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Australian not healthy star ratings system paleo network-min

Have you seen who’s behind the (not so) Healthy Star Ratings system?

I saw a TV commercial recently for Uncle Toby’s Oat sachets and the main focus of the advert was how amazingly healthy they are. Apparently these Oats achieve a “4 healthy star rating” – and the higher the star rating, the healthier the product. So they say. Whilst I don’t want to pick on oats specifically, as I think they’re probably one of the not-as-bad-as-the-other-cereals out there, it really highlights how dangerously misleading these Healthy Star Ratings are. Initially I thought the Healthy Rating System was just based on old, outdated (incorrect) advice, but when I saw who was involved in its creation, it took a far more sinister turn.

What are Healthy Star Ratings?

This is an Australian initiative, and it’s jointly funded by the Australian, state and territory governments, and developed in partnership with industry and public health and consumer groups.

I took a further look into these groups, who have jointly developed these ratings, and they include the Australian Beverages Council, and the Australian Food and Grocery Council.

And just who makes up these bodies?

Members of the Australian Beverages Council include:

Coca-Cola Amatil Pty Ltd
Coca-Cola South Pacific
Heinz Australia P/L
PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Ltd
Red Bull Australia Pty Ltd
Tropico Fruits Pty Ltd

Among many others… (Surely we're not going to ever see health ratings on Red Bull?)

The Australian Food and Grocery Council has on its board:

Clive Stiff who is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Unilever Australia & NZ – their brands include Bertolli, Streets Ice Cream and my favourite Flora pro-activ
Trevor Clayton who is Chief Executive Officer for Nestle Australia Ltd
Andrew Towle who is Managing Director for Kellogg (Australia) Pty Ltd
Darren O’Brien who is Managing Director for Mondelez Foods Australia (better known as Kraft Foods and Cadbury)
Michael Ryan who is General Manager of Mars Chocolate, and
Peter West, Managing Director of Lion Dairy & Drinks

So the very companies who produce packaged, processed convenience food have very helpfully come up with a healthy star rating system? And we’re supposed to use this to tell us what is healthy food we should be eating lots of?

How to get a high star rating?

No surprisingly the star system is based on the old beliefs that whole grains are good for us, and fat to be avoided. Products receiving above 4 stars will include whole-grain foods, low-fat milk and reduced fat cheese, and extra lite (urgh I hate that word, theirs, not mine) spreads.

And how to get a low rating?

Products getting below 1 star include those that are full fat, regular fat yoghurt, high saturated fat cheese, salted butter, coconut oil (yes, they expressly list coconut oil on the less healthy foods list) and of course, untrimmed meats. So we can pretty much assume if it’s a natural, unprocessed, paleo food, it won’t get a high healthy star rating.

So I’ve come up with a new system to help you use the star rating system to identify healthy foods:

If it has a healthy star rating, avoid it tweet this quote

What’s your opinion on the Healthy Star Rating system?

Why Whole Foods Are Overlooked by the Star Rating System

One of the biggest flaws in the Healthy Star Rating system is that it almost completely overlooks unprocessed, single-ingredient foods. Whole foods like grass-fed beef, wild-caught salmon, free-range eggs, and fresh avocados do not have labels. Therefore, they are not eligible for a rating. Meanwhile, boxed cereals, artificially sweetened yoghurts, and margarine spreads can receive four or even five stars.

This reinforces the dangerous idea that health can be assessed by marketing claims on a label, instead of the nutritional integrity of the food itself. Real food doesn’t need a label or a tick of approval from a marketing committee. It speaks for itself.

Why “Low Fat” Isn’t Always Better

The obsession with low-fat products continues to dominate the criteria behind the star system. This outdated mindset fails to consider the importance of dietary fats for hormone regulation, brain health, and nutrient absorption. Natural fats found in foods like coconut oil, full-fat yoghurt, pasture-raised meat, and nuts are often labelled as unhealthy, purely based on saturated fat content.

On the other hand, ultra-processed low-fat alternatives with added thickeners, emulsifiers, and sugar replacements score higher, simply because they meet arbitrary macronutrient thresholds. This does not reflect current nutritional science and continues to mislead well-meaning consumers.

Where Sugar Hides in “Healthy” Foods

Products that are high in sugar can still achieve a favourable star rating if they contain added fibre or whole grains. Breakfast cereals, flavoured oat sachets, and even some children’s snacks are prime examples. Despite being loaded with sugar, these products manage to receive ratings of four stars or more because of their fibre content and reduced fat formulation.

This creates a false sense of health, especially for parents shopping for their children. They see a star rating, assume it has been vetted by experts, and make a purchase based on faulty assumptions. A bowl of sugary cereal does not become a health food just because it contains oats and is fortified with synthetic vitamins.

The Marketing Power Behind the Stars

Major food manufacturers are not simply following the guidelines, they are actively involved in shaping them. With their seats on boards and advisory councils, these companies have every incentive to design a system that works in their favour. The Healthy Star Rating becomes a marketing tool, not a scientific assessment of nutritional value.

It’s no coincidence that many of the products awarded high ratings are made by the very companies that helped draft the criteria. The system rewards processed food innovation over genuine nutrition.

What Shoppers Can Do Instead

Rather than relying on front-of-pack labels or star systems, it is more effective to build your shopping strategy around real food principles. Here are a few ways to make better choices without falling for industry-led health claims:

Shop the perimeter of the store where the fresh produce, meat, eggs, and fish are located
Read the ingredients list instead of the front of the packet
Focus on whole, unpackaged foods that are naturally rich in nutrients
Question health claims like “lite”, “low fat”, and “fortified”, which often signal a heavily processed product

Star Ratings and the Influence on Children’s Food Choices

Another major concern is how the star system influences food marketed to children. Brightly coloured boxes with cartoon characters and stars on the front create the impression that these are good daily choices. A muesli bar with sugar, seed oils, and flavour enhancers might still receive a four-star rating due to added fibre or oats.

Children should be learning about the benefits of real food, not trained to trust front-of-pack labels. A sliced apple with almond butter or a boiled egg with veggie sticks doesn’t come with a rating, but offers far more nutrition than a “healthy” snack bar from the packaged goods aisle.

Can We Really Trust Government-Endorsed Labels?

With industry lobbyists heavily involved in the creation and promotion of the star system, it's difficult to view it as an impartial guide. While the original intention may have been to improve public health, the result is a watered-down, easily manipulated system that benefits large food manufacturers more than the consumer.

True health comes from education, not marketing. The more informed consumers become about the sources and quality of their food, the less power these labelling schemes will hold.

How to Educate Friends and Family

It can be challenging to explain to friends or family members why something with a high star rating is not necessarily healthy. One strategy is to help them flip the box over and look at what’s actually inside. Highlight the presence of seed oils, preservatives, artificial flavours, and sugar. Compare that to a simple, real food alternative like roasted chicken, steamed vegetables, or homemade snacks using nuts and dried fruit.

Once people learn how to identify food quality themselves, they begin to trust marketing labels less and their instincts more.

Real Food Doesn’t Need a Star

Ultimately, if a food product is being promoted with stars, ticks, or heart symbols, it is most likely not a food that supports true health. Real food is found in nature, not in a factory. It is nutrient-dense, satisfying, and does not require fortification or marketing gimmicks to justify its existence.

If you want to eat better, ignore the stars and follow the ingredients. Your body knows the difference.

“Eat Margarine or Your Family Will Die” – Really?

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“Health food” commercials are getting worse and worse – and of course I'm not referring to adverts for kale or grass-fed beef. I'm talking about products with a list of unpronounceable ingredients – products I go out of my way to avoid. And given that you're reading my blog, I suspect you do too.

There seems to have been a huge turn here. It seems to slow be becoming the norm to eat an unprocessed diet of real, whole foods. Avoiding processed carbs like bread and pasta seems to be slowly becoming mainstream, and a feat of fat is definitely starting to disappear. I get the impression the manufacturers of all those other food-like-products are getting worried…

So which advert has been annoying me most this week?

