Jun 1, 2023 | Blog
*This post may include affiliate links. I may be compensated if you purchase through one of my links – this does not impact the price to you.*
No matter who you are, no matter what you do for a living, I believe absolutely everyone should have affiliate marketing as an income stream. Honestly, you’re kinda silly not to! There’s zero downside and unlimited upside. I also think that most people don’t have a complete understanding of affiliate marketing, so today I want to break down what it is, how it works, the different types, pros, cons and how you can get started.
What is Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a type of advertising that rewards individuals or companies for providing their audience with exposure to a product or service. At the simplest level, affiliate marketing is recommending a product or service to someone in your network.
It used to be that products and services were marketed primarily through television and radio ads, print ads and billboards. However, the explosion and accessibility of social media opened doors for a new, more effective approach.
Companies are shifting dramatically (and often completely) to compensating individuals for promoting their products or services directly to their own audiences, where relationships exist. If I follow someone on Instagram, even if I don’t know them personally, I likely trust their recommendation for mascara more than I trust a random print ad. Plus, seeing this person on Instagram apply the mascara provides me with a more honest experience of the product than a highly produced television commercial.
Jewelry companies used to rely on print advertisements or expensive television spots. They’d pay a premium whether the ads were successful or not. Now, they’ve realized it’s a lot more effective and affordable to connect with individuals who share their target audience and compensate them for wearing or sharing the goods.
Sometimes the payout is a flat fee for exposure and other times it’s based entirely on conversion. Sometimes affiliates are compensated with product, other times their compensated with currency and sometimes it’s both. There are countless models for affiliate marketing and different levels of accessibility.
That’s one of the things that most companies adore about affiliate marketing – the option to only pay for advertising that is successful. For example – I’m an affiliate for Fatco (my discount code is PRIMAL) but they only have to pay me if I bring them a customer. It’s a much more attractive proposition for companies than paying out even if the campaign flops!
We’re all part of this engine. Every single one of us. The difference is, not all of us are getting paid for it (yet). I’d like to change that! I believe that absolutely everyone should have affiliate marketing as an income stream!
Here’s something important to keep in mind as we explore this further: affiliate marketing is for everyone. While not every company or product has an affiliate program and some have lofty requirements for participation, there are tons of affiliate opportunities that exist even if you have no audience! There’s money to be made no matter who you are!
Why it Makes Sense
The old way of marketing is OUT. Sure, television commercials, billboards and magazine ads still exist, but they’re no where near as impactful, effective and profitable as affiliate marketing.
How many times have you bought an outfit because you saw someone on social media wearing it or you loved it on a friend from church and asked her where she got it?
Are you more likely to buy a book because you saw an ad in a magazine or because your friend raved about it?
People trust people more than people trust companies, so as social media has grown in it’s use across all demographics, affiliate marketing has replaced old school advertisements. I was just telling a girlfriend that I basically only buy clothes when I see someone on social media wearing them, especially if it’s someone who is about my same size. Affiliate marketing has changed how we shop! I’m curious: how many times have you been “influenced” to buy something because of the recommendation of a friend, of someone you follow online or a family member? Whether they were compensated or not, that’s affiliate marketing!
Imagine if Coca-Cola ran a commercial during the Super Bowl but they only had to pay based on the number of people who bought Coke as a result of the commercial. Affiliate marketing allows that kind of confidence in your ad spend.
Beyond that, every one of us need additional streams of income. I don’t care if you’re making multiple 6 figures and are debt free or if you’re a struggling single mom. Having multiple streams of income has moved from a “nice to have” to a “need to have”. The winds of change will impact all of us at some point; gone are the days of having all your financial eggs in one basket.
Besides, you’re going to refer products anyway! You’re going to tell your friends, family or co-workers about products and services you love. Why not get paid for it?!
Different Types of Affiliate Marketing Deals
You might think that you can’t possibly take advantage of affiliate marketing because you don’t have an audience. You’re wrong! Sure, there are audience requirements for some affiliate opportunities, but certainly not all of them!
Audience Requirements
It’s true; some companies only establish affiliate relationships with individuals or companies that meet certain audience exposure requirements. I remember when I first reached out to Levels because I was recommending their product anyway, they told me they only worked with a select few individuals with huge social media followings. Based on their criteria, I was out. That’s okay! Not everything is going to be a fit with where you’re at. Interestingly, because I did a podcast anyway (I talk about things I love whether I have an affiliate relationship or not), the company saw my ability to influence for their product, and they offered me an affiliate partnership.
Other companies have very low or no audience requirements. For example, GreenStalk (the vertical garden I use) had an audience requirement when I started with them, but it was extremely small. As of when I’m writing this, companies like Amazon and Audible don’t have any audience requirements. Rest assured, there are lots of affiliate programs with no audience requirement because there’s little to no risk to the company. If you don’t bring them new customers, they don’t pay you, so they have nothing to lose. When in doubt, ask!
Type of Compensation
This is where you’ll see a lot of diversity and where it’s important to get all the information. There are many different deal types. You will find:
- compensation via product credit
- compensation via free product
- flat rate deals where you’re paid $x for a post, story or blog
- flat rate per new customer (here you’d get a flat rate no matter how much a customer spends)
- percentage of sale (you’d get a set percentage of the amount of revenue your relationship brings in)
- payment on new customers only
- payment on any customer that shops through your link
- one time payments
- residual payments
You could see any number of different types of compensation arrangements or any combination of multiple. Let me give you a few examples.
Some affiliate relationships offer a benefit to your customer (like a discount code or link) and other times there’s no perk to your customer base. Both of those deal types are very common. Amare allows me to offer you a discount by using my code (BENTON) but with Amazon, you don’t get any kind of discount by using my link.
Many years ago, I was on a Viking Waffles kick. Viking Waffles are pre-made low carb, high protein waffles and I really loved them for a while. After being a repeat customer for months, I reached out to see if they had an affiliate program. They did, and their offer was for product credit. Essentially, if I brought them new customers, they’d reward me with free waffles. Their process was kind of clunky, so it didn’t end up being a good fit for me. But if there’s a product you love and purchase anyway, product free product relationships can be awesome!
