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Nutrient-Rich Fish Head Stock (Paleo Broth)

When you think of stock, the usual suspects are probably chicken or beef. But one of the most overlooked and nutritionally powerful options is fish head stock. It’s deeply nourishing, incredibly simple to prepare, and offers a distinct richness that enhances any Paleo dish. Whilst home-made bone broth and chicken stock are staple recipes in many Paleo households, fish stock—particularly using the head—is still somewhat of an unsung hero.

This might be due to its strong aroma during cooking or unfamiliarity in Western kitchens, but globally, cultures have long embraced the fish head for its nutrient-dense value. It’s time this powerful food got the recognition it deserves.

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5 from 1 vote

Recipe: Fish Head Stock

This Fish Head Stock is a nutrient-rich and flavorful Paleo broth. Packed with fat-soluble vitamins, thyroid hormone, and gelatin, it's an excellent base for soups, stews, or even enjoyed on its own. Perfect for adding nutrition and depth to your meals.

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Dinner, Fish

Cuisine: Paleo, Seafood

Keyword: Fish Head Stock, Healthy Fish Broth, Nutrient-Rich Broth, Paleo Fish Stock

Servings: 4

Calories: 50kcal

Cost: $10

Equipment

Large pan
Strainer
Airtight containers

Ingredients

Carcasses of 4-5 whole non-oily fish
2 medium onions chopped
2 carrots chopped,
1 stick of celery chopped
A few small bunches of parsley
A couple of bay leaves
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients: First, put the fish, vegetables, and apple cider vinegar in a large pan and cover with water.
Bring to a Boil: Next, bring the pan to a boil. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface and add the parsley and bay leaves.
Simmer: Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to simmer for 4 to 24 hours, depending on your schedule.
Strain the Stock: When finished, strain the mixture and store the liquid in airtight containers, such as jars.
Store: Finally, label and store in the fridge or freezer until you need it.

Why Fish Head Stock is a Paleo Powerhouse

Fish head stock is brimming with beneficial nutrients often missing from even the cleanest of diets. When you simmer fish heads gently, the result is a broth that contains fat-soluble vitamins like A and D, omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, and a good dose of the thyroid hormone from the fish's thyroid gland. This last point is particularly crucial for anyone concerned about metabolic health.

It also provides gelatin, which supports healthy joints, skin, and digestion. Many people who follow a Paleo or ancestral diet know the importance of collagen and gelatin, and fish head stock is one of the most effective, affordable ways to add it to your diet.

What Makes a Great Fish Stock?

The quality of your ingredients truly matters. For the best results, choose wild-caught, non-oily fish like snapper, cod, or barramundi. Avoid using oily fish like salmon or mackerel for stock, as they tend to create an overpowering aroma and oily texture. Fishmongers will often give away fish heads or sell them very cheaply, making this a budget-friendly option too.

You’ll also need aromatics: think onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and fresh herbs like parsley or thyme. A splash of vinegar or lemon juice helps to draw out the minerals from the bones and heads, much like in traditional bone broth recipes.

Cooking Tips: How to Get It Right

Skim the surface: During the first 30 minutes of simmering, foam may rise to the top. Skim this off with a ladle to keep your stock clear.
Do not boil: Keep the temperature low to avoid breaking down delicate fish oils too rapidly. A gentle simmer is key.
Keep it short: Unlike beef or chicken broth, which may simmer for hours, fish head stock only needs around 45–90 minutes to extract all the goodness.

Ways to Use Fish Head Stock

This stock is as versatile as it is nutritious. You can enjoy it in:

Soups: Use it as the base for a hearty seafood chowder, Paleo ramen, or Asian-style broth soups.
Stews and curries: It adds depth to coconut-based curries or seafood stews.
Cooking grains or veg: While Paleo eaters often avoid grains, stock is an excellent liquid for steaming vegetables or ricing cauliflower for extra flavour.
Sipping: Simply season and enjoy a warm mug of fish head stock on its own.

