Don’t fall for these 5 “health foods”

Imagine doing everything "right"...

Ditching processed junk, buying organic, reading labels…

Eating wholefoods, maybe even some touted “superfoods”...

And yet…

You’re potentially worsening your health

Let me illustrate what I mean by pulling the curtain on 5 deceptive “health foods” that I personally think are not great at all…

(Stick around for #5 because it might surprise you)

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​#1: Spinach & Kale = Heavy Metal & Oxalate Bombs

Spinach dumps 500-1,000mg of oxalates into your system from just ONE serving… that's enough to form calcium oxalate kidney stones in sensitive individuals.

Even worse…

Kale is a hyperaccumulator of thallium - a toxic heavy metal.

Research found kale samples with thallium levels up to 17.1 mg/kg (PMID: 37875191).

And guess what? Organic kale often has HIGHER heavy metal levels than conventional!

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#2 The SNEAKY Mineral Thief: Quinoa

One of the biggest health food scams, if you ask me…

It’s loaded with saponins, phytates, and protease inhibitors - basically compounds that block nutrient absorption and irritate your gut (PMID: 33562277)
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This is why quinoa has to be heavily rinsed and processed before you can even stomach it.

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​#3: "Sourdough" from the store

Most store-bought sourdough isn't sourdough at all…

REAL sourdough has THREE ingredients: Flour, water, salt

That's it.

But if you look at your store-bought "sourdough" labels… You'll see 10+ ingredients, including seed oils, preservatives, sugar, commercial yeast, dough conditioners, etc.

I personally do not eat sourdough. Is it better than regular bread? Sure.

But I get my carbs from fruit and honey - no phytic acid, no gluten, no long list of fake ingredients.

However, if I did eat sourdough…

I’d look for a real, artisanal sourdough from a local baker who does true 24+ hour fermentation with real ingredients.

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#4: Manuka Honey - A Jar of Glyphosate!

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This one really bummed me out when I learned about it…

Manuka honey is supposed to be this premium, medicinal honey with antibacterial properties.

But recent testing found that many Manuka honey, as well as regular honey samples, contain GLYPHOSATE… the toxic herbicide in Roundup (PMID: 36981082, PMID: 38137252, PMID: 29995880).

Honey can be contaminated because bees fly up to a 5-mile radius. If there's ANY conventional farming with glyphosate within that range, it can end up in your honey.

Seriously, you'd be shocked if I showed you our recent results at Lineage, where we tested top “organic” honey brands in the US 😢

So, unless you're buying from a producer who tests every batch and can prove it's clean … you’re gambling with every jar.

Alright…

Ready for the one that still surprises so many people when I tell them?
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#5 Avocado Oil (the 'Wild West' of cooking oils)

This one catches people by surprise…

Although avocado oil is much better than seed oils, it’s still relatively high in linoleic acid, which is susceptible to oxidation when heated.

But here’s where it gets shady…

​A 2020 study tested 22 avocado oil samples from U.S. retail stores and found 82% failed to meet standards. They were oxidized, rancid or just didn’t meet the “extra virgin” criteria.

In fact, 3 of those samples were SO oxidized… they shouldn’t have even been sold as food!

Avocado oil brands are poorly regulated, rife with adulteration, and lack mandatory testing in the U.S.

I prefer beef tallow for cooking because it’s very resilient to oxidation and can withstand high temperatures. It’s also an amazing source of nutrients you won’t find in other oils.

Look, I know this email might seem heavy… and I'm not saying you need to live in fear…

But you DO need to be aware that the food industry does NOT have your best interests at heart.

And I'd rather you be informed and empowered to make better choices than stay in the dark while you pay for foods that are actually robbing you of optimal health.

My philosophy is simple…

Why navigate this complicated minefield when you can just eat the foods humans have thrived on for hundreds of thousands of years?

Meat. Organs. Fruit. Raw honey. Raw dairy (if you tolerate it).

And I know some might push back and say, "But Paul, I eat these things and I feel fine!"

And that's great. Seriously.

If you're thriving, don't change anything!

But if you're NOT thriving... if you have unexplained symptoms that won't go away... maybe it's time to question whether these "health foods" are actually healthy for YOU.

Welcome to the Remembering 🏹

Paul

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