Which Nutrient Category is Most Important to Clean Up? page

[Rewind]

From a health perspective, which nutrient category is the most important to obtain in a primal/paleo manner? In other words, is it most important to eat paleo carbs, paleo fats or paleo proteins?

Not that I think a choice needs to be made, but from an academic perspective, if you were only going to make one change from the SAD, which improvement would yield the most gains?

My sense, from the limited reading I have done, is that cleaning up the carb sources is most important. Curious about other opinions (or if there is a difinitive answer).

Cheers!

[sbhikes]

I think the number one most important category to clean up are the O-6 industrial fats. Replace those with real fats: butter, lard/tallow, fish oil, coconut oil and olive oil. I think it's equally important to quit eating wheat. But you asked for one and I think the industrial fats will cascade into the greater overall change.

[primalrob]

definitely carb sources. get rid of those grains, sugars/sweeteners, beans, and all the crap that comes with them.

[JudyCr]

I think the number one most important category to clean up are the O-6 industrial fats. Replace those with real fats: butter, lard/tallow, fish oil, coconut oil and olive oil. I think it's equally important to quit eating wheat. But you asked for one and I think the industrial fats will cascade into the greater overall change.

+1

[RichMahogany]

I'm assuming you mean macronutrients. In that case, I second the vote for fats. Rancid n-6 oils are the monster under my bed.

Next would be the proteins. Remember that gluten tends to come packaged with a lot of starch, but it's actually a protein.

Third would be carbs. Specifically, avoiding fructose in favor of less glycating choices.

[Sandra in BC]

I think the number one most important category to clean up are the O-6 industrial fats. Replace those with real fats: butter, lard/tallow, fish oil, coconut oil and olive oil. I think it's equally important to quit eating wheat. But you asked for one and I think the industrial fats will cascade into the greater overall change.

+2.

Eliminate industrial seed oils, and all the processed/prepared foods that contain them, and you've probably cleaned up 3/4 of bad food habits.

That being said, I don't eat categories. I eat food.

[JoanieL]

Eliminating processed foods with their ubiquitous use of bad oils, additives, added sugar (including HFCS) hits two birds with one stone. And just for me, processed includes about 90% of anything that comes in a bag, can, jar, or box. But I'd be hard pressed to decide which is more important.

[paleo-bunny]

I agree with RichMahogany, while believing that it's essential to clean up all 3 macronutrient categories.

Trans fats and rancid omega 6 are pure poison. At least with fructose, the toxicity is in the dose and the context. Just note the pretty low dosage required for adverse effects.

[Zach]

Fats without a doubt. Avoiding pufa (mainly 06) will probably give you the biggest bang for your buck, health wise.

[paleo-bunny]

To add: protein is very subjective. I'm v sensitive to gluten and other lectins, but plenty of people aren't.