Storing and Freezing

One of the best things about this stock is how well it stores. Let it cool completely before pouring into airtight containers or glass jars. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge or several months in the freezer. For convenience, consider freezing it in silicone muffin trays or ice cube moulds, so you can defrost just what you need.

Reduce Waste: Embrace Nose to Tail Eating

Making fish head stock is also an excellent way to reduce food waste. Using parts of the fish that are usually discarded aligns perfectly with Paleo and ancestral principles. You’re not only getting more nutrition for your dollar but also respecting the animal by using it as fully as possible.

What About the Smell?

One common concern is the fishy smell that can linger in your kitchen. To minimise odour, ensure you clean the heads well (removing gills and blood clots), and add lemon slices or ginger to your pot. Opening a window or running a vent fan during cooking can also help.

Fish Head Stock vs. Traditional Bone Broth

Both types of stock have their place in a Paleo kitchen. Where beef or chicken bone broth is rich and warming, fish head stock is light, fresh, and quicker to prepare. Nutritionally, fish stock brings different micronutrients to the table, particularly iodine and natural thyroid hormones. Rotating between different types of broths ensures you’re getting a broader spectrum of benefits.

Serving Suggestions

Serve it hot, with chunks of leftover fish, leafy greens, or grated zucchini noodles stirred in just before serving. Add a touch of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil for a simple, comforting meal in a mug. You can also use it as a savoury base to poach white fish fillets or prawns.

Have You Tried It Yet?

If this is your first time making fish stock, don’t be put off by its simplicity. It may not be as photogenic as a smoothie bowl, but it is leagues ahead in nutritional density. Give it a go and let me know how it turns out. I’d love to hear if you added your own spin with different herbs or spices.

Making your own stock is one of the most powerful steps you can take on your Paleo journey. It brings you closer to the origins of your food, delivers a massive nutrient boost, and helps you waste less in the kitchen. Fish head stock is the ultimate example of ancestral eating—deeply nourishing, deeply respectful, and absolutely worth making a part of your routine.

For more inspiration and Paleo stock recipes, don’t forget to explore the other broth posts on the blog.

The thyroid summit online paleo diet primal event-min

What to Expect from the Thyroid Summit

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The more I've been looking into my own health (which all started with my inability to lose weight), the more thyroid issues seem to be involved. The standard tests show everything is “normal”, which clearly isn't the case. Which is why it’s great timing that the Thyroid Summit is about to start.

The Thyroid Summit is going to be more educational and more informative than any health event in the past decade. It’s fun, it’s life-changing and better yet, it’s ONLINE and FREE from 2^nd to 9^th June 2014*.

America’s Pharmacist Suzy Cohen and Dr. David Brownstein created The Thyroid Summit because they both had personal experiences with undiagnosed thyroid illness. The frustration of chronic illness and the lack of proper testing and treatment leaves people sick and tired for many years. They want to stop the madness and help people, so they’re on this mission to spread the word of good health! It’s a great feeling to pay it forward, and you can help!

WHY ATTEND?

The Thyroid Summit brings together more than 30 of the world’s leading authorities on thyroid wellness. You don’t have to fly anywhere. You don’t have to wait in long lines. You don’t have to watch from the back of a room. You don’t have to spend another dime to hear what the experts have to say. It’s all free!

Why conventional medicine has failed most thyroid patients
What are the best lab tests to order
Which blood test you don’t need
Why you’re always the coldest one in the room
What are the best ranges for certain blood tests (because your lab “normals” are not ideal)

It doesn't stop there! You’ll get the most up-to-date information about:

Which natural remedies work for Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s, hypothyroidism, and cancer
The connection between thyroid hormones and pregnancy, PMS and post-partum depression
How to finally lose those last few pounds or more!
What supplements can make your hair and nails grow faster
How to relieve anxiety, depression and other emotional problems related to low thyroid
And much more!

Sounds amazing, right?