Fatco offers a pretty common affiliate program. They give me a unique coupon code (PRIMAL) and when customers use that code, I get paid a percentage of the sale.
Amazon works in a similar way, but via links and not discount codes. If you sign up as an Amazon affiliate (they call it “associate”, you gain the ability to grab a special link from any product and are paid a teeny, tiny commission if someone purchases through that link. The other day one of my girlfriends asked me what potty training toilet seat we were using for Roman. I sent her the link using my affiliate link, and if she purchases, I’ll earn a small commission.
I have affiliate relationships with about a dozen companies, but my far-and-away favorite is Amare. Here’s why (in no particular order):
- I love the products and use them daily. Roman and Chris use them daily too, which makes for lots of opportunities to share about them. (It’s more profitable to have affiliate relationships with products you genuinely use regularly than those you might use every once in a while)
- Their program offers a discount code to new customers so there’s a benefit to them, not just me. Using the code BENTON, new customers save $10 on their first order
- I earn in multiple ways and I simultaneously earn: money, product credit, completely free products, prizes and trips. It’s literally all these things at the same time
- I earn more than 20x more via Amare than other affiliate partnerships because:
- If I bring them a new customer, they pay me EVERY SINGLE TIME that person purchases, not just the first time
- The % of commission I earn increases as I bring them more business. So, while I might start out earning 10%, I can earn up to 38% commission based on how much business I bring (to give context, 38% is insane. Most other affiliates max out around 5% and the rate often doesn’t increase with your performances or effectiveness)
- They have products that appeal to almost everyone. I love my vertical garden, but not everyone is interested in that, so the income is limited. But with Amare, they have kids products, they have protein powders, they have probiotics, vitamins, natural energy drinks, natural pain relievers and more. The wide array of products makes earning easier.
What Most People Don’t Get 🙄
Let me first say that I don’t expect everyone to know or understand affiliate marketing, especially if they haven’t invested a lot of time, energy or experience into it. However, it chaps my a$$ a little bit when someone who doesn’t have an understanding throws out inaccurate judgements as if they know what they’re talking about. Just because you think you’re right doesn’t mean you are, ya know?
There’s an important difference between multi-level-marketing and affiliate marketing. There are companies who offer both, but that doesn’t mean you need to participate in both. And again, for the people in the back: they’re not the same.
I’m not an expert on multi-level-marketing so I won’t pretend to be, but as an affiliate, you don’t need anyone “on your team” in order to make money. So, while Amare has a model for multi-level-marketing, they also have an affiliate program, which is what I take full advantage of (and love).
Do you know how many people I need to have “on my team” to make multiple 6 figures annually from Amare? Zero. That’s right. Zero.
So how many people would you need on your team to make money as an affiliate with Amare? Zero.
Anyone who wants to make uneducated statements is welcome to do so, but my energy and time isn’t available for that. 🤷🏻♀️
Most people think you need to be an influencer to take advantage of affiliate marketing. Well, I’d argue that every single one of us are influencers. When my mom asks me what book I’m reading, I’m an “influencer” in sharing it.
When my friend at church asks where I got my cute green pants, I’m an influencer for those green pants.
We are all influencers. Influencing doesn’t require intentional audience creation.
Yes, I have a podcast audience. But you can take advantage of affiliate marketing without ever intentionally building an audience.
Remember when someone asked you where you got your adorable potholders? You can text them your Amazon link and earn a small commission.
Affiliate marketing is for everyone! We all do it, we just aren’t all getting paid for it (yet).
Getting Started with Affiliate Marketing as an Income Stream
I’ve used the same skincare products for about 10 years. At least a few times a month, a family member or friend comments on my skin and asks what I use. After a few years of eagerly recommending Fatco, I reached out to the company to see if they had an affiliate program. Sure even, they did! They gave me a discount code (PRIMAL) to share with my friends and I’ve been getting paid every time someone uses my code ever since.
Sure, it’s not a ton of money because it doesn’t come up hundreds of times a day, but, as you create more affiliate relationships, it adds up!
I did the same thing after trying Levels. Many of my friends and colleagues were using the continuous glucose monitoring program from Levels. I purchased it, loved it, found myself telling my friends about it and then reached out to see if they had an affiliate program. They offered me a personalized link. Just the other day, an acquaintence posted on her social media asking if anyone had experiences with a CGM. I shared my experience, let her know I had a link, she decided to try it and I get paid!
As I said earlier: we’re doing this anyway! We’re just not all getting paid for it!
The goal (as I see it) isn’t to get paid from products you don’t love. I think we’ve all seen enough influencers promoting Magic Spoon cereal to understand that not everyone takes only only products they genuinely love and use, but that’s the approach I strongly recommend. When your recommendation is genuine and enthusiastic, it shows!
Of course not every product or service has an affiliate program (yet) and you might not always meet their criteria, but there’s something out there for you, so start looking!
As of when this is being written, I believe almost any adult can be an Amazon affiliate. That way, if someone asks you what laundry detergent you use for your newborn, you can send them your Amazon affiliate link. Or, just yesterday, I asked a friend where she got her pool furniture. She got it from Amazon. If she had an affiliate link, she could have sent me her unique link and she’d have gotten paid for her recommendation!
Audible is another company that has minimal requirements for an affiliate account.
As I said, Amare is one of my favorite affiliate relationships because their payout and benefits are second to none and I genuinely use the products daily – as do Roman and Chris! While there are some countries in which it’s not available, almost anyone can sign up right now!
When in doubt, reach out! Connect with the companies you love and ask if they have an affiliate program! If they don’t, ask if there’s an interest list you can be placed on to be notified if one becomes available.
Are you an avid reader? Share your own links for those books!
Do you love finding great deals on Amazon? Get that affiliate/associate account.
Are you always raving about your probiotic or nail polish? Monetize what you’re already doing.
Where multiple streams of income may have once been a luxury, it’s now a necessity.
May 29, 2023 | Blog
Is there such thing as “balance” as a work from home mom? Or, for that matter, as a stay at home mom? A mom working outside the home?
