeply nourishing, anti-inflammatory way of eating. Compare that to margarine, which serves no purpose other than to mimic something better than itself.

Why Butter Is Still Under Fire

So why do health magazines and public health campaigns still push margarine? It often comes down to lingering dogma, commercial interests, and an unwillingness to challenge outdated paradigms. Once a narrative takes hold — “saturated fat equals heart disease” — it’s remarkably difficult to reverse, even in the face of new evidence.

It also doesn’t help that margarine is often cheaper and more profitable than butter, especially at scale. It’s easier to mass-produce, tweak to hit target fat ratios, and promote as part of heart-healthy “lite” diets. But none of those factors make it the better nutritional choice.

Don’t Be Fooled by Convenience

Convenience is another red herring in this debate. Sure, margarine spreads straight from the fridge and lasts for months, but that’s not a good enough reason to consume something that may compromise long-term health. Butter may require a bit of softening before spreading, but it’s a small trade-off for something real.

Real food isn’t always the most convenient option. Neither is prioritising your health. But when the long-term benefits include reduced inflammation, better metabolic health, and a lower toxic load, it’s hard to argue that convenience should win.

The Bottom Line

The truth is, no matter how “improved” margarine becomes, it will always be a product designed to imitate something nature got right the first time. Butter, especially when made from the milk of healthy, pasture-raised cows, is a naturally nourishing fat with a track record spanning centuries.

Rather than buying into a narrow, fear-driven debate about saturated fat, let’s zoom out. The real issue isn’t about butter vs margarine. It’s about real food vs ultra-processed food. It’s about tuning out the noise of marketing and trusting what our bodies have thrived on for generations.

So next time you find yourself reading a health magazine that sings the praises of margarine, remember this: just because something spreads easily, doesn’t mean it should be spread on your toast.

Breakfast for a prime minister paleo diet healthy-min

Breakfast Fit for a Prime Minister?

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I was interested to see photos of a typical Breakfast for British Prime Minister David Cameron.

  • Lurpak butter ( Ingredients: Organic butter (69%), organic rapeseed oil (25%), lactic culture, salt (0.9%))
  • Shredded Wheat Cereal (judging by the rest of the meal, I bet the milk isn't whole fat)
  • Toast with Jam
  • Low-fat yoghurt
  • Fruit

That's certainly a very carb-heavy Breakfast, without much fat or protein in sight. They must need regular carbohydrate based snacks for when their blood sugar levels crash shortly after eating.

I'd have loved to see them tucking into a proper cooked Breakfast! Perhaps Julia Gillard starts the days with bacon and eggs, cooked in coconut oil?

Paleo breakfast plate featuring nutritious whole foods, inspired by a healthy start for a prime minister

What Does a Leader’s Breakfast Say About the Nation?

While it might sound like a small thing, what our leaders eat for breakfast actually paints an interesting picture. The foods they choose reflect the prevailing attitudes of the time – and influence millions of people watching from around the world. So when the British PM is snapped starting the day with a beige buffet of low-fat yoghurt, cereal and toast, what message does that send?

It seems that even at the highest levels, we're still stuck in a nutritional time warp – one where fat is feared, cereal is king, and protein barely gets a look-in before midday.

But what if the next Prime Minister chose a breakfast of pasture-raised eggs, grilled tomatoes, avocado, and a few rashers of free-range bacon cooked in ghee or coconut oil? What if world leaders normalised nutrient-dense, protein-rich, whole food breakfasts?

That shift could be revolutionary.

The Low-Fat Legacy That Won’t Die

The obsession with low-fat everything – yoghurt, milk, butter alternatives – has lingered since the 1970s, despite mounting evidence that it was based on shaky science. Governments around the world promoted it with the best of intentions, hoping it would reduce heart disease. Instead, we’ve seen skyrocketing rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory conditions. Replacing fat with sugar and ultra-processed grains didn’t make us healthier – it just made us hungrier.

That Cameron breakfast is a prime example of this outdated advice in action. Where’s the fat-soluble nutrition? The stable energy from protein and healthy fats? The satiety?