Here are a few of the incredible presenters:

David Brownstein, MD
Holistic Options for Thyroid Disease and Cancer

Suzy Cohen, RPh
Thyroid Healthy: Lose Weight, Look Beautiful and Live the Life You Imagine

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD
Shine Program: 5 Simple Steps to Overcome Fatigue and Thyroid Disorders

Kent Holtorf, MD
Don’t Fall Through the Cracks: Safely and Effectively Treat Your Thyroid Condition

Hyla Cass, MD
A Holistic Psychiatrist’s Approach to Thyroid Disorders

Jean Dodds, DVM
Our Pets: Could Your Dog or Cat Have Thyroid Disease?

Greg Emerson, MD
Stress, Anxiety, Anger and the Relationship to Thyroid Hormone

Jonathan Wright, MD
How to Optimize Thyroid Function

Ben Lynch, ND
Folic Acid, Methylation and the Connection to Low Thyroid

Aristo Vojdani, PhD, MSc, MT
The Most Important Lab Tests You Should Take and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

With over 30 additional presenters sharing their wealth of knowledge. This invaluable (and FREE) resource is intended for men and women everywhere!

Better yet, if you register today, you’ll have access to the following FREE GIFT as soon as you register!
Mike Adams, Health Ranger from NaturalNews.com, is bold enough to tell the world the truth about “Everyday Pollutants that Poison Your Thyroid,” and what you can do to protect yourself.

The impact of radiation from Fukushima on your thyroid
Strange fibers and fragments in your food that make you sick
The dangers of vaccinating your child and the flu vaccine
How fluoride is hidden in your medicine, food, water and thyroid gland

Come listen to The Thyroid Summit ONLINE for FREE and be inspired from 2^nd to 9^th June, 2014

I’ll see you at the Summit!

*Note a different 4/ 5 presentations are shown each day, each available for 24 hours only – so I highly recommend you work out which ones you're most interested in (see the schedule here) to make sure you don't miss them!

After the Summit: What I Learnt and What I'm Doing Differently

Having attended every day of the Thyroid Summit, I’ve walked away with an entirely new level of understanding about how thyroid health impacts every aspect of wellbeing – from energy and metabolism to mood and even fertility. Hearing from over 30 leading practitioners gave me perspectives I hadn’t come across before, and for the first time, I feel genuinely empowered to take charge of my thyroid health.

Thyroid Red Flags You Shouldn't Ignore

One of the most practical takeaways from the Summit was how often thyroid symptoms are brushed off as “normal” ageing or stress-related. Yet subtle signs like thinning eyebrows, persistent brain fog, brittle nails, and fatigue – even after a full night's sleep – can all point to an underactive thyroid. I’ve now made it a point to track symptoms like these and bring them up assertively during health consultations.

Functional Testing Over Standard Thyroid Panels

Standard thyroid tests usually measure just TSH and maybe T4. But what I learnt at the Summit is that these markers alone don’t tell the full story. Functional medicine practitioners recommend a more comprehensive panel, including:

TSH
Free T4 and Free T3
Reverse T3
Thyroid antibodies (TPO and TgAb)

I’ve already asked my doctor to run these tests, and if they won't, I’ll consider a private lab route instead. It’s just too important.

Nutrition: A Game Changer for Thyroid Support

So many speakers reinforced the impact diet can have on thyroid function. While I already follow a Paleo lifestyle, I’ve now fine-tuned my diet even further to support thyroid health. This includes:

Adding more selenium-rich foods like Brazil nuts and eggs
Prioritising iodine sources from seaweed and seafood
Cutting down even further on goitrogenic raw cruciferous vegetables like raw kale
Ensuring I get enough zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins through real food and targeted supplementation

The Summit also highlighted how gluten can trigger autoimmune thyroid issues like Hashimoto’s, so my commitment to staying gluten-free has never felt more justified.