Let me start by telling you that I think the typical impression of “balance” is horse shit. I don’t believe balance is about making sure that work, self, home and kids get equal time or equal attention. If that’s how you view balance, I’ll argue that no, it’s not possible.
I see balance as responding appropriately to perceived imbalance.
Think about it: if you’re walking on a balance beam, your ability to balance is about recognizing as you start to lean too far left and being able to appropriately counter to the right, without going too far. Responding appropriately to imbalance.
I am a work from home mom. I also consider myself a stay at home mom. I run multiple businesses, a non profit, I’m a landlord, I’m an investor, I have 9-month-old twins, a newly 2 year old, a husband, 13 chickens, 11 goats, a dog and I’m also committed to taking care of my health daily.
Nothing on that list gets as much attention, time or effort as another thing. They’re all in flux, all the time. I also don’t believe in easy-to-say generalities like “put yourself first”. It’s a gross over-generalization and over-simplification that lacks practicality. There are moments when I put myself first. There are moments when I put my kids or my marriage or a friend first. It doesn’t matter that we rank things, it matters that we are feeling capable, empowered and (most of the time) fulfilled.
My pursuit of “balance” is all about paying attention to any perception of things being “off” and course correcting without overcorrecting.
In episode 1093 of the Primal Potential podcast, I’m breaking down what my day-to-day flow looks like, so if you enjoy that kind of content, definitely tune in!
What Works for Me As a Work From Home Mom
First, I’ll say that what works for me this month might not be what works for me next month and almost certainly won’t be what works for me next year. But, here are some of the most important strategies I’m implementing:
- Get up before the kids (and use the time wisely)
I understand that this doesn’t always happen because kids are unpredictable, but when you can, wake up before your kids and use that time really well. For me, that means waking up about 2 hours before the kids, reading my Bible, walking and working out, emptying the dishwasher, folding the laundry, starting breakfast and getting the kids’ stuff ready for the day (diapers, bottles, outfits, etc).
- Watch (way) less TV
I love a good mindless show as much as the next person, but I also feel so much less stressed when I’m staying on top of my work, my health and my house. That generally means I don’t sit down to watch an hour or more of TV daily. If/when I do watch a show, it’s on my phone during a workout or while I’m folding clothes or making a meal. Good time management is essential and I contend that we can all improve in this area! It makes a huge difference.
- Do at least one full load of laundry daily (and yes, that means folding and putting away!)
Keeping up is way easier than catching up. When I am picking up at night, I toss in a load of laundry. My husband switches it to the dryer before bed and I fold it first thing in the morning. With each trip upstairs, I carry what I can carry and put it away. This prevents me from having a mountain of laundry that feels overwhelming. Many days I do two full loads, but at least one daily feels really manageable.
- Know how you’ll spend your work time
When I sit down to work, it’s precious time. I don’t waste it trying to figure out where I’m going to start or what I’ll work on that day. I define ahead of time what I’ll tackle daily and the order in which I’ll tackle it.
- Plan for breaks
We all need mental breaks and this is especially true for me when I’m working. Instead of heading to my office to work and then spending 15 minutes scrolling on social media, I plan for my mental breaks. Literally, on my to-do list, it’ll say “task 1” followed by “10 minute mental break” or “task 3/task 4” then “15 minute mental break”. I know I’m going to scroll, but I’m going to control that behavior instead of letting that behavior control me.
- Avoid treading water
This might be the most important one. Years ago, I saw something on social media that said, “the most beneficial thing you can do for your future is block off 1 hour a day (minimum) for building a project that will give you more freedom”. Now, I’m not sure that the time increment matters as much as the point does. So often, we create Groundhog Day-esque lives. We wake up, do what needs to be done, collapse in bed and then repeat. I want to challenge you to invest your time, every day, in something that sets you up for increased freedom down the road. That could be improvements in your physical fitness and health, it would be financial flexibility, it could be both or it could be something different, but remain consistent in this pursuit. Don’t just tread water!
Are you a work from home mom? A stay at home mom? A single parent? A business owner? What do you think of the idea of balance and what are some of the things you do to make sure you, your family and your business thrive?
I hope you’ll take a few minutes and listen to episode 1093 of the Primal Potential podcast!
May 20, 2023 | Blog
This blog includes affiliate links. I may receive a small commission if you use this links. My affiliate status does not impact the price you pay.
I swore I’d never wear a continuous glucose monitor. No, really. In past years, several people have asked me what I thought of them and I said it wasn’t for me. In large part that was because I hate needles or being poked/prodded in any way. On top of that, my blood sugar has been steady and in optimal ranges so I didn’t see the point. Lastly, if I ever needed blood sugar data, I have felt comfortable using a traditional glucometer. So, why wear a device? Why spend the money?
Well, my mind has changed. I’ve been wearing the Levels continuous glucose monitor and I really like it. In fact, I think it’s a game changer for my overall health and my postpartum fat loss journey.
Let me tell you why. But first, you might not even know what a continuous glucose monitor is, how it works, or what it does, so let’s start there.
What is a Continuous Glucose Monitor?
A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a wearable device that automatically measures your blood sugar throughout the day and night. CGMs are often worn by diabetics, but they’re growing in popularity in non-diabetic users because of the links between blood sugar and important areas of health and performance including weight loss, fertility, energy, recovery, cognitive performance and more.
A CGM is usually small – a little shorter than a paperclip and about 1/8th of an inch thick. It’s most often worn on the belly or the back of the arm. There’s a micro-filament, smaller than a fishing wire, on the underside of the sensor that inserts into your skin (just a tiny bit). This allows the sensor to gather blood sugar data from your interstitial fluid.
What Does it Tell You?
Of course, the CGM tells your your blood sugar level in real time and also looks at trends in your blood sugar throughout the day. In doing this, it imparts valuable information as to why you’re so tired or why you’re having trouble focusing or getting through a workout. It tells you which meals support blood sugar balance and which meals don’t.
I shared with you that I never imagined I’d wear (nevermind enjoy wearing) a CGM and one of the reasons was that I felt that I had a great understanding of what to eat for blood sugar stability. I have to say that I learn so much from my CGM! For example, after a crappy night of sleep, a meal that normally didn’t spike my blood sugar produced a spike! I was much more sensitive to carbs with less sleep – that’s so valuable to know!