A Better Breakfast (Even for Politicians)

If we were designing a breakfast that fuels long meetings, decisive leadership, and mental clarity, it wouldn’t be Shredded Wheat and low-fat fruit yoghurt. It might look something like this:

  • 3 eggs (soft-boiled or scrambled) from pasture-raised hens
  • 1/2 avocado with lemon and sea salt
  • Sautéed mushrooms and spinach in olive oil or ghee
  • A rasher or two of bacon from heritage-breed pigs
  • Herbal tea or black coffee, maybe with MCT oil or collagen peptides

This breakfast provides a solid 25 – 30g of protein, healthy fats, fibre, and micronutrients. It keeps blood sugar stable and provides long-lasting energy without a crash at 10:30am.

Breakfast Around the World: The Paleo Version

Curious how other countries could rethink their national breakfasts through a Paleo lens? Let’s look at a few examples:

Australia

Instead of Vegemite on toast or Weet-Bix, a Paleo Aussie breakfast might include:

  • Kangaroo sausage or lamb chops
  • Roasted sweet potato cubes
  • Smashed avocado with lemon
  • A side of fermented veggies

Japan

Rather than miso soup and rice:

  • Bone broth with wilted Asian greens and shredded chicken
  • Soft-boiled eggs
  • Pickled vegetables and seaweed salad

France

Ditch the croissant and café au lait for:

  • Omelette with herbs and mushrooms
  • Duck fat-fried potatoes
  • Black coffee with cinnamon

Reimagining these breakfasts isn’t about restriction – it’s about fuelling the body for the day ahead in a way that’s biologically appropriate and deeply satisfying.

Why Protein & Fat Matter First Thing in the Morning

Eating protein-rich, fat-dense meals in the morning has several advantages:

  1. Blood Sugar Stability: Without the spike-and-crash of refined carbs, your energy stays consistent through to lunch.
  2. Satiety: Protein and fat help you feel full longer – meaning less temptation to snack mid-morning.
  3. Hormonal Support: Protein supports neurotransmitter function (especially dopamine and serotonin), while fat is essential for hormone production.
  4. Cognitive Focus: A steady fuel supply helps with attention, decision-making, and mood regulation.

If you’ve ever felt foggy or hangry after a bowl of cereal, now you know why.

How to Politely Decline the Cereal

If you’re trying to encourage your household, friends, or workplace to rethink breakfast, you don’t need to start with lectures. Try these gentle nudges:

  • “That looks tasty – but have you ever tried eggs and avo for breakfast? I feel full for hours when I do.”
  • “I’m testing a new breakfast to see if it helps me concentrate better during the day.”
  • “It’s wild how long cereal has been marketed as healthy. Have you seen the ingredients list lately?”

Sometimes, a quiet example is the most powerful way to lead change.

Leading by Example (Even if You’re Not Prime Minister)

You don’t need to be the leader of a nation to influence those around you. Your family, co-workers, and online community are watching. When they see you consistently choosing real food in the mornings – and noticing your energy, skin, mood, and performance improve – they’ll start to wonder what you’re doing differently.

Why not make your next breakfast something worth copying?

Breakfast & the Bigger Picture

Breakfast isn’t just about what’s on the plate. It sets the tone for the day, physically and mentally. A nourishing breakfast says:

  • “I prioritise my wellbeing.”
  • “I prepare in advance.”
  • “I make choices based on what works for my body.”

Compare that to a rushed piece of toast or sugary yoghurt scoffed in the car. That sets a completely different tone.

If our leaders – and let’s face it, we all lead someone – want to show up fully in their day, a proper breakfast is a powerful place to start.

Your Turn

What do you think of David Cameron’s breakfast? What’s the most nutrient-dense way you’ve started your day recently? Have you convinced anyone in your life to ditch cereal for bacon and eggs?

Let me know in the comments – and maybe one day, we’ll see a future Prime Minister go viral for making a slow-cooked liver and sweet potato hash before Parliament.

What's so bad about soft drinks fizzy coke paleo not healthy-min

Another Nail in the Coffin for Soft Drinks?