Mind-Body Connection: The Thyroid-Stress Link

Another huge takeaway was the impact of emotional health on thyroid function. Several speakers emphasised that chronic stress can disrupt hormone balance, worsen adrenal fatigue, and trigger autoimmune responses. Since then, I’ve been making conscious changes like:

Building in more daily downtime and rest
Using guided meditation apps for stress reduction
Blocking out my calendar to avoid overcommitting
Spending more time in nature (especially barefoot on the grass – hello, grounding!)

Supplements I’m Exploring

I’m very cautious about supplements, but after the Summit, I now understand the value of personalised supplementation – especially for nutrients difficult to obtain from food alone. Based on common recommendations shared by speakers, I’ve started researching (and where appropriate, introducing) the following:

Selenium (but not more than 200mcg daily)
L-Tyrosine to support T4 to T3 conversion
Adaptogens like Ashwagandha to help manage stress
High-quality Omega-3s to reduce inflammation

Of course, always consult with a qualified practitioner before starting anything new!

The Summit's Impact on My Long-Term Health Goals

Before the Thyroid Summit, I honestly felt stuck. My weight loss had plateaued, I had unexplained fatigue, and “normal” test results left me without answers. Now, I’ve got a new plan of action, more tools in my kit, and a renewed sense of control over my health.

If you’re reading this after the Summit has ended, don’t worry – some of the presentations might still be available for purchase. But even if they aren’t, I’d highly recommend exploring the presenters' websites, books, and social media channels. Many of them offer free resources that continue the learning.

As I continue my thyroid healing journey, I’ll be sharing what works and what doesn’t here on the blog. I know I’m not the only one navigating this – so if any of this resonates with you, please do comment or get in touch. Let’s keep the conversation going.

What’s Next?

I'm considering joining a small group program that several of the Summit speakers offer, focused on thyroid health and healing. It’s reassuring to know that there are communities out there dealing with the same challenges. There’s something incredibly empowering about not doing it alone.

If you’ve been told your thyroid is “normal” but you still feel anything but – please, dig deeper. Don’t settle. Your energy, mood, weight, and wellbeing are too important. The information is out there. You just have to know where to look.

Paleo Diet Primal Vitamin A Beta Carotene Toxicity-min

Are You Getting Too Much Vitamin A?

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What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin, which is either found ready formed – for example in animal products such as meat and dairy – or as pro-vitamin A, beta carotene, in fruits and vegetables. Beta carotene is then converted into Vitamin A in the body, with the help of the hormone thyroid.

Vitamin A is crucial for many functions, such as vision, reproduction, breastfeeding and in maintaining healthy skin, teeth and bones.

Liver is a great source of vitamin A. For beta carotene, the more intensely coloured the fruit or vegetables – the higher the amount of beta carotene it provides. Supplements wise, cod liver oil is an excellent source (just make sure you check the ingredients and choose a good quality supplement).

Vitamin A Toxicity

If you don’t get enough vitamin A you can experience immune and vision issues – but conversely it is equally problematic getting too much. In fact excess vitamin A has even been shown to result in birth defects. Excessive consumption of beta carotene is not so serious, but it will make your skin turn yellow or orange, which would look rather alarming! Fortunately the skin will return to it’s normal colour once intake of beta carotene is reduced.

Another issue with excessive levels of vitamin A, are that it appears to reduce the bodies ability to utilise Vitamin D. As people tend to be deficient in Vitamin D (perhaps more so than Vitamin A), this could be a real problem. As with so many vitamins and minerals, it appears having a good balance is crucial.

Best Natural Food Sources of Vitamin A

When aiming to boost your vitamin A levels through real food, animal-based sources are by far the most effective. This is because they provide the active form of vitamin A, known as retinol, which your body can use immediately without needing to convert it. Organ meats top the list, with liver being the most concentrated source. A small portion of beef or lamb liver just once a week can cover your entire weekly requirement.