I also got to see what things other than food elevated my blood sugar. Yes, it’s true, you could be creating elevations in your blood sugar without eating. Stress was a big one for me. A couple of times getting frustrated with or overwhelmed by my kids showed me that my blood sugar was creeping up in response to stress. Seeing the data has helped me work on my responses to every day frustrations.
Another big thing I learned from wearing my Levels continuous glucose monitor was around the tremendous impact of walking after meals, especially after sweets! Early in my Levels-wearing journey I had one of my favorite healthier treats – full fat greek yogurt with a bit of a crumbled up protein bar in it. A few days later, I had it again. Levels recognized that I’ve had this before and sent me a suggestion, “Your blood sugar is rising. Try getting up and going for a walk.” So, I did. I hopped on my treadmill and watched, amazed, as the blood sugar rise was completely blunted. Seeing this data in front of me has helped me build a habit of walking after my meals. It’s just so different when you can see the data!
Levels Continuous Glucose Monitor
Over the past few years, a ton of companies have popped up selling continuous glucose monitors. Health data and wearables are on the rise so I can’t say I’m surprised. They aren’t all created equal, so let me tell you why I chose Levels. (It’s also important to note that I sought them out as a paying customer. I had no relationship with the company, did my research and spent my money on the device because it seemed like the best one out there.)
Some CGMs give you constant data and others don’t. This is an important point of distinction. I can open the Levels app at any time and see my blood sugar value as well as what it has been at any prior point in the day. Other devices require that you bring your phone to the sensor on your skin to get a current read-out. I wanted the data always available automatically, without me having to remember to scan the device.
The Levels app does much more than display your blood sugar value. It scores every meal you enter so you are always growing in your understanding of what drives stability and what doesn’t.
It also provides ongoing education. For example, if I document that I ate an apple, the app will prompt me to read an article on ways to minimize the impact of fruit on my blood sugar. It’s a smart software system that recommends education based on you, personally.
One of the things I’ve loved the most is the visual nature of the app and the way it makes blood sugar stabilization a fun game. it shows you how many consecutive hours of stability you’ve had in way that reminds me of the activity rings on an Apple Watch. It challenges me to get 24 stable hours each day and I honestly enjoy the process!
They have a ton of great info on their site and various options for purchasing, so check that out here.
What I Love About It
Here’s the biggest thing: it’s so easy to tell ourselves, “this one thing won’t hurt”, especially in the context of the impact a food has on our overall body weight. However, we know that excessive rises in blood sugar (we’re talking frequency as well as intensity) do have an impact. Using a CGM means seeing the way food, stress, sleep and movement impacts our body, in real time. Sure, there’s a lot we don’t see, but I find it incredibly powerful to observe a real-time measurement of how what I’m doing is impacting my health. It’s been a great tool for encouraging quality choices and consistency.
I love data and I’m a ‘rule follower’ so Levels has been an awesome tool for me.
It’s important to note that while I am on a postpartum fat loss journey, it’s not (exclusively) a fat loss tool! The insights from the Levels continuous glucose monitor are great for improving sleep, movement, fitness, energy, mental clarity, muscle recovery, fertility and more.
The app is super easy to use and gives new insights and reports regularly. I’ve recommended it to so many people!
What I Don’t Love
Right off the bat, as someone who hates any kind of needle, filament prick or prod – I don’t mind wearing the sensor! I find it pretty painless so I’m surprised to say that part isn’t one of my “cons”. What I don’t like is how often I have to calibrate the device.
I’ll explain it this way: if you a wear a pedometer or use a wearable to monitor calorie burn, these devices are fantastic for monitoring trends and getting overall data, but they’re not super accurate. For example, if you use your Apple Watch to indicate your daily energy expenditure, it’s probably accurate +/- 10%. That’s a pretty wide margin. In my opinion, the accuracy of the actual value isn’t as important as being aware of the trend over time.
The same thing is true with continuous glucose monitors. It’s less important that you have an exact value for your fasting blood sugar and more important that you observe trends over time. With that said, to have the data be as accurate as possible, you have to calibrate the device. That means also purchasing a traditional glucometer and pricking your finger to get a blood sugar measurement directly from your blood. You then enter that value into your CGM app. There have been a few times when my CGM reading didn’t seem right, so I pricked my finger and it was a good 20 mg/dL off.
When I first apply a new sensor (which you do every 10-14 days if you want to continue wearing it beyond your first sensor), I calibrate 5-10 times.
It’s annoying and adds to the expense. For me, it’s still worth it, but keep that in mind! Though you don’t have to calibrate, I highly, highly recommend it. You’ll probably get some false high and low blood sugar alarms if you don’t.
Do I Recommend Others Wear a Continuous Glucose Monitor
There’s a philosophy in CrossFit circles that describes how one should consider their progression in the “sport”. It goes like this: mechanics > consistency > relative intensity.
What that means is that the mechanics always come first. You need to master basic movement standards before you need to worry about increasing the frequency of your workouts. Then, you want to be consistent with your movement mechanics before progressing to (relative) intensity.
I think the same applies here. Wearing a CGM feels like more of an advanced strategy so I recommend folks focus on mindset, the basics of quality nutrition and getting consistent with those before jumping to wearing a CGM.
With that said, if you love data, give it a shot! You don’t have to commit to wearing it forever. Heck, you could take it off after a day or two! Or, you could use it for the duration of one sensor (10-14 days) and then be done with it. Maybe it’s something you do for a week or two every quarter just to check in on how your body is responding to what you’re doing.
Bottom line: is it an essential I recommend for everyone? No. But do I think it’s an awesome tool for those who are interested? I sure do!
Will I Wear It Forever?
No. In fact, I didn’t wear it on our recent family vacation primarily because I didn’t want to worry about losing the sensor in the ocean. I do think it’s a tool I want to stick with for a while though. Maybe 4-6 months and then I’ll switch over to a couple weeks every quarter.
If I am fortunate enough to get pregnant again, I definitely see the value in wearing it for the duration of my pregnancy. I’m someone who experiences aversions to proteins and veggies when I’m pregnant and the only thing that sounds good tends to be carbohydrates, so I think it will be an important tool to help me make the best possible choices if/when pregnant.