It’s good to see yet another study on the detrimental effects of Soft Drinks.  This time a study from the University of Oklahoma compared two groups of women over a five year period.  One group in the 4,000 strong study consumed two or more sugary soft drinks, whilst the other group drank one or less.  The participants had their weight, waist size, cholesterol & triglyceride levels measured and compared over the course of the study.  The study concludes that woman drinking two or more soft drinks a day are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

What's so bad about soft drinks fizzy coke paleo not healthy-min

The study indicates that whilst the woman’s weight didn't necessarily increase on this soft drink regime, their risk of developing high triglycerides increased four-fold – therefore bodily fat doesn't appear to be the sole reason for the risk.

An observational study like this has far too many variables, yet it is still useful, especially if it leads to further (ideally clinical) studies.  It’s also useful if it makes those who consume soft drinks question their nutrition.   I think it likely a woman who consumes several soft drinks a day isn't likely to be following a healthy Paleo diet in every other aspect of her nutrition.  This makes it impossible to attribute the declining health of that group to their soft drink consumption alone.  I also have trouble with the category of “one of less” soft drinks, as I’d consider one soft drink a day to be very high use – especially where those drinks contain High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)!  I look forward to the full peer reviewed study which may address some of these points.

I think a lot of slim people consider themselves healthy and have an attitude that they can “get away” with a poor diet, including drinking regular soft drinks.  This study goes some way to challenge those views, and perhaps might help make people realise even though they may feel healthy today, they may be storing up problems for their future health.  I just hope studies like this don’t lead to diverted consumption of diet soft drinks, which in my opinion are often even more harmful.

What’s wrong with drinking water?

Soft Drinks and Metabolic Disruption: More Than Just Sugar

While studies like the one from the University of Oklahoma highlight the obvious dangers of sugar-sweetened beverages, it’s crucial to understand that the issue with soft drinks extends beyond their sugar content. The combination of artificial colouring, preservatives, acids and industrial sweeteners creates a chemical cocktail that disrupts metabolism and places significant stress on the body.

Even when weight gain isn't immediately visible, these drinks can silently wreak havoc. Elevated triglycerides, increased insulin resistance, fatty liver, and systemic inflammation can all be linked to frequent consumption of sugary beverages. Metabolically, these drinks offer zero benefit and numerous risks — often in the absence of any clear satiety, which can lead to increased overall caloric intake.

The False Health Halo of Diet Drinks

For those looking to reduce their sugar intake, switching to diet soft drinks might seem like a logical step. However, many emerging studies indicate that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose and acesulfame potassium may cause their own set of health issues. They can interfere with gut microbiota, disrupt hunger hormones, and may even be linked with long-term weight gain and glucose intolerance.

Moreover, the very sweetness of these drinks — even without calories — continues to condition the palate to expect sweet tastes constantly, making it harder to wean off sugary or ultra-processed foods. The result? A loop of craving, consumption and metabolic confusion that undermines real food efforts.

Challenging the “Skinny Equals Healthy” Myth

One of the most insidious ideas perpetuated by food marketing is the belief that as long as you maintain a healthy weight, your diet doesn’t matter. But studies like this reinforce the idea that metabolic health is about much more than what the scale says. You can be lean and still suffer from high triglycerides, poor insulin sensitivity, and chronic inflammation.

Soft drinks provide a perfect case study for this. They may not cause immediate weight gain, but their effects on internal health markers can still be profoundly damaging. Just because someone looks “healthy” on the outside does not mean their blood chemistry or organ function reflects the same.

The Case for Replacing Soft Drinks With Real Hydration

Water, herbal teas and homemade infusions with mint, lemon or cucumber provide true hydration without any of the additives found in commercial beverages. For those transitioning off soft drinks, fizzy mineral water with a squeeze of citrus can mimic the mouthfeel of soda without the negatives.

If you're looking for a gentle detox or liver support, dandelion tea and milk thistle infusions can also help — and they’re far more aligned with a Paleo approach than artificially flavoured drinks pretending to offer energy or focus.

How Observational Studies Inform the Bigger Picture

While observational studies can't prove causation, they are often the first step in identifying patterns that warrant deeper investigation. When repeated across large populations and corroborated by mechanistic science, they form a compelling body of evidence.