Other excellent animal-based sources include:

Egg yolks (especially from pasture-raised hens)
Butter and ghee from grass-fed cows
Oily fish like sardines and salmon
Full-fat dairy products (if tolerated)

On the plant side, beta carotene provides a precursor to vitamin A and is found in vibrant orange, yellow, and dark green vegetables. However, conversion rates vary between individuals, depending on factors like thyroid function, genetics, and overall diet. The richest sources of beta carotene include:

Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Pumpkin
Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach
Butternut squash

How Vitamin A Supports Your Immune System

Vitamin A plays a central role in maintaining a strong immune defence. It helps form the mucous membranes lining your respiratory tract, gut, and urinary tract—your body’s first line of defence against invading pathogens. These mucous layers rely on vitamin A to stay moist, thick, and effective at trapping and removing viruses and bacteria.

In fact, one of the earliest symptoms of vitamin A deficiency is a higher susceptibility to colds, flu, and respiratory infections. Without adequate vitamin A, your immune system struggles to activate T-cells, which are essential for fighting off illness.

This is particularly important for children, the elderly, and anyone with an autoimmune condition. Ensuring your diet includes sufficient amounts of bioavailable vitamin A can help keep your immune response robust and reduce recovery time from illnesses.

Vitamin A and Skin Health

Vitamin A is often referred to as the “skin vitamin” for good reason. It supports cell turnover and regeneration, which are vital for healthy skin tone and texture. A deficiency can lead to dry, rough, or flaky skin, and in more extreme cases, a condition known as follicular hyperkeratosis, where the skin becomes thick and bumpy—particularly on the arms and thighs.

Topical forms of vitamin A, such as retinol, are commonly used in skincare, but nourishing your skin from the inside out with food sources can be just as powerful. Many people who increase their intake of liver, eggs, and colourful vegetables report clearer, smoother, and more resilient skin over time.

Can You Absorb Enough Vitamin A on a Plant-Based Diet?

While beta carotene in plants can be converted into vitamin A, the process is not always efficient. Some people carry a genetic variant that significantly reduces their ability to convert beta carotene into active vitamin A. This is particularly relevant for those following a vegetarian or vegan diet, where animal-based sources are excluded entirely.

For individuals with thyroid imbalances, digestive issues, or poor liver function, conversion can be even more impaired. In such cases, relying solely on plant sources may not be enough to meet your needs, making it essential to monitor your health and consider testing your nutrient status through a qualified practitioner.

Testing and Balancing Vitamin A Levels

If you're unsure whether you're getting too little—or too much—vitamin A, consider having your blood levels tested. A holistic practitioner or integrative GP can assess both your vitamin A and vitamin D levels to see how they’re interacting. Remember, it’s all about balance. You don’t want one fat-soluble vitamin to crowd out another.

Some signs that your vitamin A levels may be low include:

Dry eyes or night blindness
Increased frequency of colds or infections
Rough, dry, or peeling skin
Difficulty conceiving or irregular cycles

On the other hand, symptoms of vitamin A excess may include:

Headaches and nausea
Bone pain or fragility
Dizziness
Peeling or cracked lips

Safe Supplementation Practices

For those considering a vitamin A supplement, especially in the form of cod liver oil, it’s critical to check the label and dosage. Many high-quality cod liver oils now balance their vitamin A and vitamin D ratios to reflect ancestral diets more closely. Still, it’s easy to overdo it, particularly if you’re also eating liver or fortified foods.

When supplementing, less is more. A rotational approach—such as taking cod liver oil a few days per week and eating liver once every 7 to 10 days—can help avoid both deficiency and toxicity. And as always, food should come first. Supplements should fill in the gaps, not replace whole, nutrient-dense meals.

Vitamin A and the Paleo Diet

One of the great benefits of following a paleo diet is that it naturally includes many of the best sources of vitamin A. From liver pâté and slow-cooked beef cheeks to roasted sweet potatoes and hearty kale salads, it’s easy to build meals that support optimal intake without needing synthetic vitamins or processed foods.