Flora Pro-Activ

Cue upset wife that her husband has high cholesterol. He undertakes the Flora Pro-Activ challenge for three weeks, has his cholesterol re-checked. Ends with happy wife, now her husband isn't about to drop dead due to a high cholesterol invoked heart attack.

So what is the Flora challenge? For three weeks you eat 25 g of Flora every day, make sure you eat your wholegrains, replace BAD saturated fat with healthy saturated fat and generally keep your fat as low as possible. Nooo!

And what does Flora Pro-Activ actually contain?

Ingredients: Water, Vegetable Oils (30%), Plant Sterol Esters (12.5%), Buttermilk, Modified Waxy Corn Starch, Salt (1%), Emulsifiers (Mono-and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Sunflower Lecithin), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Citric Acid, Flavourings, Colour (Beta Carotene), Vitamin A and D

And evil butter? Let’s remind ourselves of the dangerous ingredients that contains: Pasteurised Cream (from Milk), Water, Salt. Three ingredients that I have in my kitchen; compared to unidentified “vegetable” oils and a host of ingredients not available at the local farmers market.

Despite a lot of research showing a higher cholesterol actually lowers the risk of heart attack, of course, these companies still like to keep us fearing cholesterol. More worrying is the margarine they want us to eat to benefit our health – so chemically processed, they are a fat that our bodies don’t recognise at all.

The other issue, is the claim that the plant sterol esters in this product actually lower your cholesterol. The adverts make it sound like a magic potion, with the ability to dramatically cut your cholesterol in a matter of days. The reality is that alone, these chemicals can supposedly only reduce cholesterol by a maximum of 10% (average results presumably a lot lower) – and of course that’s assuming reducing cholesterol is a good thing.

All in all I find the advert extremely misleading and think it’s outrageous that they come into our homes every day, suggesting that if you love your family, you need to make sure they eat 25 g of margarine a day – or risk losing them to heart disease.

The Myth of Margarine: What’s the Real Health Risk?

For years, margarine was touted as the heart-healthy alternative to butter — a spread allegedly designed with your arteries in mind. But now that we’ve pulled back the curtain on what margarine actually contains, many of us are asking a far more sensible question: why were we ever told to eat this in the first place?

The truth is, margarine is an ultra-processed product engineered in labs and pumped full of chemically altered fats. These fats, including trans fats and processed polyunsaturated oils, are nothing like the natural fats our bodies evolved to metabolise. And no amount of rebranding or health halo marketing can change that.

What Happened to “Natural”?

It’s amazing to witness the food industry’s efforts to redefine what’s “healthy.” Butter, cream, eggs — once demonised — are now slowly regaining their rightful place in real-food circles. And while health-conscious communities have been embracing whole foods and ancestral eating patterns for over a decade, mainstream advertising is only just starting to notice. But instead of embracing these shifts, many brands are scrambling to cling to their outdated models, doubling down on their margarine and cholesterol-fear campaigns.

“Cholesterol Lowering” – But At What Cost?

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: cholesterol. The suggestion that lowering cholesterol is always a positive outcome is deeply flawed. Numerous studies have shown that cholesterol is essential for hormone production, brain function, and cellular repair. Lowering it artificially through chemical means, without addressing the underlying cause of poor health, could actually be harmful.

Not to mention, many of these cholesterol-lowering spreads (like Flora Pro-Activ) aren’t doing anything particularly miraculous. As mentioned, their key active ingredient — plant sterol esters — might reduce LDL cholesterol levels by around 10% at best. And that’s in ideal conditions, alongside a textbook-perfect low-fat, grain-heavy diet. But does this reduction equate to reduced risk of heart attack or stroke? The evidence simply isn’t conclusive.

Marketing vs Science: Who Do You Trust?

When you see a glossy commercial that plays on fear and emotion — a worried wife, a serious voiceover, a heartfelt pledge to “take control” — you’re not watching science. You’re watching marketing. These ads aren’t concerned with long-term health outcomes; they’re focused on brand loyalty, product sales, and cleverly timed emotional triggers.

Compare that to the growing body of independent research that’s highlighting the role of nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods in long-term wellbeing. More and more nutritionists, doctors and ancestral health advocates are saying the same thing: eat real food, minimise inflammatory ingredients, and don’t fear healthy fats.

The Paleo Perspective on Spreads and Fats

If you’re following a Paleo lifestyle, the idea of margarine probably seems laughable. Why would you swap something like grass-fed butter or ghee — both rich in vitamins A, D, E and K2 — for a synthetic product with preservatives, chemical stabilisers, and ambiguous “vegetable oils”?

Butter, coconut oil, animal fats and olive oil have stood the test of time. These are fats our ancestors consumed, often in abundance, without the chronic health epidemics we face today. Margarine, by contrast, is a modern invention born out of post-war industrialisation and misguided dietary guidelines — guidelines that are only now being dismantled as the science catches up.

The Bigger Problem with “Health” Products

Flora Pro-Activ isn’t the only product blurring the line between food and pharmaceutical. Every aisle in the supermarket is filled with processed products dressed up with buzzwords: “cholesterol friendly,” “heart smart,” “low GI,” and “plant-based.” But if you flip the packet and read the ingredients, it’s a different story entirely.

These labels exist to distract you from what’s really going on: ultra-processed food manufacturers are cashing in on health trends without genuinely supporting better health outcomes. They’re relying on outdated nutritional myths and fear tactics to keep consumers locked into a cycle of dependency on fake food — while real food sits quietly on the perimeter of the store.

What Can You Do Instead?

So, what’s the alternative to taking a “cholesterol challenge”? It’s simpler than you might think. Here are some truly health-supportive swaps:

Use butter or ghee from grass-fed sources — it’s natural, nourishing, and doesn’t require a marketing campaign to prove it.
Choose olive oil or avocado oil for cold applications, and coconut oil or animal fats for high heat cooking.
Eat a nutrient-dense diet full of vegetables, pastured meats, nuts, seeds and wild seafood — real foods your body recognises.
Get your fats from whole sources like eggs, oily fish, olives and coconuts.

You don’t need a challenge. You need information — and real, nourishing food that doesn’t come with a side of marketing spin.

Conclusion: Trust Your Instincts, Not the Ad Break

The next time an ad tries to scare you into believing your breakfast spread will determine whether you live to see your grandchildren, pause. Think critically. Ask yourself: does this message align with what I know about real health and real food?

If something feels off, it probably is. If a product needs a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to convince you it’s good for your heart, maybe it isn’t. Trust your instincts. Trust your body. And above all, trust the food that humans have eaten for generations — not the version that was created in a lab to mimic it.

What do you think about the Flora Pro-Activ challenge and the health commercials that come into your home each day?

Did you guess the health food rights from the ingredients answers revealed-min

Did You Guess the Health Foods Right?

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Last week I showed you the ingredients from five “health” foods – did you guess them right? Well, none of them are what I would class as a health food. Wouldn't you agree?

Product one – this will help you lose weight

Atkins: Endulge Caramel Nut Chew Bar

Another reason why Atkins just isn't paleo. Just because it's low carb, doesn't make it healthy as the chemicals in this ingredients list demonstrate. What ever happened to eating real food?

Product two – it's never too young to start being healthy

S-26: Gold Soy Baby Formula

I assume for babies who are intolerant to dairy or for vegan parents? Introducing Soy baby formula….

Product three – start your day the right way

Sanitarium: Up & Go Chocolate Flavoured Milk

This is marketed as a good nutritious way to start your day. Right. I think I'll just have a normal paleo breakfast instead, thanks…

Product four – the best bet for children everywhere

Cottee's: Coola No Added Sugar Cordial

No added sugar – so it must be good for you, right? Surely no one needs any of these chemicals. Is it so hard to drink water?

Product five – watch your cholesterol

Flora: Salt Reduced Sunflower Margarine Tub

And the biggest scam of them all. Avoid butter and have margarine instead….