In the case of soft drinks, we now have multiple observational and controlled studies pointing toward similar conclusions — that sugary beverages contribute significantly to chronic disease. This growing data pool helps to inform public health recommendations, consumer awareness, and eventually, policy change. For example, some cities have introduced sugar taxes on soft drinks or mandated clearer labelling due to this type of research.

The Hidden Link Between Soft Drinks and Gut Health

One area of emerging interest is how soft drinks impact the microbiome. High-fructose corn syrup and artificial additives can feed pathogenic gut bacteria, creating dysbiosis that extends far beyond digestion. This imbalance in gut flora has been linked to autoimmune conditions, mood disorders, and metabolic diseases — further cementing the idea that soft drinks are more harmful than they might first appear.

Artificial sweeteners used in diet soft drinks may also impair the gut lining and encourage the overgrowth of less beneficial bacterial strains. Over time, this can lead to leaky gut and low-grade chronic inflammation, further increasing the risk of disease.

Making Better Choices Daily

If you're trying to support your health or follow a Paleo lifestyle, removing soft drinks is one of the easiest and most impactful changes you can make. Hydration doesn’t need a flashy label or marketing campaign — your body thrives on simplicity. Filtered water, coconut water (in moderation), herbal infusions, and even homemade kombucha (if tolerated) are all great alternatives.

Planning ahead can also help reduce temptation. Keeping a stainless steel bottle of chilled water with you or preparing infused water at the start of each day makes it more likely that you’ll stay hydrated and avoid vending machines or corner shops selling fizzy drinks.

Long-Term Vision: Shifting the Health Conversation

It’s encouraging to see studies like this gaining attention and challenging long-held beliefs. But for real change to occur, the public narrative needs to shift away from calorie-counting and weight-focused metrics toward deeper markers of health. Blood sugar stability, hormone balance, inflammation, and mental clarity are far better indicators of wellbeing.

Eliminating soft drinks — both sugary and diet — is a small but meaningful way to support your body, improve long-term outcomes, and honour the Paleo philosophy of eating (and drinking) in alignment with our evolutionary biology.

As new studies emerge, the importance of whole, unprocessed foods and drinks becomes clearer. Let’s hope this rising body of evidence encourages more people to swap the can for a clean glass of water — their hearts, brains, and future selves will thank them.

What do you think of observational studies like this?  Do you think they will they one day start to change nutrition en masse?

Swapping Red Meat for Whole Grains newspaper health article healthy paleo diet

Swapping Red Meat for Whole Grains?

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I found this enlightening little article in November’s “Good Health” magazine (I wish they’d be more accurate and add “not” before the magazine name). When will they get over their obsession with “Health Whole Grains”?

Red-Meat-Swap-swapping red meat for whole grains

The article tells us to “replace one serving of red meat a day with one serving of nuts, low-fat dairy or whole grains”, which apparently will significantly reduce your risk of developing type two diabetes.  This really misleading (and anti Paleo!); it makes it sound like replacing your organic, grass-fed steak with a few slices of carb-heavy whole grains will actually be a positive health move!  It’s becoming widely accepted that the blood sugar rise caused by carbohydrates causes the problem – not consumption of good quality red meat.

Looking into the actual study, it is apparent that processed AND unprocessed red meat have been put into the same category.  It’s no wonder processed meat, with all the additives and chemicals would have a detrimental effect on health.   Also, people who eat processed meats are, I would argue, are more likely to eat without concern for their health, with the rest of their diets.  Reading further, the study was not a clinical study, but an observational study, based on questionnaires over a 20-year period.  Unless a study is controlled, or subjects are monitored around the clock, how accurate are their survey responses anyway?

Swapping Red Meat for Whole Grains newspaper health article healthy paleo diet

Red Meat vs Whole Grains: What’s Really Behind the Headlines?

The mainstream media’s continued demonisation of red meat, especially in favour of so-called “healthy whole grains,” is not only misleading — it’s downright dangerous for public health. These articles often rely on outdated or poorly interpreted science and completely ignore the nuance between industrially processed food and real, nutrient-dense options like organic, grass-fed red meat.