Rather than counting micrograms or tracking conversions, a Paleo approach allows you to eat intuitively from a wide variety of foods, trusting that a nose-to-tail and plant-diverse diet will deliver what your body needs—when combined with adequate sun exposure, rest, and movement.

Are You Getting the Right Balance?

In the end, it’s not just about vitamin A in isolation. The body works as a system, and nutrients interact with each other in complex ways. Keeping your fat-soluble vitamins in balance—A, D, E, and K—is key to ensuring each one functions optimally. Rather than megadosing or avoiding these nutrients altogether, aim for moderate, food-based intake and regular testing where possible.

If you’ve never tracked your vitamin A intake or tested your levels, it might be worth exploring. Real food is powerful—and when used wisely, it can be one of your best tools for lifelong health.

Have you had your levels checked? How were they? Are you concerned about toxicity? Please share your experiences in the comments below.

Selenium Paleo Diet Vitamin Mineral Deficiency Primal Diet-min

Selenium & Deficiency On A Paleo Diet?

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Despite following a healthy Paleo Diet, if not enough attention is paid to getting a wide variety of different foods, deficiencies are still possible. I've been looking into a number of the more common deficiencies to understand how to tweak your Paleo diet to ensure deficiencies don’t occur. This week, I've been looking into Selenium.

What is Selenium?

It is a trace mineral that is only needed in small amounts but it is essential for good health. Some of the functions selenium performs include helping regulate the thyroid gland, assisting the immune system and protecting our cells from the damage caused by free radicals. In dietary terms the selenium content of plant foods are proportionate to the soil concentration of selenium where the food was grown.

These days severe selenium deficiency in adults is very rare, particularly when following a healthy Paleo diet, but minor deficiencies do occur and that can have some rather unpleasant effects on our health.

Some of the selenium deficiency symptoms include polyneuropathy and muscle damage that can look a lot like the side effects of statins. Selenium supports the synthesis of the thyroid hormone and is needed for the conversion of the T4 thyroid hormone into the active T3 hormone. As a result deficiency can look like hypothyroidism.

So, how do you become Selenium deficient?

It can be as simple as just not eating enough Selenium rich foods, or if you suffer from an intestinal disorder such as Celiac, Chron’s disease or an ulcerative colitis these can all reduce the body’s absorption of selenium from foods. While deficiency does not cause those illnesses it can make the body more susceptible to illnesses caused by biochemical or infectious stress due to the role selenium plays in the immune system.

It can also be due to a lack of selenium in the soil where your food has been grown. Just like other minerals, it must be in the soil or it won’t be present in the food grown in the soil.

Where can you get it from, in keeping with the Paleo diet?

You can find good sources of selenium in lamb, turkey, prawns, salmon, cod, crimini and shiitake mushrooms, kidney’s, egg yolks and halibut.

Keeping your thyroid healthy is important with many people dealing with thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism. There have been many research studies that have shown the benefits of selenium supplements when treating some thyroid conditions. One such study has found that selenium supplements have reduced the inflammation damage to the thyroid tissues. While studies have shown that selenium supplements can help prevent thyroid tissue damage there is more research needed to determine the long-term effects.

Making sure that your selenium intake is at its peak may give both your thyroid and immune system that little boost it needs to help function better. Whether you use supplements or include more selenium-rich foods in your diet it is important for those who are managing a thyroid condition to make sure their selenium intake is adequate.

As important as it is not to be deficient, it’s also important not to go over board. Over increasing your intake of selenium over long periods of time can lead to complications including garlic breath odour, hair loss, mild nerve damage, gastrointestinal upsets, white blotchy nails, irritability and fatigue.

The best option is to include selenium rich foods in your diet. While high in omega-6 fats it takes just a couple of Brazil nuts a day to boost your immune function and improve the amount of selenium in your diet.

Have you given much consideration to your Selenium intake? Which minerals and vitamins are you most concerned about, in your Paleo diet?

How Much Selenium Do You Actually Need?