Curious enough to give it a shot? Learn more and get started here.
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I did a comprehensive training on my experience with the Levels continuous glucose monitor – you can listen to an audio version of the replay by signing up for my free training series. Once you sign up, you’ll get a welcome email that includes a link to the replay archive. Check spam if you aren’t seeing it in your inbox after you sign up. Here’s that link to sign up for the free training series.
Mar 6, 2023 | Blog
Have you heard of seed oils? If you have, chances are you know they aren’t good for you. But, I’d bet you have some questions. What are they? What is the problem with seed oils? Are they really that bad? How important is it that I avoid them? What are seed oils found in? What should I use instead?
We’re going to dive into all that and more. If you’d rather listen to this and hear a conversation about seed oils, tune in to episode 1069 of the Primal Potential podcast. And, if you have any questions about this topic, let me know so I can do a part 2!
What Are Seed Oils?
Seed oils are oils that come from seeds or grains. Grains are classified as seed oils because grains are seeds of grasses. Seed oils are a subcategory of vegetable oils.
Seed oils are the most abundant source of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Linoleic acid is naturally found in lots of foods, but the concentration in seed oils is exponentially higher than other foods. Why? Think of it this way: there’s linoleic acid in brown rice, but you need more than 30 cups of brown rice to make a couple tablespoons of brown rice oil, so there’s more than 30x the amount of linoleic acid in brown rice oil than there is in brown rice.
You can find seed oils in nearly every processed food out there and they’re used in the dramatic majority of restaurants because they’re cost effective and flavor neutral. They’re in coffee creamers, salad dressings, condiments, crackers, chips, candy, protein bars, orange juice, bread, pasta, biscuits, cookies, popcorn, granola, ice cream and more. More on this in a bit.
The History of Seed Oils
Seed oils started as machine lubricants. No joke. They were a waste product and someone decided that ground up, they might pass as a lubricant, and they were right! Where there is innovation, there’s opportunity for financial gain so people started to find other ways to use this waste. It was light, cheap and didn’t spoil. They packaged it up and Crisco was born.
Prior to this “innovation” and introduction into the food supply in the early 1900s, only about 2-3% of our calories can from linoleic acid. Unfortunately, that percentage has 10x’d since then. We’ll explore why that’s a huge problem for human health and chronic disease.
In the 1950s, President Dwight Eisenhower suffered from a heart attack and national attention switched to heart disease. The US government put forth recommendations to reduce saturated fat consumption, creating a huge market for polyunsaturated seed oils. (If you aren’t familiar with the corruption and flawed science behind those recommendations and the whole low fat movement, do some research on Ancel Keys as a starting point. It’s fascinating and horrible.)
Consumers began to shun saturated fats from animal products like lard and butter and opt for canola oil and other seed oils. Since then, vegetable oil consumption has increased by more than 1,000x. Yes, 1,000.
It’s important to note that correlation does not equal causation, but trends do matter. Over this time, every known chronic disease increased dramatically. Rates of overweight and obesity soared as did cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, mood disorders and fertility disorders. Fortunately, we have much more than this correlation. Research consistently demonstrates that the consumption of seed oils is linked to all these diseases and more.
What’s the Problem with Seed Oils?
This is where things get a bit technical. If you’d rather hear this discussion than read it, tune in to episode 1069 of the Primal Potential podcast.
It’s important that we understand the chemistry. The concerning compound within seed oils is primarily linoleic acid. Again, linoleic acid is found in many foods, but it’s the exponentially higher concentration in seed oils that’s problematic.
Linoleic acid is an omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid. When we talk about fats, we can classify them as saturated or unsaturated. When we’re looking at unsaturated fats, there are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This is determined by the presence and number of double bonds.
Fatty acids are combinations of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They are chains of carbons with a carboxyl group at one end and hydrogen atoms down the length of the chain. If there are no double bonds in the chain, it’s saturated fat. If there are double bonds, it’s an unsaturated fat (meaning it’s not fully saturated with hydrogen). If there’s only one double bond, it’s monounsaturated. If there is more than one double bond, it’s a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Olive oil, for example, is primarily monounsaturated fat. Seed oils are primarily polyunsaturated fats.
Saturated fats are solid at room temperature (think lard and butter). Most polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature (canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, etc).
Saturated fats are more chemically stable than unsaturated fats. They do not have loose electrons while unsaturated fats do. This makes unsaturated fats more likely to oxidize. When we think of fat oxidizing, we usually think of it going rancid, and this is true. At the molecular level, however, oxidation is the loss of electrons. Electrons are a big piece of the puzzle when we’re trying to figure out the problem with seed oils and why they are so dangerous. An unpaired electron is known as a free radical. Free radicals are highly reactive. They create a cascade effect of electron theft which is essentially an unchecked cascade of damage and instability. When the unpaired electron is lost/stolen within a polyunsaturated fat is “stolen”, that fat becomes what is known as a lipid peroxide. This process is magnified when heat is applied, as is often the case in the use of seed oils (anytime they’re cooked or heated).
What is even more damaging than linoleic acid itself are the byproducts of linoleic acid in the human body.
Linoleic acid produces toxic byproducts including acrolein, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Acrolein is one of the toxins found in cigarette smoke known to cause lung damage. It’s a biocide, meaning it kills life. HNE and MDA are cytotoxic and mutagenic, which means they kill cells and alter DNA. NHE is always found in damaged brain tissue and when we look at animal models, it causes amyloid plaque formation in the brain. Amyloid plaque is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimers.
A study on mice showed that diets high in canola oil are shown to significantly impair memory and lead to amyloid plaques.
HNE has been shown to damage mitochondrial ATP generation — the fuel needed for your brain.
Cancer is caused by oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and genetic damage. Seed oils have been shown to cause all three. One of the mechanisms here is cardiolipin damage. Cardiolipin is one of the primary phospholipids found in our mitochondria. One of the markers of cancer presence and proliferation is cardiolipin damage.
HNE has been shown to damage the p53 gene, which is a tumor suppressor.