So why is red meat still getting the blame for conditions like type 2 diabetes, when increasing evidence suggests that refined carbohydrates and sugar are the true culprits? And more importantly, who stands to benefit from this narrative?

The Problem with Observational Studies

The study referenced in the “Good Health” article was observational — which means it was based on self-reported data from participants, often collected through food frequency questionnaires. These surveys rely on memory, honesty, and consistency, which is hardly reliable over a 20-year period. Moreover, observational studies can only point to associations, not causation.

What this means is that even if people who ate more red meat had a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes, it does not prove that red meat was the cause. It could be that those individuals also consumed more processed food, smoked, exercised less, or had other lifestyle factors not adequately accounted for.

Processing Matters: Bacon Is Not the Same as Beef

One of the biggest flaws in this and many similar studies is lumping all forms of red meat into a single category. A homemade beef stew made with grass-fed chuck steak is not nutritionally comparable to a supermarket sausage roll loaded with preservatives, hydrogenated oils, and fillers. Yet both are categorised under “red meat.”

This lack of distinction does a great disservice to the real-food movement. People are discouraged from eating nourishing, bioavailable foods like liver, steak, and slow-cooked brisket — and instead steered towards low-fat dairy and whole grains that spike blood sugar and leave people hungry again within hours.

Whole Grains and Blood Sugar: Not as Innocent as They Seem

Whole grains are often portrayed as a “slow release” carbohydrate. While they are less refined than white flour products, they still break down into glucose and cause a significant insulin response. For people with insulin resistance, pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, this ongoing blood sugar rollercoaster can be deeply damaging over time.

Unlike red meat, which is rich in iron, zinc, B vitamins, and high-quality protein — and has virtually no impact on blood sugar — grains offer very little in terms of essential nutrients. Most are fortified to add back the vitamins lost during processing. And let’s not forget the common anti-nutrients found in grains, like phytates and lectins, which can interfere with mineral absorption and damage the gut lining in sensitive individuals.

Red Meat: A Nutritional Powerhouse

Far from being a dietary villain, red meat is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available. A single serving of grass-fed beef provides a full spectrum of amino acids, vitamin B12 (essential for nerve function and red blood cell formation), highly absorbable iron, and healthy fats — particularly if the fat is from a pasture-raised animal.

In fact, several modern diseases could be worsened by a lack of these nutrients. Fatigue, poor immunity, muscle weakness and mood disorders can all stem from a deficiency in B vitamins or iron — both abundant in red meat.

The Grain Industry’s Influence on Public Health Messaging

One has to ask: why do so many public health messages still push grains, despite mounting evidence that they aren’t essential and may even be harmful for some individuals? The answer lies in economics. Grain crops are cheap to produce, easy to store, and highly profitable. Many of the world's largest food companies rely on grain-based products as their cornerstone revenue streams.

This influence seeps into media messaging, nutrition guidelines, and even public school meal plans. Meanwhile, red meat is often painted as unsustainable or elitist, despite regenerative farming practices that show quite the opposite when done correctly.

Making Evidence-Based Food Choices

Rather than blindly following media soundbites or nutritional fads, a better approach is to ask: what does your body need to thrive? Real food, in its most natural state, is usually the answer. That means a plate with a foundation of protein and fat from quality animal sources, paired with seasonal vegetables and perhaps a small amount of fruit or root vegetables for carbohydrate, depending on individual needs.

Grains, on the other hand, are not necessary for health. Some people tolerate them well in small amounts, but they’re not essential — and certainly not superior to animal protein when it comes to nutrient density.

What Should We Really Be Swapping?

Instead of replacing red meat with grains, perhaps the better advice would be:

  • Swap processed foods for real food
  • Swap vegetable oils for traditional fats like tallow, lard, and butter
  • Swap packaged snacks for a boiled egg, leftover roast lamb, or a handful of raw macadamias
  • Swap soft drinks for filtered water or herbal teas
  • Swap confusing dietary headlines for actual nutritional science and common sense

These changes have far more impact on blood sugar, weight stability, hormonal health, and energy levels than switching from steak to a slice of wholegrain toast ever could.