The recommended daily intake for selenium varies slightly between countries, but for adults in Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council recommends 70 micrograms per day for men and 60 micrograms per day for women. Pregnant and breastfeeding women may require slightly more. Since it's a trace mineral, you don’t need huge quantities – but consistency matters.

The Best Paleo-Friendly Sources of Selenium

While Brazil nuts are famously rich in selenium (just one or two nuts can provide well over 100% of the daily requirement), they aren’t your only option. For those following a more varied or strict Paleo approach, it’s helpful to include a mix of selenium-rich options:

Wild-caught fish – Tuna, sardines, salmon, and especially cod are excellent sources.
Shellfish – Oysters, prawns, and mussels contain respectable selenium levels.
Grass-fed meats – Lamb liver, beef kidney, and muscle meat offer both selenium and other vital micronutrients.
Pasture-raised eggs – Especially the yolks, which are rich in selenium and choline.
Crimini and shiitake mushrooms – A great option for those after more plant diversity.

Rotating these foods through your weekly meals can help ensure you stay on top of your selenium intake without relying too heavily on just one source.

Selenium Absorption and Synergy with Other Nutrients

It’s not just how much selenium you eat – it’s how well you absorb and utilise it. Selenium works synergistically with other nutrients, particularly:

Iodine – Both are essential for thyroid function. If you’re low in one, the other may not be as effective.
Vitamin E – Helps reduce oxidative stress alongside selenium. Good fat sources like almonds and sunflower seeds (if tolerated) can help.
Protein – Since selenium is incorporated into selenoproteins, an adequate protein intake helps support this function.

If you're supplementing or relying on specific foods, consider whether you're supporting those nutrients in a broader context, too.

Soil Depletion and Selenium Content in Australia

Australia’s soils are known to be naturally low in selenium – particularly in the southern and eastern regions. This means produce grown in these areas may have lower levels, even if they would normally be a good source. For example, broccoli grown in selenium-rich soil may provide a decent amount, whereas the same broccoli from another farm may contribute very little.

Because of this, it’s a good idea to diversify the origins of your food when possible or choose animal products where the feed is fortified with selenium (common in ethical Australian livestock farming). Buying from farmers who can tell you about their soil quality and animal diets can make a meaningful difference.

What About Supplementing?

If you suspect your intake is low – perhaps due to autoimmune thyroid issues, absorption problems, or limited food variety – a low-dose selenium supplement may help. But proceed with caution. Supplements often provide 150–200 micrograms per dose, which can be excessive if you're already consuming selenium-rich foods.

Ideally, work with a health practitioner to test your selenium levels before supplementing long term. Hair mineral analysis and blood serum tests can both provide useful data.

Signs You May Be Getting Too Much

Although rare, selenium toxicity (known as selenosis) can happen – particularly from supplements or eating large quantities of Brazil nuts daily. Some symptoms to watch for include:

Brittle hair or nails
Digestive discomfort
Fatigue or irritability
Unusual breath odour (often described as “garlic-like”)

Again, balance is key. Aim to meet your needs through whole foods, monitor symptoms, and seek testing if you’re unsure.

How to Add More Selenium-Rich Foods to Your Paleo Meals

Here are a few simple, Paleo-friendly ideas to boost selenium naturally in your week:

Breakfast: Add two eggs with sautéed mushrooms and spinach in ghee or olive oil.
Lunch: A salad with grilled salmon, avocado, and a boiled egg. Top with a citrus olive oil dressing and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Dinner: Grass-fed lamb chops with roasted root vegetables and a side of steamed broccoli.
Snacks: One or two Brazil nuts, or a small portion of prawns with lemon and herbs.

Takeaway

While selenium deficiency isn’t especially common on a nutrient-dense Paleo diet, it’s still worth being aware of – especially if you’re dealing with thyroid issues or have limited variety in your meals. Focus on diverse, whole food sources, be mindful of soil quality and absorption, and only supplement if there’s a genuine need.

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