How Do You Know If Something Contains Seed Oils?
First and foremost – read the labels! Here are some of the ways seed oils will be listed:
- Rapeseed oil
- Canola oil
- Palm oil
- Palm kernel oil
- Soybean oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Rice bran oil
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil
- Vegetable oil
- Hydrogenated vegetable oil
This is not an exhaustive list! If you aren’t sure, google it! This is serious enough that you really want to know.
How Do You Avoid Seed Oils?
A fantastic place to start is not purchasing or using oils like canola, corn, safflower, etc. If you have these in your pantry, throw them away. Have a can of Crisco? Please toss it.
Avoid processed foods! If you’re going to consume something processed, check the labels! This is important for everyone but especially important for children! I said goodbye to Roman’s favorite Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies after doing my research for this topic. Why? The second ingredient is a seed oil. Just because you perceive something to be healthy because of something like the word “organic” does not mean it’s healthy at all! A lot of protein bars and protein shakes have seed oils!
How Are Seed Oils Different from The Seeds Themselves?
The primary difference is the concentration. Dr. Paul Saladino recently put forward a video about rice bran oil, explaining that a single meal at Chipotle is prepared using a few tablespoons of rice bran oil. Doesn’t sound bad, right? Wrong. Why? Because it takes approximately 34 cups of brown rice to make those few tablespoons of oil. So the massive difference here is in the concentration. You’d never eat 34 cups of rice in a day, but you could easily have tablespoons worth of the oil in one meal or a part of one meal. And of course, people aren’t having these oils at just one meal or in just one component of meals. That’s why our intake is up 1000x.
My Personal Takeaways
I’ll be honest – I knew that seed oils were bad news but I didn’t consider just how bad they are and I hadn’t gone through the research until preparing for episode 1069 of the Primal Potential podcast. One thing I did right away was throw away my son’s Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies. It’s a no for me.
Another sad shift – I’m not much of a protein bar gal, but I do sometimes treat myself to a crumbled up PowerCrunch bar in greek yogurt. Not anymore. It’s not worth the risk. I’ll find an alternative free from seed oils.
I use The Consistency Calendar to track certain habits each month and for the next upcoming month, one of the habits I’ll be tracking daily is “Zero seed oils”.
Want to know more?
Head over to the Primal Potential podcast and listen to episode 1069! If you have questions, be sure to let me know so I can do a follow up episode!
Chris Kresser is an incredible research if you want to dive down the rabbit hole further. Here’s a fantastic overview on seed oils he put together.
To read more about saturated fat, here’s a good paper.
Research specific to polyunsaturated fats.
On omega 3 versus omega 6 over the decades
BHA as endocrine disrupter
Vegetable Oils and CVD risk
The Rise of Seed Oil Consumption
Mar 2, 2023 | Blog
A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a long-time listener who shared that she feels a plant-based diet is best for human health. Though she didn’t share any particular research, she indicated that her research indicated that plant based diets offer health benefits not seen in animal based diets. I disagree and I want to explain why but more importantly, I want to shed some light on why nutrition research can be misleading.
How is it possible that nutrition research can indicate that plant based diets lower cholesterol, lower inflammation and reduce risk of chronic disease due to the exclusion of meat while at the same time, different research indicates the exact opposite? It’s true: there’s compelling research on both sides. More importantly, there’s compelling real world evidence on both side. There are plant based individuals who have seen reduction in disease markers and animal based individuals who also experience dramatic health improvements with their carnivore diets.
Can this be explained? Yes, it can.
When the research is muddled, where should we focus? I’ll share my thoughts on that, too.
The Big Picture About Health: It’s Not As Simple as Plant Based Diet Versus Animal Based Diet
One of the big issues in nutrition research is known as healthy user bias. Science Direct describes healthy user bias this way.
“Healthy user bias gives the impression that the health of participants is the result of therapy {intervention}, when their good health stems from other healthy habits. Thus, healthy user bias can skew the results of case control or cohort studies. For example, in a cohort study using electronic records of statin use, those who renewed a statin prescription were more likely to receive a number of other preventive health services, including prostate-specific antigen testing, mammography, and influenza vaccinations, than those who didn’t.”
So, are their results related to statin use? Or is it that this group was more likely to receive other preventive health services? It’s an important question.
Studies that examine the health benefits of a plant-based or carnivore-style diet often do not or cannot control for confounding variables. A study of 100 vegans may find that they have better health markers than the general population. But this may be due to the fact that vegans are more likely to be active, non-smokers, not overweight, and consume less sugar and processed foods. It’s not necessarily because they don’t eat animal products.
Similarly, studies of people who follow a carnivore-style diet often fail to control for confounding variables. These individuals may also be more active, consume fewer processed foods, and carry more muscle and less fat. It’s not necessarily because they eat animal products.
The biggest issues affecting health are sugar, processed foods, seed/crop oils, overeating, being sedentary, and being overweight. It’s not just about whether you eat meat or plants. If you want to avoid animal products, that’s great. If you want to eat animal products, that’s great too. My role isn’t to convince anyone to eat a certain way.
What’s important is that we understand the bigger picture about health. And that we listen to our bodies and do what represents an improvement for us as individuals.
Anyone can claim that it’s about plants or animals. For most individuals, they’d be better served to focus on eating fewer processed foods, eating less seed oils, avoiding overeating, walking and putting on some muscle mass. And when you come across someone who wants to argue for these edge-of-the-spectrum approaches, keep in mind that these big rocks are what matter most!
Feb 11, 2023 | Blog
Several years back, I lost over 130 pounds after struggling with yo-yo dieting and obesity for most of my life. Here I am again, after having 4 kids in less than 2.5 years, on a postpartum weight loss journey.
Fortunately, I’m not interested in diets, plans or programs. I simply want to be fit, healthy, confident and have a rock solid relationship with food. I’m not interested in counting calories, macros or the latest restrictive way of eating that promises fat loss.
I could have said all the same things when I lost 130 pounds, but things are a little different this time. I’m older, I’m a bit wiser and I have 3 kids under 2 (so I don’t have the same amount of flexibility that I did years ago!) I talked about this in episode 1062 of the Primal Potential podcast in a lot more detail, but I wanted to summarize the 3 pillars of my postpartum weight loss approach. I’m always learning, rethinking and fine tuning, so here’s where things stand today.