Behind the Labels: The Illusion of “Health” in Packaged Foods

It’s no surprise that many so-called “health” foods, once scrutinised beyond the shiny packaging and clever marketing, are anything but healthy. The examples above showcase how easily consumers can be misled by buzzwords like “low fat,” “no added sugar,” and “fortified.” But when you dig into the ingredient list, you quickly realise these products are highly processed, artificial, and far removed from real, nourishing food.

In an age where we’re becoming more label-literate, it’s worth exploring why these products continue to flood supermarket shelves — and more importantly, why we’re still being encouraged to eat them in the first place.

The Problem with “Health Washing”

“Health washing” is the marketing tactic of making unhealthy products appear nutritious. It’s rampant in the food industry. From snack bars with more sweeteners than a lolly shop to cereals claiming to support immunity while delivering a sugar hit that rivals soft drinks — the deception is subtle but powerful.

Parents, in particular, are targeted with messages that suggest these products are essential for growth, learning, and energy. Terms like “essential vitamins,” “source of fibre,” or “supports brain function” are plastered across items that would struggle to be recognised as food by our grandparents.

What Do These Ingredient Lists Really Tell Us?

Let’s take a closer look at the patterns behind products like those featured:

Highly refined ingredients: Most processed health products rely on industrial oils (like canola or sunflower), refined flours, soy derivatives, and synthetic thickeners.
Artificial sweeteners and flavourings: To compensate for reduced fat or sugar, chemical additives are used to maintain flavour and mouthfeel.
Long shelf life: These products often include preservatives, stabilisers, and emulsifiers to extend their shelf life far beyond what fresh food ever could achieve.
Minimal real nutrition: You’ll often find added synthetic vitamins — not because the food is nutrient-rich, but because all nutrition was stripped out during processing and had to be added back in.

The irony is that many of these “health” foods are far more processed than the foods they’re intended to replace. A chocolate Up & Go, for instance, is essentially a high-carb, synthetic cocktail dressed up as breakfast — while an actual breakfast of eggs, spinach, and avocado would blow it out of the water nutritionally.

The Role of Seed Oils and Soy in Processed Foods

One commonality in these products is the use of seed oils (such as soybean, canola, or sunflower) and soy-based derivatives. These ingredients are cheap, highly processed, and heavily subsidised in many countries. But their presence in everything from baby formula to margarine is deeply concerning.

Seed oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which when consumed in excess (as they often are in modern diets), contribute to systemic inflammation — a root cause of many chronic diseases. Soy, particularly in its isolated or genetically modified form, has been linked to hormonal disruptions and digestive issues in some individuals.

What Makes a Food Truly Healthy?

Let’s strip things back to basics. A food is “healthy” when it’s:

Minimally processed — close to its natural state
Free of artificial additives — no hidden colours, flavours, or stabilisers
Rich in bioavailable nutrients — vitamins and minerals your body can absorb
Satiating and energising — not engineered to make you overeat

That means foods like pasture-raised meat, wild-caught fish, seasonal vegetables, natural fats, free-range eggs, and fermented foods. These are the real superfoods — no barcode required.

The Baby Formula Conundrum

The inclusion of soy-based baby formula in the “health” food list is especially alarming. While sometimes used as an alternative for infants with dairy sensitivities, soy formula is far from an ideal solution. It often contains phytoestrogens (plant compounds that mimic oestrogen), processed sugars, and seed oils — all in a product meant to be a baby's sole source of nutrition.

It’s a sobering reminder that the word “formula” should not be equated with “complete nutrition.” Many health professionals now advocate for donor milk or properly prepared homemade formulas where breastfeeding is not possible — options that are far more aligned with an ancestral, whole food approach.

The Cost of Convenience

Most of these “health” products are designed for convenience. They're quick, shelf-stable, and marketed to fit seamlessly into busy lifestyles. But convenience often comes at a cost: poor nutrient density, disrupted digestion, and long-term health consequences.

It may take a few extra minutes to prepare a proper breakfast or pack a lunch from real ingredients, but the long-term benefits — from energy and mental clarity to disease prevention — make it well worth the effort.

Start Reading Labels Differently

Next time you’re in the supermarket, challenge yourself to flip over the packaging. Read the ingredients list instead of just the front label. Can you pronounce the ingredients? Would you cook with them at home? If not, it’s a red flag.

Even better, shop the perimeter of the store where fresh food lives. Or support local markets and growers where seasonal, nutrient-dense food is more likely to be available and free from clever marketing spin.

Final Thoughts: Choose Food, Not Products

The examples above show just how easy it is to be misled by packaging that speaks the language of health — while delivering none of it. In a world full of engineered food-like substances, the best health decision you can make is to eat real food, not products designed to mimic it.

Forget the slogans, the endorsements, and the fortified this-or-that. If your food needs a marketing team to convince you it’s healthy, it probably isn’t. Your body deserves better — and once you start fuelling it with real, whole ingredients, the difference becomes impossible to ignore.

How many did you guess the health food from the ingredients right? Any “health” foods with ingredients that shock you? Share in the comments below!

Guess the health food from the ingredients-min

Guess the health foods from the ingredients

3 Comments

There are a lot of “food” products out there with health claims, and sadly a lot of people who take the claims on face value – and don't give much thought to the ingredients….

I've found five popular products (I cringe to call them foods) with health claims in my local grocery store and I'd love you to take a guess as to what each product is…

Product one – this will help you lose weight

Ingredients: Chocolate [Sweeteners (Maltitol, Sucralose), Chocolate Mass, Cocoa Butter, Sodium Caseinate, Milk Fat, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin, Flavourings, Salt], 14% Roasted Peanuts, Sweeteners (Maltitol Syrup, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Neotame, Whey Protein Isolate, Inulin, Bulking Agent (Polydextrose), Butter (Cream, Salt), Water, Palm Kernel Oil, Peanut Butter [Peanuts, Emulsifier (Mono and Diglycerides), Salt, Antioxidant (Mixed Tocopherols)], Non-fat Dry Milk, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin), Salt, Flavouring

Product two – it's never too young to start being healthy

Ingredients: Corn Syrup Solids; Vegetable Oils [Palm, Soybean, Coconut, Oleic Sunflower, Oleic Safflower]; Soy Protein Isolate; Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin); L-Methionine; L-Tyrosine; Long Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from single-cell sources [Arachidonic Acid (AA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)]; Taurine; Nucleotides (Cytidine-5′-Monophosphate; Disodium Uridine-5′-Monophosphate; Adenosine-5′-Monophosphate; Disodium Inosine-5′-Monophosphate; Disodium Guanosine-5′-Monophosphate); L-Carnitine; Antioxidants (Mixed Tocopherols concentrate, Ascorbyl Palmitate); Lutein. Minerals: Calcium Phosphate; Sodium Citrate; Magnesium Chloride; Potassium Chloride; Potassium Citrate; Potassium Hydroxide; Potassium Bicarbonate; Ferrous Sulphate; Zinc Sulphate; Copper Sulphate; Potassium Iodide; Sodium Selenite. Vitamins: Vitamin C; Choline; Inositol; Vitamin E; Niacin; Pantothenic Acid; Vitamin A; Vitamin B2; Vitamin B1; Vitamin B6; Vitamin D; Beta-Carotene; Folate; Vitamin K; Biotin; Vitamin B12.

Product three – start your day the right way

Ingredients: Filtered Water, Skim Milk Powder, Cane Sugar, Wheat Maltodextrin, Soy Protein, Vegetable Oils (Sunflower, Canola), Hi-Maize? starch, Corn Syrup Solids, Inulin, Fructose, Cocoa (0.5%), Cereals (Oat Flour, Barley Beta Glucan), Minerals (Calcium, Phosphorus), Food Acid (332), Flavour, Vegetable Gums (460, 466, 407), Vitamins (C,A, Niacin, B12, B2, B6, B1, Folate), Salt.