Let’s Bring Context Back to Nutrition

Nutrition cannot be reduced to single ingredients or food swaps taken out of context. The quality of food, how it's prepared, and what it's eaten with all play vital roles. Telling people to reduce red meat consumption without considering what they're replacing it with is both irresponsible and misleading.

It’s time to move away from outdated dietary dogma and towards an approach rooted in ancestral wisdom, nutrient density, and metabolic individuality. Red meat has nourished humans for millennia — and it’s not about to become toxic just because a magazine article says so.

Diabetic sweets fruit slim sugar free paleo diet

Diabetic Sweets

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I picked up the November issue of “Diabetic Living” magazine yesterday.  The piece below tells diabetic readers how good Fruit Slim sweets are, “sugar-free, fat-free, fibre filled”, which will “halt food cravings in their tracks”.  It then goes on to say that there is more fibre in five of these sweets, than there is in two-cups of spinach or 15 raw almonds!  This makes me slightly want to cry!

Guilt-Free-Sweets-diabetic diabetes

So, the ingredients of “Fruit Slims” are: Gum Acacia, Maltitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol, Acidifier (330), Fruit Juice Concentrate, Flavour, Vegetable Oil, Sweetener (955), Natural Colour ( Paprika), Coating Agent (901).

Sweetener (955) is sucralose.  This sweetener has been linked with liver and kidney damage.  There is also a lot of uncertainty with artificial sweeteners and some evidence to suggest that they may cause an insulin response; clearly not desirable in diabetics!  Maltitol, Sorbitol and Xylitol are all sugar alcohols, which might be classed as “sugar-free”, but are carbohydrates and do have an effect on blood sugar levels.  Fruit juice is also sugar, which clearly impacts blood sugar levels.  “Flavour” could mean anything and as for the “vegetable” oil; well, that’s certainly not Paleo!  The ingredients of these “crazy good” sweets look more like a chemistry experiment; there are no real foods in sight.

I think it’s really irresponsible to promote these as a good product to anyone, never mind diabetics.  To imply they are a better choice than almonds or spinach seems reckless.  They might have more fibre, but when eating a Paleo diet rich in vegetables, fibre won’t be an issue.  Besides, for diabetics, blood sugar is a far more pressing issue than fibre?

I've not found anything to back up the claim that these sweets will “halt food cravings in their tracks”.  In fact from what I've read, artificial sweeteners appear to have the opposite effect, increasing cravings for carbohydrates.

Compare the chemical composition of “Fruit Slims” to the “alternatives” of almonds and spinach.

Almonds provide high natural amounts of many nutrients, including manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and phosphorus.

Spinach is a fantastic source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), tryptophan, vitamin E, copper, vitamin B1 (thiamine), phosphorus, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B3 (niacin) and selenium – and many other nutrients.

Am I missing the benefits of this swap?

The Misleading Health Claims of “Guilt-Free” Sweets

Unfortunately, products like “Fruit Slims” are marketed in a way that can make them sound almost medicinal — particularly to those who are actively trying to manage their health. Terms like “sugar-free,” “fat-free,” and “craving control” are especially appealing to diabetics and dieters alike, but they paint a dangerously incomplete picture. Without real context around blood sugar response, nutritional quality and long-term metabolic impact, such claims are not only misleading — they can be harmful.

The comparison to spinach and almonds is particularly troubling. Measuring a food’s value solely on fibre content is an extremely reductionist approach that ignores the synergistic role of real nutrients in whole foods. This kind of messaging reinforces the belief that health is achieved by numbers on a label, not by the integrity and origin of the food itself.

Understanding the Reality of Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols like maltitol, sorbitol and xylitol are frequently used in “sugar-free” sweets because they don’t spike blood sugar to the same degree as glucose or fructose. But they’re far from metabolically neutral. Maltitol, in particular, has a high glycaemic index compared to other sugar alcohols, and it can still cause significant blood glucose rises in sensitive individuals — especially those with diabetes.

Moreover, sugar alcohols are known for causing digestive issues. Many people report bloating, gas, and diarrhoea when consuming even moderate amounts. These compounds ferment in the colon, often causing discomfort that completely negates the supposed benefits. For diabetics already managing complex symptoms, additional gastrointestinal stress is the last thing needed.