The 3 Pillars of My Postpartum Weight Loss Approach
- Healing comes first
I’m not sick. I haven’t been sick. Years ago, if someone had talked about prioritizing healing, I’d probably have tuned out because I didn’t think I had anything to heal from. Here’s what I know now: just looking at 3 pregnancies, 3 c-sections and 4 babies – there’s healing to be done! Then if we add in stress, antibiotic use, overeating, trauma from the loss of my daughter, lack of sleep (and more), there’s A LOT of healing to be done! I’m specifically talking about healing the gut. All the things I mentioned, and many more, break down the protective barrier in the gut, causing the immune system to kick into overdrive.As that happens, our inflammatory response is triggered and that leads to everything from brain fog to metabolic impairments to hormone imbalances, weight loss resistance and more!Because I want to be as healthy as possible and make weight loss easier, one of my primary priorities for postpartum weight loss is to heal my gut. (Tune in to episodes 1061 and 1062 of the Primal Potential podcast for a lot more about this! In these episodes I talk about how I’m doing this and some of the supplements that help. I’ll also link to them below.)
- Protein is a constant priority
Every time I eat, whether it’s a meal or a snack, it will contain protein. Protein is essential for healing. It’s also essential for satiety and helps to reduce cravings. Most of us aren’t consuming enough protein. That doesn’t mean I’ll be going crazy with protein shakes and steaks the size of my head, but as a way of supporting blood sugar balance and warding off excessive hunger and cravings, protein will be present each time I eat.Some of my favorite ways to fit in protein are greek yogurt, eggs, protein smoothies (this is the protein I’m currently using), chicken thighs, salmon and cheese.
- Get strong as hell
Okay…on this one, you first need to listen to episode 538 of the Primal Potential podcast. Seriously. Stop what you’re doing and tune in to that episode. It doesn’t matter if postpartum weight loss is a goal of yours or it’s not. Everyone needs to listen to this episode at least a couple of times.I’m weight training (at home) 4 times weekly with the goal of getting STRONG. Cautionary tale: if you’re afraid of getting “bulky” if you lift weights, please know that only happens if you’re eating a caloric excess. If you are getting bulky and don’t want to be, that is a food issue, not a weight training issue.
In getting strong and putting on some muscle (which has nothing to do with getting bigger – that’s a common misunderstanding), I’ll not only improve my fitness, improve my balance, my health span and my ability to take care of my loved ones, but I’ll also look better naked! And, one of my favorite benefits, because muscle is more metabolically active than other tissues, I’ll be able to eat more without putting on weight or preventing weight loss.
But seriously – listen to episode 538 if you haven’t yet! Don’t skip it!
Here are some podcast episodes that you should listen to for more details:
Episode 1061: One of the Most Important Health & Weight Loss Episodes I’ve Done
Episode 1047: 10 Tips for Fat Loss
Episode 538: If You’re Over 30, You Need to Hear This
Supplements I’m Taking for Postpartum Weight Loss
GBXFit
Probiotics
Mentabiotics
GBXBurn
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase from the link, I could receive a small commission. This does not increase the price you pay.
Jan 16, 2023 | Blog
Since the Primal Potential podcast started back in 2014, I’ve put together countless resources on the topic of weight loss, but it’s not always easy to sort though and find what you’re looking for. I’m putting together this weight loss cheat sheet to make it easier for you!
Weight Loss Cheat Sheet
Important Episodes on Weight Loss
Please note that the only place to listen to all episodes of the Primal Potential podcast is a podcast app like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Audible, Stitcher, Podbean, etc. For the first few years of the podcast, I made a blog post for every episode and those episodes do also live on my website. However, I haven’t done that for a couple years so you will not find every episode on my website. I‘m listing episode numbers so that you will head into your preferred podcast app and listen there.
On Calories & Caloric Deficits
Episode 062 – 4 Reasons Calorie Counting Doesn’t Work
Episode 002 – Hormones Trump Cals (and Why)
Episode 121 – Fat Loss Basics – Calories & Hormones
On Carbohydrates
Episode 195: The Golden Rules of Carbs & Fat Loss
Episode 058 – Understanding Carbs & Fat Loss – The Insulin Effect
Episode 331 – Carb Storage and Fat Loss
Episode 170 – Improving Your Carbohydrate Tolerance
On Fitness & Exercise
Episode 538: What Everyone Over 30 Needs to Know about Muscle
Episode 513: The Elements of Fitness for Fat Loss
Episode 160 – Fat to Fit Part 3 (Fitness)
On Supplements
Episode 951 – The Impact of Your Microbiome on Your Weight
On Mindset, Excuses and Limiting Beliefs
Episode 903: My Top Tip for Getting Results
Episode 444 – Overcoming Excuses for Good!
Episode 939 – What to do About Inconsistency
On Protein
Episode 123 – Fat Loss Basics – Protein for Fat Loss
My Two Fave Protein Shake Recipes
Weight Loss Blogs
My Weight Loss Strategy for 2023
Jan 2, 2023 | Blog
Yup, I’m breaking down my personal weight loss strategy for the new year. As most of you know, 2022 brought us identical twin girls! That means I was pregnant and had babies in 2020, 2021 and 2022! Not surprisingly, I’m not feeling as amazing in my body as I want to be!
Before you continue much further into this post, head to the Primal Potential podcast because in episode 1051 I’m sharing all the details about how I set goals, how I track my progress and (most importantly) how I keep my goals top of mind as I move through my busy days. That information is super relevant and important, but since it’s on the podcast, we’re not going to dive into it here.
My time is in seriously short supply with 3 kids under 2, multiple businesses and a non-profit, which means the only approach that will work for me is a simple one! Here it is!
My Personal Weight Loss Strategy
Nutrition is reigns supreme when it comes to fat loss but I don’t subscribe to time-intensive strategies like counting macros, calories, carbs or anything else. Instead, I follow the very simple Golden Rules of Carbs and Fat Loss. Essentially, I save my carbs for either post workout or my evening meal and I watch the quantity, quality and pairing of the carbs.