Product four – the best bet for children everywhere

Ingredients: Water, Food Acids (Citric Acid, Malic Acid), Flavour, Sweeteners (Calcium Cyclamate, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose), Thickener (Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose), Preservatives (Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Metabisulphite), Colours (Tartrazine, Brilliant Blue).

Product five – watch your cholesterol

Ingredients: Sunflower Oil (34%); Water; Vegetable Oils; Salt; Milk Solids; Emulsifiers (471, Soy Lecithin); Preservative (202); Food Acid (Lactic Acid); Colours (Annatto, Curcumin); Vitamins (A,D); Flavours.

So what do you reckon the healthy food products are? Make your guess in the comments below – and watch this space for the answers next week!

Paleo school lunches dinners UK healthy government free-min

Paleo school lunches – dream on!

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I'm recently back from the UK, where a lot of my friends have young children. I was interested to learn about a new rule in the England, where children aged between four and seven (reception, year one and year two) are now all eligible for a free school lunch.

The idea behind this, is a great one. I gather a significant number of young children were sent to school with a lunch box of processed junk. The same children aren’t likely to go home to a good meal either. By giving all children a hot school dinner, at least we can be certain they are getting at least one good meal a day.

There has been a lot of research on the issue, which has shown children getting a regular “healthy” meal concentrate better and perform better academically.

Whilst packed lunches are still allowed, obviously for financial and social reasons, children taking that option are likely to be in the minority.

It all sounds great

Well yes, it does all sound like a great idea. Until one of my friends showed me the kinds of food on the “healthy” school dinner menus. Of course (and how could I have expected it to be any different) the offerings are based on conventional wisdom and the good old food pyramid.

That’s right, make sure children get their six (SIX!) daily serves of grains (especially wholegrains) – and watch out for those bad saturated fats!

Here are some of the meal plans for the free school lunches:

So whilst there’s a balance of lots of different types of food – aren’t they carb heavy? With options like pizza AND potatoes, pasta bake AND garlic bread and even Macaroni cheese and bread – there seems to be quite a lack protein and fat.

What’s the answer?

Clearly nothing is going to change until the government see sense on the food pyramid. And when almost all of the school children will be eating the free school dinners, I’m sure it would be very difficult to go against the flow and insist your child takes in a homemade packed lunch.

If you’ve got children, I’d love to know what their school lunch policy is and what you do about it. Please share in the comments, below.

In case you couldn't read the photo, here are the main course school lunch options in full:

• Loaded vegetable pizza with new potatoes and garden peas
• Lentil pasta layer with mixed vegetables
• Spaghetti Bolognese with sweetcorn
• Sweet potato & cheddar cheese whirls with country style potatoes & broccoli florets
• Roast chicken with gravy, stuffing, roast potatoes and spring cabbage
• Quorn fillet with roast potatoes and carrots
• Tempura fish goujons with crispy herb and baked beans
• Cheese and potato pie with green beans
• Cumberland sausages with gravy mashed potatoes and sweetcorn
• Roasted vegetable filled Yorkshire pudding with mashed potato and baked tomatoes
• Mediterranean vegetable pasta bake with garlic bread and vegetable medley
• Jacket potato filled with Boston beans and broccoli florets
• Savoury pork pies with crispy herb potatoes and baked beans
• Frittata with crispy herb potatoes and vegetable medley
• British roast beef with gravy, roast potatoes and cauliflower
• Vegetable crumble with roast potatoes and green beans
• Salmon fish fingers with lemon mayonnaise, potato wedges and garden peas
• Cheese ploughmans with carrot and orange salad
• Chicken fajita wrap with potato salad and mixed salad
• Quorn sausage and tomato roll with potato salad and sweetcorn salsa
• Quorn balls in tomato sauce with spaghetti and garden peas
• Cheese and onion pasty with mashed potatoes, homemade tomato sauce and roasted summer vegetables
• Reggae Reggae chicken with cous cous and sweetcorn
• Margherita pizza with coleslaw
• Roast pork with gravy, apple sauce, roast potatoes and cabbage
• Country bake with roast potatoes and carrots
• Chilli beef with rice and mixed vegetables
• Macaroni cheese with herby bread and broccoli
• Baked fish with country style potatoes and garden peas
• Vegetarian stack with country style potatoes and green beans

Analysing the Nutritional Value of UK School Dinners

Taking a closer look at the options listed in the UK’s free school lunch programme reveals a recurring trend – a heavy emphasis on carbohydrates, particularly refined grains. From macaroni cheese paired with herby bread, to vegetable pasta bakes and cheese-laden pies, the dominant macronutrient is clearly carbohydrate. Protein, although present in meals like roast chicken or chilli beef, is often minimal or overshadowed by carb-heavy accompaniments.

The issue is not just an overabundance of carbohydrates – it’s the lack of healthy fats and bioavailable protein that Paleo families are likely to notice. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) require dietary fat for absorption, and without sufficient sources like oily fish, avocado, ghee or olive oil, these essential nutrients may be poorly utilised by growing children.

Why It Matters for Developing Bodies and Brains

During early childhood, stable blood sugar levels are critical for concentration, behaviour regulation, and cognitive development. Meals high in refined or starchy carbohydrates can lead to rapid spikes and crashes in glucose, which may affect focus and mood in the classroom. While a child may feel full immediately after a carb-heavy lunch, they’re likely to feel tired or distracted not long after.

Protein, on the other hand, is essential for growth, tissue repair, and neurotransmitter function – all vital processes for developing children. Quality sources of protein, such as pastured meat, wild fish, and eggs, are rarely the star of these school lunches. Meanwhile, healthy fats support brain development and sustained energy, but seem to be almost entirely absent in favour of low-fat dairy and meat substitutes like Quorn.

The Influence of Food Policy and Budget Constraints

It's important to acknowledge that these menus are crafted under tight budget constraints and government guidelines still rooted in outdated nutritional models. The food pyramid – and its UK equivalent, the Eatwell Guide – remains a fixture in institutional meal planning, with its insistence on prioritising starchy foods and minimising saturated fat.

As a result, schools are under pressure to deliver meals that fit both budget and policy, rather than prioritising nutrient density. Processed vegetarian options like Quorn products and cheese-based meals become go-to solutions, even if they fall short nutritionally.

What Can Paleo Parents Do?

Parents committed to a Paleo lifestyle are faced with a dilemma. Opting out of school dinners and sending a packed lunch may seem the ideal solution – but for younger children, peer pressure and the desire to “fit in” can be strong deterrents. Some schools also place restrictions on packed lunches or discourage foods that don't align with their nutritional messaging.

Here are a few ways to navigate this challenge:

Pack smarter: Create packed lunches that resemble typical lunchbox staples but use Paleo swaps – such as meatballs instead of sandwiches, or coconut yoghurt with berries instead of flavoured dairy.
Educate your child: Age-appropriate conversations about food, energy, and health can empower children to make better choices and understand why they eat differently from some of their peers.
Collaborate with the school: Some schools are open to discussion. You might find allies in other parents or even a sympathetic teacher who values whole food nutrition.
Be flexible when needed: While consistency is ideal, occasional school meals won’t undo a nutrient-rich diet at home. Focus on the overall weekly intake.

Reimagining School Lunches for the Future

Change in institutional settings is slow, but it's not impossible. As more parents question the nutritional logic behind school meals, pressure on government policymakers may eventually lead to revisions. In the meantime, advocating for better education around food and offering feedback to school boards may sow seeds of change.

Imagine school menus that included:

Free-range chicken skewers with roasted vegetables
Beef and sweet potato shepherd’s pie with steamed greens
Wild salmon fishcakes with slaw and avocado
Egg frittata slices with seasonal vegetables
Broth-based soups with slow-cooked meat and root veg

These meals are affordable, filling, nutrient-dense, and enjoyable – and they could redefine how children experience food at school.

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

The intention behind the free school lunch scheme in the UK is admirable. But without meaningful reform to nutritional guidelines, the execution leaves much to be desired. For Paleo families, it's not just about eliminating grains or sugar – it's about supporting long-term health, development, and a positive relationship with food from the earliest years.

