Is your being primal, hurting your family? Nutritionally that is. page

[Primal Papa]

OK, so this is a serious question.... Obviously. I am working at being primal. I do 95% of the cooking in my home. My wife and kids have no interest in being primal. They basically are happy with the SAD. But they want to eat what I make too. So they are really mixing 2 ways of eating, and to me, it seems like possibly a recipe for disaster. They get all the extra fat, AND all the stuff that we, as primal, avoid.

I have only been at this a week, but as I watch them eating my primal food, and also their SAD, well, it scares me.

[nixxy]

I have seen this kind of thing mentioned before and I think the consensus was that it is a bad idea.

I have a similar situation when I go and stay with my family and they like me to cook dinner each night.

[j3nn]

The only way it could be detrimental is if they are eating in caloric surpluses. e.g., eating "primal" foods as extra meals and snacks. Other than that, even 50% real foods are better than 100% over-processed foodstuff because the fats you are concerned with can either be industrial oil/animal fats or wholesome fats, either way they are eating some sort of fuel. So I'd say it's a good thing if some of their meals are replaced with primal foods, but not added to an already adequate intake. You didn't specify if there's additional calories being added or simply replaced. Big diff.

Are they putting bacon in their Cocoa Puffs or skipping the Cocoa Puffs for the bacon but eating mcdonalds nuggets for lunch? Ya know, that sort of thing.

[PureFunctionalFitness]

I kind of disagree on the idea that eating 50% primal is better than not at all. Depends on what the 50% is. If it is leafy green veggies that they didn't eat before, and this is replacing some of the SAD food, then cool. There is quite a lot of research, Gary Taubes talks about it, Jeff Volek etc, that eating high saturated fat food AND high levels of carbs is not good, and if you are a large eater of processed carbs, then low fat is better, due in part to the triglycerides floating around in your blood stream that are burned as fuel very quickly if you are a low carb eater. The combination of high carb/high fat definitely can be a recipe for poor health.

I think it's one of those things, you can't do both for a long period of time and get away with it.

If I suppose, as the previous poster said, some SAD meals are being COMPLETELY replaced with primal ones, then that is probably beneficial, providing overall carbs are being lowered significantly, but if they are just eating your fatty meat, with chips, beans and chocolate sponge for afters, then not good at all :-)

[bloodorchid]

there's no way to micromanage how their bodies will process the grains with the no grains and the low fat with the fat

they're getting real, healthy food a few times a day. it's better than most families do.

[PureFunctionalFitness]

The studies show that eating a high fat diet with v low carb massively reduces triglycerides in the blood stream. It also shows that a high carb diet increases trigs in the blood stream, a negative health marker for CHD events. So eating high carb AND high fat is a recipe for poor health in the future.

As the OP said, they are getting high fat with a SAD diet at the same time.

[NZ primal Gwamma]

Primal Papa, I so hear where you are coming from. I also struggle with this, but have come to the conclusion - that - my family have choices ! Your children may be too young to make those choices, but mine DH = 57, middle daughter = 25 and her boyfriend = 30...... are able to make those choices. I am still blamed for the this and the that, but I am starting to tell them, especially DH that he can CHOOSE what HE puts in his mouth. No-one is holding a gun to his head !!!!!!!
I also have a huge issue with my darling grandson (eldest daughters 2 year old) having horrendous constipation. Like weeks at a time he just does not deficate ! so I am advising moar fat !!!!! instead of the "what-ever-it-is-that-the-specialist-has-prescribed....stuff
But alas - noone will listen to this old Gwamma !!!!!!!
And maybe-just maybe I am RIGHT !!!!!!!!!
So no I do not think that you are doing wrong. Hopefully the example that we lead will rub off one day ???????? and they will feel fuller longer with your cooking !!!!!!

[bloodorchid]

The studies show that eating a high fat diet with v low carb massively reduces triglycerides in the blood stream. It also shows that a high carb diet increases trigs in the blood stream, a negative health marker for CHD events. So eating high carb AND high fat is a recipe for poor health in the future.

As the OP said, they are getting high fat with a SAD diet at the same time.

okay, so what does he do? commandeer the kitchen and control the food? choose his wife's food for her and decide the kids' diet without her?

is it not better that he gives them a healthy meal or two a day?

[NZ primal Gwamma]

okay, so what does he do? commandeer the kitchen and control the food? choose his wife's food for her and decide the kids' diet without her?

is it not better that he gives them a healthy meal or two a day?

Yeah Blood orchid - I reckon a healthy meal or two/day has to be a huge bonus.
As an aside..... and p-l-e-a-s-e do NOT be offended by this question...... do ye have balls or do yee not ? ie are you a female or a male ?????
I read alot of your posts with a wee smile on my face, and i detect a wee twinkle in your eye - which has to be a good thing !!!!!!

G

[bloodorchid]

i was blessed with breasts but if i had balls, they'd be huge