Here are some episodes where I share lots of info on what that means:
Episode 195 – The Golden Rules of Carbs and Fat Loss
Episode 007 – Carbs and Fat Loss – Timing Matters
I strength train 4 times per week, for 25-30 minutes per session. I do it at home with dumbbells and kettlebells – no time for trips to the gym in this season of life. Getting strong is critical for fat loss that lasts! If you don’t know where to start, hire a trainer! Even if you work with him/her for a few months, you’ll get the basics and can continue with what you learned on your own.
I get 10,000 steps per day. Seriously – sitting is the new smoking. It’s one of the deadliest behaviors we could habituate. Get up and move. You don’t need to jog or run, just walk at a leisurely pace. Often, I have one of my twins strapped to me in a carrier while I walk on the treadmill after Roman goes to bed, but no matter what, I get it done.
I drink 1 gallon of water today. To be honest, I usually drink more (because I’m pumping/breastfeeding two babies!) but the minimum is 1 gallon. Hydration impacts everything from metabolism to energy, immunity and more! Drink up!
I take 3 specific supplements to support my fat loss goals.
The first is called GBXFit and it’s the first of it’s kind. It’s a quadbiotic (prebiotic, probiotic, postbiotic and phytobiotic) with strains that are proven to support optimal body composition.
I also take Relief+, an all natural anti-inflammatory because most of us have systemic inflammation and inflammation impairs fat loss.
Lastly (on the fat loss front) I take Mood+ which is an all-natural adaptogen blend. It helps my body adapt to physical and emotional stressors because stress impairs fat loss.
If you want to follow along with my journey, I share the most inside the Primal Potential FB group. It’s free to join and an amazingly supportive and informative community!
*please note that some of the links on this post and on my site are affiliate links, meaning that if you were to click and choose to purchase, I’d make a slight commission. It does not increase the price to you at all and I only share things I personally use, love and find tremendous value in.
Oct 14, 2022 | Blog
I recently shared that I’m doing a 3-day detox and so many of you asked me for the details that I figured it would be wise to put it here on the blog so you can easily find it whenever you’re interested. There are a million ways to detox, as many things to detox from and countless detox plans and programs. If you know me at all, it won’t surprise you that I detox my own way based on my goals, needs and lifestyle (and I think you should, too).
Yes, I could follow someone else’s rules or program, but that’s not what I’m doing. One of the reasons I’m making up my own rules is because my circumstances are unique to me in the same way that yours are unique to you. For example, I’m currently breastfeeding (and pumping), I’m a couple months postpartum and I’m anemic. While I do have a goal of weight loss, I also need to keep my milk supply up. On top of that, I have no interest in being miserable, cranky or having no energy for 3 hours, never mind 3 days!
Why A 3 Day Detox?
I don’t know about you, but I love to challenge myself. I like to mix it up and gain a little momentum. This is one way to do it and one of my reasons. I like sprinkling in fasts or detoxes, but I can’t fast right now (for the above stated reasons).
I think it’s incredibly important to detox. It’s valuable to detox from media, from screens, from alcohol, complaining, toxins, sugar and so many things. This particular detox is a nutrition detox, designed to jump start weight loss, reduce cravings, increase energy, eliminate toxins and help my body heal by reducing inflammation.
As silly as it might sound, my breast pump, coffee maker and washing machine prompted me to do this detox. Does anyone else have one of those fancy coffee makers that prompts you to run a cleaning cycle? While I’m the first to dismiss reminders to update my phone or computer, I rarely dismiss the cleaning prompts from my coffee maker. Why? Because I hate the idea of build-up from the machine getting into my morning cup of coffee. I hate the idea of mold or grime accumulating inside the machine. So, I run the cleaning cycle. I feel the same way about my breast pump. I’m vigilant about cleaning the parts thoroughly and constantly. Why? Because build-up accumulates and will absolutely get into the milk! No, thank you! And I’m sure you have all noticed how your washing machine gets kind of nasty if you don’t clean it, right?
Well, that illustrates why I think the occasional detox is important! You’d better believe that toxins accumulate in our tissues and that this accumulation impacts how we function! Not only does it lead to things like low energy and brain fog, it impairs fat loss, creates hormonal imbalance and drives inflammation/disease.
Nutritional detoxes are as important as flossing our teeth – maybe even more!
What’s My 3 Day Detox?
You can detox however you’d like. You can detox the way I am, you can fast, you can follow someone else’s detox (make sure they’re trustworthy!) or you can make up your own! I’m happy to share mine, with the caveat that I made up the guidelines based on my goals, needs and priorities. A big factor in how I’ll detox is the fact that I’m a very simple girl and I don’t like things that are complex or confusion. Here are the guidelines:
- 1 gallon of water daily (plain water)
- Meat, veggies and fruit only (if it’s not in one of those categories, I don’t eat it)
- Reboot supplement pack (this is only about $15 with the code BENTON)
You might be thinking, “What about coffee?” Is coffee meat? Is coffee a vegetable? Is it a fruit? You can answer for yourself. I know some of you are convincing yourself that coffee berries make coffee a fruit. Your detox, your rules!
What Will I Eat?
I’ll be posting daily in the Primal Potential FB group so you can check out the details there, but here’s a sample day:
AM: leftover chicken thighs + 1 medium apple
Lunch: Salad from Chipotle Mexican grill (lettuce, steak, pico, fajita veggies, guacamole)
Dinner: Steak and broccoli
Snacks: Blueberries, cucumbers, tomatoes
Do You Have to Take Reboot?
It’s your detox. You make your rules. I think about it like this: if I run my dishwasher without detergent, are the dishes clean? Well, they’re cleaner than they were before I ran it, but they aren’t as clean as they would be if I had used detergent. You can detox without supplements that support detoxification and elimination. However, your detox probably won’t be as effective as it would have been if you included them. The way I see it, it’s a really effective 3-day product pack specifically for detoxification and it’s really affordable, so it’s worth it to me. You get to do your detox your way!
Remember to drink a lot of water! That’s going to help flush out any toxins! Happy detoxing!