Does your child’s school serve similar meals? Have you had any success advocating for better food options or navigating the lunch dilemma in your own family? Share your stories and ideas in the comments – let’s work together to make real food the norm, not the exception.

What If It’s All a Big Conspiracy?

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So conventional wisdom tells us that saturated fat is bad for us. We must only consume low-fat foods. We must eat 6 – 11 servings of healthy wholegrains every day. We must cook in healthy vegetable oils. We should avoid eating meat (especially red), especially on meatless Mondays. We should replace meat with soy instead. We need to make sure we have low cholesterol. We should take preventative statins.

And so what happens?

We eat processed low fat, high carb foods. The grain and junk food companies retain the power. They fund studies and lobby governments. We’re reminded to eat more of their products for the good of our health.

We get sick, but luckily there’s a drug to help us with that. It gives us side effects, but luckily there’s a drug to help us with that. It gives us side effects, but luckily there’s a drug to help us with that. The drug companies make lots of money and retain a lot of power. They fund studies and lobby governments. We’re reminded to take their drugs to save our ailing health.

Conventional Wisdom and Paleo: Time to Rethink the Narrative?

Let’s be honest – it’s hard not to feel a little suspicious when you start looking closely at what “conventional wisdom” tells us about health. Eat your fortified cereal. Avoid red meat. Swap butter for margarine. Take your statins. Count calories. Avoid saturated fat. And – whatever you do – make sure to never skip breakfast. This advice has been drilled into us for decades, often by government guidelines, food marketers, and even well-meaning professionals. But what if much of it is based on flawed science, outdated thinking, or worse – economic interests?

When you begin exploring the Paleo lifestyle, the cracks in mainstream health messaging start to show. Suddenly, it’s not so outrageous to ask: what if the real conspiracy is that we’ve been steered away from the very foods that keep us well?

The Rise of Conventional Dietary Advice: Where Did It Come From?

Most of what we think of as “conventional wisdom” around food was cemented during the second half of the 20th century. The now-infamous “lipid hypothesis” – which linked dietary saturated fat to heart disease – gained traction after Ancel Keys' Seven Countries Study. This cherry-picked data, combined with heavy lobbying from grain and vegetable oil industries, led to decades of anti-fat messaging.

As a result, government guidelines shifted to promote:

Low-fat, high-carb diets
Grain-based meals as the foundation of a “healthy diet”
Vegetable oils as the new “heart healthy” alternative to traditional fats like butter, ghee, or lard
Processed, fortified foods as a solution to “nutrient gaps” caused by these very dietary shifts

And with that, an entire food system emerged – one reliant on low-cost grains, industrial processing, mass production, and global distribution. It’s convenient. It’s profitable. But is it really making us healthier?

Is It a Conspiracy – or Just a Convenient Coincidence?

Let’s be clear: not every misguided food guideline or pharmaceutical push is the result of a shadowy backroom deal. But when you follow the money, patterns emerge:

Grain subsidies keep processed food cheap, while fresh whole foods often cost more.
Food corporations fund nutrition research – and unsurprisingly, results tend to support their products.
Pharmaceutical companies earn billions from managing lifestyle diseases, not preventing them.
Lobbying groups influence dietary recommendations, school lunch policies, and labelling laws.

It’s not hard to imagine a system where maintaining the status quo benefits those in power. In fact, the idea that animal fat and cholesterol were bad for us allowed processed food companies to step in with low-fat alternatives filled with sugar, starch, gums, and industrial seed oils – all perfectly legal, highly profitable, and backed by slick marketing.

The Paleo Response: Going Back to What Works

While modern nutrition advice has often shifted like the wind, Paleo remains rooted in one core principle: eat the foods your body is biologically adapted to thrive on. That means:

Pasture-raised meat and organs
Wild-caught seafood
Seasonal vegetables and fruits
Natural fats like tallow, ghee, avocado, and olive oil
Fermented foods and nutrient-rich broths

This isn’t a trend – it’s a return to ancestral eating patterns that supported human health for hundreds of thousands of years before breakfast cereals, margarine, and soy-based meat substitutes entered the chat.

The Soy Swap: Health Food or Industrial Filler?

One of the more telling signs that conventional dietary advice might be working against us is the rise of soy. Marketed as a “healthier” plant-based protein, soy has become a mainstay in everything from faux meat to baby formula. But here’s what most people don’t hear:

Soy is one of the most genetically modified crops globally
It’s often heavily sprayed with glyphosate and other chemicals
Unfermented soy contains phytoestrogens that may disrupt hormonal balance
It’s commonly used as a filler or cheap protein replacement in processed food

In the context of Paleo, soy is out. It doesn’t fit our evolutionary blueprint, and it’s rarely eaten in traditional societies unless it’s been fermented for long periods (like in miso or natto). Yet soy continues to be championed by mainstream nutrition messaging. Why? Because it’s cheap to grow, easy to process, and profitable.

The Statin Story: Are We Solving the Wrong Problem?

Another cornerstone of modern conventional wisdom is the idea that we need to lower our cholesterol – often with statin medications. The assumption is that high LDL equals high risk of heart disease. But the research is far more nuanced than that.

Cholesterol is essential to human life. It’s the building block of:

Hormones
Brain function
Vitamin D
Cell membranes

Instead of demonising cholesterol, the Paleo approach looks at context. Inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidised LDL may be far more significant factors in heart disease risk than cholesterol numbers alone. And once again, a real food, low-inflammation diet – like Paleo – may do more to support heart health than any pill ever could.

So, Is It Really a Conspiracy?

Whether you believe the system is actively conspiring or simply benefiting from our continued sickness, one thing is clear: mainstream dietary advice hasn’t made us healthier. Rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, infertility, and mental health struggles have all exploded in the same decades that we were told to eat more grains, less fat, and replace butter with margarine.

The Paleo message doesn’t require a tinfoil hat. It just asks us to look at the results. What’s more trustworthy: advice that’s left generations overweight and undernourished, or the simple idea that our bodies thrive on the same foods that fuelled our ancestors?

How to Break Free from the Conventional Narrative

So, if you’re starting to question the mainstream message – welcome. Here are a few ways to begin reclaiming your health, one choice at a time:

Question the source. Always ask who’s funding the study or writing the guidelines. Is there a vested interest involved?
Eat real food. If it doesn’t come from a farm, forest, or the sea – think twice before putting it in your trolley.
Learn from traditional cultures. Look at diets that sustained health across generations, without access to modern medicine.
Listen to your body. The best nutrition advice comes from your own energy, mood, sleep, digestion, and wellbeing.
Connect with others. Join Paleo Meetups, read widely, and share ideas with people who value real food over marketing hype.

Final Thoughts: You’re Allowed to Ask “What If?”

The beauty of the Paleo lifestyle is that it puts power back into your hands. It encourages you to question, to observe, and to choose based on evidence and lived experience – not marketing campaigns or decades-old dogma.

So yes – what if it is all a big conspiracy? What if we’ve been sold a low-fat, high-carb, soy-filled, statin-dependent lie? And what if the way out isn’t complicated, expensive, or extreme – but simply a return to the way humans have always eaten?

Have you had an “aha” moment that made you question the mainstream narrative? I’d love to hear your story in the comments below. The more we share, the more we empower each other to think critically, eat better, and live more vibrantly.

Dessert for Diabetics on a Paleo Diet

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My gran is just about to start receiving “Meals on Wheels”, which is a great service. In principle. Vulnerable people (mainly the elderly) are provided with a cooked nutritious meal at lunchtime. For many recipients, this will be the main nutrition they get in that day, so it’s really important that the meal provides the nutrition they need. Especially for those with conditions like diabetes, you'd think?

Each day (it’s even available on Saturdays and Sundays) they offer a choice of a main course and a choice of dessert. The main course choices, as you might expect are a traditional meat based meal, or a vegetarian option. And the desserts? Yep, hot, cold or diabetic.