Why “Sugar-Free” Doesn’t Equal Healthy

The term “sugar-free” often leads consumers to believe they’re choosing something harmless — or even beneficial. But sugar-free doesn’t mean carb-free, insulin-neutral, or safe. In the case of “Fruit Slims,” the added fruit juice concentrate is still sugar, even if labelled naturally. And the sucralose (sweetener 955) used has been linked to adverse effects in animal studies, including alterations to liver and kidney health.

Even without definitive conclusions in humans, it’s risky to encourage diabetics to consume substances that may worsen insulin sensitivity or increase cravings — especially when the product in question has no nutritional upside.

Artificial Sweeteners and the Cravings Myth

Despite marketing claims, artificial sweeteners may actually worsen the very issue they promise to solve. Research suggests that these sweeteners can confuse the brain’s response to sweetness, leading to more persistent cravings and even reduced satiety. When the body senses sweet taste without a corresponding caloric reward, it may trigger compensatory mechanisms that drive increased hunger later on.

For someone managing insulin resistance or diabetes, anything that promotes increased food intake — especially refined carbs or processed snacks — is counterproductive. Whole foods, particularly those with a mix of protein, healthy fats and fibre, help regulate appetite and reduce cravings far more effectively than ultra-processed “diet” alternatives.

The Nutrient Power of Whole Foods

Let’s revisit the real alternatives. Almonds provide high-quality fats, plant-based protein, and a wide array of vitamins and minerals. They’re especially rich in vitamin E, magnesium, and manganese — nutrients that support heart health, blood sugar control, and cellular repair.

Spinach, on the other hand, is a micronutrient powerhouse. It offers iron, calcium, folate, potassium, and a full spectrum of B vitamins, along with powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These nutrients are highly bioavailable and support a wide range of functions, from energy production to immune health.

Comparing these foods to a chemically engineered sweet based on a single metric like fibre is completely disingenuous. Real food offers complexity, synergy and bioactivity — none of which can be recreated in a laboratory-made lolly.

The Paleo Perspective on Sweeteners

From a Paleo standpoint, the ideal approach to sweetness is to retrain the palate away from it, rather than replace one sweet substance with another. Occasional use of natural sweeteners like raw honey or dates might be tolerated in moderation, but the emphasis remains on whole, unprocessed foods that nourish and satiate.

If you’re looking to reduce cravings, focusing on nutrient-dense meals with adequate protein and fat is far more effective than introducing sweeteners — natural or artificial. Once your blood sugar stabilises, your desire for sweetness usually diminishes, and your taste buds begin to appreciate the natural flavours of real food.

More Responsible Support for Diabetics

What diabetics need is honest, evidence-based guidance — not patronising marketing disguised as health advice. Instead of pushing chemical-laden products in glossy magazines, we should be empowering people to build simple, real-food habits that support healing and metabolic health.

This includes education around:

  • Choosing foods with a low glycaemic load
  • Prioritising protein, fibre and healthy fats at every meal
  • Understanding the inflammatory impact of seed oils and artificial additives
  • Staying well-hydrated with clean water, not synthetic drinks or diet sodas

With proper knowledge and support, diabetics can thrive on a whole-food approach — without the need for “free-from” gimmicks that undermine their long-term health.

Moving Away from Processed “Solutions”

Let’s be clear: the food industry has a vested interest in keeping people reliant on processed products. Whether it’s low-fat, sugar-free, or high-fibre snacks, these offerings keep consumers stuck in a cycle of poor nutrition, cravings, and metabolic instability. But health isn’t built in the snack aisle — it’s built through conscious, consistent choices around whole food, movement, sleep, and stress management.

We need to keep questioning the health claims of packaged foods, especially those marketed to vulnerable groups. Instead of asking how many grams of fibre are in a lolly, we should be asking whether our food choices are real, nourishing and sustainable.

If the answer is no, it’s time to step away from the packet — and towards the produce aisle.

Diabetic sweets fruit slim sugar free paleo diet