I was really shocked to see diabetic desserts – and even more surprised to see what they are. You’d maybe expect low-carb options, like a cheese board perhaps. But no, they’re traditional sweet desserts, such as cakes and pies.

Looking at the definition I found on the web of what the diabetic options should consist of, it’s clear the providers of nutrition are stuck with conventional wisdom. “Desserts for diabetics must be sweetened with artificial sweeteners or sweeteners combined with a minimal amount of sugar”.

How about making desserts sugar (and sweetener free) entirely – or even swapping the dessert out for a starter instead!? Where did the idea that all meals must be finished with a dessert come from anyway?

As meals on wheels only provides one meal a day, they have some helpful recommendations as to what diabetics should eat for the rest of their meals:

That's right – diabetics should get 6-11 servings of bread and grains a day! DIABETICS! Also, note the low-fat recommendations. Those diabetics have got to steer well clear of anything so much as resembling fat, and instead go for low-fat options, that have replaced the fat with carbohydrates. Oh, and fruit – go right ahead.

Rethinking Diabetic Nutrition: Beyond Outdated Guidelines

When it comes to supporting our elderly population, especially those managing diabetes, food should be medicine. Meals on Wheels is a brilliant initiative, but it urgently needs to modernise its approach to nutrition. The idea of serving sugar-free cakes and artificially sweetened pies as “diabetic-friendly” options might seem considerate on the surface, but it reflects a deeper problem – the reliance on outdated dietary guidelines that have long been challenged by more current nutritional research.

Why the Conventional Approach Falls Short

Traditional diabetic dietary guidelines are still rooted in the high-carbohydrate, low-fat philosophy that rose to prominence in the 1980s. While this was once believed to help manage blood glucose levels, we now know that excessive carbohydrate consumption – particularly refined grains and sugars – can cause significant blood sugar spikes, contributing to insulin resistance over time. This makes the recommendation of 6–11 servings of bread, rice, and cereal daily especially problematic for individuals with diabetes.

Even when desserts are labelled “diabetic-friendly”, they often include ultra-processed ingredients and sweeteners that may still cause a metabolic response. These sweeteners can also maintain a preference for sweet foods, making it harder to adopt healthier habits long term.

The Real Needs of Diabetics

What elderly diabetics truly need is stable blood sugar and real nourishment. That means meals built around whole, unprocessed foods, rich in nutrients, moderate in protein, and containing healthy fats to promote satiety and help regulate insulin levels. High-fibre vegetables should form the base of each meal, supported by quality protein sources like free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, or oily fish, and unrefined fats such as olive oil, avocado, and coconut.

The obsession with low-fat diets has done far more harm than good, especially in vulnerable populations. Fat is not the enemy – in fact, it’s crucial for hormone production, brain health, and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Replacing fat with processed carbohydrates and sugar-free sweeteners only inflames the very issues it aims to mitigate.

What Should a Diabetic-Friendly Meal Look Like?

Here are a few practical examples of meals that could truly support diabetic health without relying on gimmicky desserts or misleading low-fat claims:

Roast chicken with steamed broccoli and roasted pumpkin – add a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of sea salt for flavour and healthy fat.
Grilled salmon with zucchini noodles and sautéed spinach – loaded with omega-3 fats and fibre.
Beef and vegetable stew – slow cooked with root vegetables like swede and turnip instead of potato, which helps keep the glycaemic load low.
Omelette with mushrooms, capsicum, and herbs – a brilliant source of protein and B vitamins, perfect for any time of day.

For dessert? Skip it. Instead, offer a nourishing starter like a cup of bone broth or a side salad with lemon dressing – something to stimulate digestion without a blood sugar spike.

The Role of Fibre and Fermented Foods

For elderly people in particular, digestive health is paramount. A fibre-rich diet can help regulate blood sugar, improve bowel function, and reduce inflammation. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or coconut yoghurt (unsweetened) can further enhance gut health and immunity — something that becomes increasingly important with age.

Rather than offering ultra-processed “low-fat” puddings, why not introduce small portions of these powerful foods into regular menus? They may not be traditional, but they align more closely with the metabolic needs of someone managing diabetes.

Rethinking the Role of Dessert Entirely

The notion that every meal must end with something sweet is entirely cultural. Many traditional societies across the world do not regularly include dessert in daily meals. Offering a choice of dessert to someone with type 2 diabetes – especially when it’s essentially a sugar-laden option masquerading as healthy – feels more like a marketing gimmick than a health strategy.

Instead, institutions like Meals on Wheels could be leading the way by breaking the dessert habit altogether. What if the optional extra were a nourishing mini snack pack for later in the day – like a boiled egg, some sliced cucumber with hummus, or even a homemade seed cracker with avocado?

Supporting Caregivers and Families

Of course, it’s not just the meal providers who need to adapt. Families and caregivers also need clear, updated resources on what a truly diabetic-supportive diet looks like. That includes guidance on the types of fats to encourage, how to reduce carbohydrate dependence, and how to replace processed foods with real, nutrient-dense options.

Empowering those around the elderly is just as important as changing what’s on the plate. A collaborative, evidence-based approach is what will ultimately lead to better health outcomes – not just for diabetics, but for all elderly Australians relying on community food services.

A Call to Action for Change

It’s time to move away from the outdated dietary guidelines that continue to dominate public health institutions and food services. We must stop equating “low-fat” with “healthy” and start embracing the real science of blood sugar regulation and metabolic wellness.

Meals on Wheels and similar services have an enormous opportunity to improve not only the health but also the dignity of their recipients. No more artificial sweeteners disguised as health food. No more sugar-free jelly with hidden thickeners. No more pretending that bread and margarine are essential daily staples for diabetics.

Instead, let’s push for whole food meals, full of colour and nutrients, that honour the complexity of diabetes and support longevity and quality of life.

What Do You Think?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Are you or someone you know receiving Meals on Wheels or a similar service? What changes would you make if you could design a new menu from scratch – one that actually helps people thrive? Leave a comment below and be part of the conversation.

Why you need to eat more salt not less paleo diet-min

Why You Need to Eat More Salt on Paleo

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The title of this article may come as a bit of a shock to some, especially with the range of ailments an increased salt intake has been linked to. Salt is vilified by conventional wisdom; but then again, so is saturated fat. We know that the ‘experts’ don’t always get it right, and it seems that this is true once again when it comes to salt.

Sodium, the mineral that makes up approximately 40% of table salt, is an essential nutrient for human health. It regulates your fluid balance, improves muscles function, and allows your nerves to send impulses throughout your body. Sodium maintains the balance of other minerals, such as calcium and potassium, in the bloodstream. It also helps to maintain sugar levels in the bloodstream, thus reducing the need for insulin.

Salt itself is also an important part of the process of digestion. In the mouth, salt activates the enzyme salivary amylase, which provides signals to the brain that digestion is due to take place. In the stomach, it assists in the creation of hydrochloric acid, which helps break down your food.

Studies show that people with a higher sodium intake are at greater risk of developing heart and blood problems and suffering from strokes. However, this correlation is not a fair one. The majority of people in Western society who consume a higher level of salt are generally doing so through a higher intake of processed foods. There have been no studies that directly show the link between the sodium itself and the problems it is said to cause; so could this in fact be the processed food that is the root of the problem? It’s highly likely.

When choosing your salt, look for a salt rich in trace minerals such as Pink Himalayan Crystal Salt or Celtic Sea Salt. As with everything, the key is moderation. Too much salt is likely to put excess pressure on your kidneys; however, anything up to 1tsp of high quality salt each day and you’re definitely in health promoting territory. As processed foods are not on the menu in any Paleo household, you can afford to be a little more liberal with your seasonings.

Understanding the Difference: Natural Salts vs. Processed Salt

When it comes to salt, not all varieties are created equal. The type of salt you choose plays a crucial role in whether it supports your health or contributes to imbalances. Highly refined table salt, often used in processed foods, is stripped of beneficial minerals and typically contains anti-caking agents and additives such as aluminium. In contrast, natural salts like Pink Himalayan Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, and Redmond Real Salt are minimally processed and retain valuable trace minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and iodine in their natural forms.

These natural salts not only enhance the flavour of your meals but also offer genuine health benefits that are synergistic with a Paleo lifestyle. Many advocates of ancestral diets report improved hydration, better digestion, and fewer muscle cramps when they replace refined salt with mineral-rich alternatives. That’s because our bodies evolved alongside a natural intake of whole, unrefined salts — not the bleached and engineered table salt you find in most supermarket aisles.

Signs You Might Be Salt Deficient

While much of the mainstream advice focuses on reducing salt intake, some people may actually be consuming too little — particularly those who are physically active, following low-carb diets, or sweating heavily in hot Australian climates. Here are a few signs your body may be craving more salt:

Persistent fatigue, even after a good night’s sleep
Frequent headaches or migraines
Light-headedness when standing up quickly (low blood pressure)
Muscle cramps, especially during or after exercise
Increased salt cravings

These symptoms can often be relieved by increasing your intake of high-quality, mineral-rich salt and ensuring you remain well-hydrated with filtered water throughout the day.

Salt, Electrolytes, and the Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet is naturally low in processed foods — which means it’s also low in sodium by default. This can be beneficial, especially when coming from a standard Western diet, but it also means that intentional sodium consumption becomes more important, particularly for those who engage in intermittent fasting, regular exercise, or ketogenic-style eating.

Electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium work together to maintain fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. When you sweat, urinate frequently, or reduce carbohydrates significantly, you also lose electrolytes. Many people following a clean Paleo lifestyle benefit from consciously adding salt to their meals — whether through sprinkling over roasted vegetables, adding to bone broth, or blending into post-workout hydration drinks with lemon and water.

Creative Ways to Use Natural Salt in a Paleo Kitchen

If you’ve only ever used salt to season a steak, there are countless other ways to enhance your dishes with it. Here are some ideas to help you make the most of quality natural salts:

Salt-Crusted Vegetables: Coat whole vegetables like beetroots or sweet potatoes in a salt crust before roasting to intensify their flavour and sweetness.
Fermented Foods: Salt is an essential ingredient in homemade sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickled vegetables. It supports the fermentation process and boosts gut health.
Finishing Touch: Add a pinch of flaky sea salt just before serving dishes like avocado salad, seared meat, or dark chocolate Paleo treats to enhance taste and texture.
Salted Bone Broth: Don’t forget to season your homemade bone broth with a pinch of sea salt to bring out the umami flavour and provide electrolyte support.

Salt and Blood Pressure: Re-examining the Evidence

One of the key concerns about salt consumption in mainstream nutrition is its supposed link to high blood pressure. However, current research paints a far more nuanced picture. For individuals with normal kidney function who are eating a nutrient-dense, whole food diet, moderate salt consumption does not typically result in harmful elevations in blood pressure.

In fact, some studies have shown that people with the lowest salt intakes had higher rates of cardiovascular events. This may be because sodium helps maintain volume and pressure in the circulatory system. When sodium is too low, your body may increase adrenaline and renin levels to compensate, creating a more stressed state overall. As with cholesterol and saturated fat, the salt-heart disease link seems to have been based more on early correlations than robust long-term studies.

Salt and Hormonal Health

Salt can also impact hormonal health, particularly when it comes to adrenal function. The adrenal glands regulate stress hormones such as cortisol and aldosterone, and they also help control sodium retention. If your adrenals are overworked — perhaps due to chronic stress or poor sleep — your sodium balance can be disrupted. Cravings for salty foods might be your body’s way of signalling that it needs support.

Incorporating a balanced amount of salt in your diet may help reduce symptoms of adrenal fatigue, including fatigue, dizziness, and blood pressure swings. It’s another example of how natural salt, when consumed mindfully, supports overall resilience and vitality.

Rethinking the Salt Shaker

For years, we were taught to fear salt — lumping it in with fats and red meat as dietary villains. But with increasing awareness around ancestral health, we’re beginning to understand that salt in its natural form is not only safe but essential. As long as it’s not accompanied by refined oils, artificial preservatives, or sugar (as it so often is in processed foods), it can be a powerful health ally.

So if you’ve banished the salt shaker from your table, it might be time to welcome it back — filled with a beautiful, mineral-rich sea salt that your great-great-grandparents would have recognised. Like so many other Paleo principles, it’s not about going overboard, but returning to balance and real, whole ingredients.

What’s your favourite type of salt — and how do you use it in your meals? Have you noticed any benefits since switching from refined salt to natural varieties? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below.

Your Health Messages To YOURSELF Ten Years Ago paleo network-min

What Would You Tell Yourself About Health 10 Years Ago?

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I recently asked the fans of my Facebook Page The Paleo Network this question: “If you could go back and tell yourself a key health message ten years ago – what would it be?” What would your answer be?

There were hundreds of answers covering all sorts of aspects of physical & emotional health, here are some of them.

Quit grains

And sugar. This was (unsurprisingly) a very common theme. Here are some of the messages:

No grains
Grain brain
Give up wheat
Kick the sugar
Don't eat sugar.
Cut sugar n carbs
Stop eating grains
Put down the sugar!
Don't. Eat. Grains.
Go grain & sugar free
Don't eat lots of bread!
Don't eat so much sugar!
Give up wheat and sugar.
Eat less sugar and grains
Don't eat grains or sugar!
Stop eating bread and pasta
Fat is not the enemy…sugar is!
Don't eat candy or chocolate bars!
Cut the bread bro and lay off the booze.
Ditch the GRAINS, forget the SUGAAAAR!!!
Fat doesn't make you fat. Sugar is the enemy.
Reduce your carb intake, don't eat bread anymore!!!
Avoid grains and sugar, they make you feel like crap.
Give up sugar and grains. You honestly won't miss it!
put down the loaf of bread and spinage dip!… I have a long list…
Once a sweet tooth, always a sweet tooth! Cut out sugar from the diet!
Stop all grain not just gluten don't look for substitutes there really enough to eat….

Easy on the vices

Alcohol and smoking also featured…

Don't smoke
Don't drink beer
Drink less alcohol
Ease up on alcohol
Avoid alcohol better
Don't start smoking again
Don't smoke or hang out with those who do!!!!
Cut the grains and sugar and it will be easier to quit smoking.
Stop drinking alcohol it's poison. So is wheat dairy and sugar. Paleo paleo paleo

Fat?

I thought more people would have commented about body weight and body image…

Stop Eating!
Don't get fat!
You're not fat. Eat something
Being fat is not genetic and you're not big boned.

Ditch the soda

Soda and fizzy drinks were also prominent in your messages to your younger self

No soda. No diet soda.
Stop drinking pop and fast food
Drink water not coke or coke zero
To never touch diet drinks or diet anything and drink lots of water!

Fitness

Fitness was one of the most popular themes, with these messages being added:

MOVE
Stretch
Do yoga
Exercise!
Weightlifting
Don't overtrain
Stay strong fit and fast.
Don't quit weekend sport
Start CrossFit. Eat Paleo!
Don't ever quit sport/exercise!!
Don't stop exercising because of pregnancy
Put down the sugar and lift weights…. heavy weights
And start yoga young to keep u strong and flexible !!!
Keep moving…don't stop the exercise…even for a week!
Paleo and CrossFit….if only I had discovered this years ago!!
Don't wait till you gain weight to start exercising. Biggest mistake I made!!!
Go to the gym & get a trainer/training partner. I'd be so much further along in my physical development

And perhaps best of all, the random messages!

There are definitely some stories there…

Speak up
Sleep more.
Stay consistent
Don't marry him.
Pack it in. Idiot!
Bitcoins! Buy them!!!
Omg! Where do I begin?!!
Put the candy bar down fatty
You really are allergic to dairy
Stay away from the chocolate
Stay focused don't get complacent
27 is not too young to have babies
Don't get the flu shot and go Paleo
Your friends and children are amazing
Stay away from snotty nosed children!
Thank god u took the advice to lose 95 kg.
Stress less, not a food thing but a health thing
Don't ever stop, that's what I tell the youngsters.
Don't marry him! Hahaha. I would Def be healthier
Don't listen to your mother… and don't eat like her….
Take the time to feed your kids and yourself healthy!
Enjoy the small things! Work to live, not live to work!!
Stop making stupid excuses and get divorced now !!!
Nothing can be fixed until you sort out that zinc deficiency.
The habits I have will be the habits my kids will have. Eat clean!
NOTHING and I mean nothing, taste as good as healthy feels!!!!!
Don't take hormone contraceptive pills and quit that stressful job!
You are worth loving and you don't have to turn to food to feel loved.
Don't sweat it me, you are going to look better at 37 than you did at 27.
I would tell me to keep eating clean and switch degrees to sports science!
Don't shrug off the little things cause sometimes they mean there is a big thing.
My biggest downfall, closely followed by, avoid chocolate – it is not a meal!!!!!
Don't get lazy and give up. YOU'RE worth the EFFORT of cooking healthy food!!
Everything you've been taught about nutrition was false. The food pyramid is upside down.
Slow down, create more homemade meals (organic) than eating meals on the run (processed junk).
Exercise, laugh, set goals be flexible, action is the key to fruition, rest, relish silence, no sugar, grains, no dairy
Take a kids cooking class to master basic cooking skills – especially knife skills & don't be bloody lazy about eating properly!!!
Do not do the endometriosis treatment that your supposed specialised GP said was latest and greatest. It will ruin your health forever…
Don't have vital parts surgically removed unless you've been diagnosed with a deadly disease and the removal of said parts is the way to eliminate the disease.

So over to you… what message would you tell your ten-years-ago-self?

Why can’t I lose weight? My story…

71 Comments

Ask almost anyone how to lose weight and you’ll get the same answer. It’s easy. All you need to do is eat less and move more. In the Paleo world it's almost as bad – eat Paleo and your weight will naturally regulate. For a lot of people, this seems to be the case – but unfortunately this simplistic view just does not work for everyone. I’m now almost certain that for myself, weight loss is a far more complicated equation than eat Paleo,eat less, move more.

I’ve made a lot of huge discoveries in the last few weeks, and am starting to understand why my body is fighting all efforts to burn fat. It’s time to share my weight loss struggles with you…

As you may have read when I first found Paleo in 2010, I quickly and effortlessly lost 17 kilos. This was several dress sizes and changed me quite dramatically. I felt so much better, my asthma disappeared, my sleep improved – I felt like a brand new person. With another maybe 15 kilos to go, I assumed my weight loss would continue – perhaps not at the same speed – but I thought I would gradually get to the right size for me (that’s what the experts tell you, after all…)

But then nothing happened. Nothing. For the last four years I have stayed within a 3kg weight range. I have been completely unable to break through this barrier, no matter what I’ve tried. And believe me, I have tried almost every approach.

Excuses

With the distractions of day to day life – a busy corporate job with weekly inter-state travelling, running a business, blogging, multiple house moves etc etc– I’ve always been able to blame my inability to lose weight on a variety of things I’ve “been getting wrong”. My favourite thing to blame has always been sleep. When I’m stressed, I don’t sleep well. Poor sleep increases cortisol causing the body to hold onto its fat stores. Therefore even though I'm eating well and lifting weights, it must be the poor sleep preventing weight loss, right? Or perhaps the problem lies with one of these problems:

Living alone and cooking for myself, perhaps I had been eating huge football team size portions, without realising?
Perhaps I've been lying to myself all along and punctuating my amazing Paleo meals with McDonalds every few hours?
Perhaps I've been sleepwalking to the fridge with no knowledge or recollection?
Perhaps it's my adrenals?
Perhaps I'm just big boned?
Perhaps I'm just meant to be this weight?

Enough

Last year I went to PrimalCon for the third consecutive year and felt really embarrassed to have made no progress over the course of another year. I spoke at length to Sarah Fragoso (of Everyday Paleo – one of the sweetest most genuine people you could ever hope to meet) about my weight loss plateau. Sarah didn't take the “eat better/ move more” approach, but really encouraged me to focus on stresses in my life and get my sleep in check. Coming back I had a renewed belief that I could change this – and a determination not to give up.

Experimenting

Last year, I was fortunate enough to have several months off the corporate conveyer belt, for the first time in years. Escaping the daily early mornings/ commute/ work/ meetings/ pressure/ deadlines/ late nights gave me a golden opportunity to experiment with everything. I could to finally start losing some weight.

What I did every single day

The first change I incorporated was sleep. Just how much was that really impacting things? In all the time I wasn't working, I only set an alarm twice. I stuck thick cardboard* to my widows to make sure my room was darker than a remote cave in the middle of the night.

After sunset I turned off all main lights and used side lights with red bulbs. I forced myself to turn off all screens (tv, laptop, iPhone) at least two hours before bed.

I read. Real physical fiction books before bed.

I turned off the wifi in my house overnight and switched my iPhone/ iPad to flight mode (I still do this)

I did interval sprits to the local outdoor swimming pool most days. I swam. I lifted weights.

I got sunshine everyday.

On the nutrition side, I took the time to get excellent, quality food (pastured/ grassfed/ organic – you know the drill). As always, I cooked everything from scratch.

Changing things up

Once I had my baseline established, with the new habits I mentioned above, I tried pretty much every piece of paleo weight loss advice. Whenever I tried something new, I stuck at it for a few weeks, without introducing any other changes. Here are some of the things I tried:

Intermittent fasting. Without the usual life stresses this was the perfect opportunity to give this a real go.
I tried very low carb (below 50g a day, then lower, about 20g a day)
I tried high (relatively speaking) carb, which meant eating a lot of things like pumpkin and sweet potato.
I tried counting calories strictly, sticking to a conventional wisdom approved daily limit (keeping it paleo, within that limit)
I tried eating more fat
I tracked my macros and micro nutrients and made sure I was hitting all of the recommended amounts of everything (except for calcium)

And guess what happened….

Nothing. That’s right. NOTHING. I could get to the bottom of my 3kg range, but I could not break through that barrier.

Perhaps I eat too much?

I was able to spend a couple of months in the UK with my family during my time out, which gave me some great insights into this weight loss puzzle.

Looking at me and hearing about my weight loss plateau, I'm frequently quizzed on my portion sizes. I know people think I must be eating an entire chicken, 2 packs of bacon, 6 eggs and a litre of coconut oil for a mid-afternoon snack. Well, actually no. And my time in the UK proved this to me.

My parents are both slim having lost a few pounds when they went Paleo three years ago. For the duration of my stay we ate exactly the same for all but two meals. Same food and similar portion sizes (my Dad having slightly larger portion sizes). They are at ideal body weights – and their weight remained constant. I didn't lose any weight, despite having significantly more kilos to support than my parents do.

So what's going on?

For the first time I felt I had conclusive proof that there was more going on in my body, than I could control with nutrition and movement…
I was explaining my puzzle to my friend Jodie – who happens to be a trainee naturopath (and eats a natural, real food diet too). “There has to be more to it than eat less, move more?“. Her empathetic agreement encouraged me to delve a lot further into this and for the last few months I’ve been on a journey to find out everything I can….

Over the last few months I’ve been on an incredible personal journey into this puzzle. Over the coming weeks and months, I’m going to share with you who I’ve met, what’s really going on – and what I’m doing to fix things. From emails and comments I get from you, I know I’m not alone in this struggle. For all of those who are doing everything the “paleo experts” tell you – and are still struggling to lose weight, I think I have some answers that will help you, which I’ll be writing about in detail in the coming weeks and months.

You can read the next post on my weight loss journey here

In the meantime, if you’re struggling to lose weight (or you overcame a struggle), please please leave a comment or email me. I’d love to hear about your journey and what you think the problem is for you.

* If you're renting, don't do this. It took hours and hours to scrape the glue off the windows when I moved out