On a personal note, after the morning I've had, I feel like I'm ready to write a book. But then I would join the countless others who've felt the same calling and possibly be dubbed as just another "diet dictocrate" which is the antithesis of my objective.
So, I'll just continue to fight my own little small-scale battle against media, government, and "diet experts" right here on my simple little blog...only hoping that it's content reaches and touches someone....anyone.
Enough of that! Let's move on to the discussion of some popular dietary fats and oils.
Duck and Goose Fat
-about 35% saturated fat
-52% monounsaturated fat
-about 13% polyunsaturated fat
The proportion of omega-6 go omega-3 fatty acids depends on what the birds have eaten. Duck and goose fat are quite stable and are used often in Europe for frying/
Chicken Fat
-about 31% saturated fat
-49% monounsaturated
-20% polyunsaturated, most of which is omega-6 linoleic acid, although omega-3 increases when chickens are fed flax or fish meal, or allowed to range freely eating grass and insects - just the way God intended it!
Lard or pork fat
-about 40% saturated
-48% monoumsaturated
-12% polyunsaturated
Like the fat of birds, the amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids will vary depending on the diet of the pigs. Lard was widely used for frying in America at the turn of the century. It is an excellent source of vitamin D - if you don't have access to other animal foods. Some researchers believe pork products should be avoided completely, some conclude that only pork meat presents a problem and that pig fat in the form of lard is safe and healthy. Personaly, our family does not eat pork products. We don't think they're healthy for our bodies and since we try to follow a "diet" closest to Jesus' (as much as we can in our time) we know he never ate pork, so we choose not to eat pork. I've discussed this topic before and would be glad to expound, should anyone be interested.
Beef and Mutton Tallows
-50-55% saturated
-about 40% momounsaturated and contains small amounts of the polyunsatruates
Suet and tallow are very stable fats, good for frying. Traditional cultures valued these fats for their health benefits; they're a good source of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid.
Olive Oil
-75% oleic acid
-13% saturated fat
-10% omega-6 linoleic acid
-2% omega-3 linoleic acid
Olive oil is perfect for salads and for medium temp. cooking. Extra Virgin olive oil is rich in antioxidants. It should be cloudy, meaning it hasn't been filtered, and have a golden yellow color - meaning it's made from fully ripened olives. Olive oil has recently been pushed as "healthy" as it should be. Be careful, however, not to overdo it. The longer-chain fatty acids found in olive oil are more likely to add to the build-up of body fat that the short and medium-chain fatty acids in butter and coconut oil.
Speaking of butter....let's take a critical look shall we?
There seems to be a constant attack on saturated fats, specifically on butter. Research does not support the claim that butter causes chronic high cholesterol. In fact, stearic acid (mainly in beef fat) actually lowers cholesterol. Margarine, on the other hand, provokes chronic high level of cholesterol and has been linked to both heart disease and cancer. Most margarines or tub spreads, while maybe lower in hydrogenated fats, are still produced from rancid vegetable oils and are full of additives. God did not create cows to give us margarine!
"The diet dictocrats have succeeded in convincing Americans that butter is dangerous, when in fact it is a valued component of many traditional diets" and a source of:
*fat-soluble vitamins A, D, K, and E
*short and medium-chain fatty acids
*omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids
*conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
*lecithin (not soy)
*cholesterol - yes, we need it; it is essential for growth and development and protects against cancer, heart disease, and mental illness
*glycosphingolipids - children given skim milk have diarrhea at rates three to five times greater than children who drink whole milk because they lack this type of fat protecting against gastrointestinal infections.
*trace minerals like manganese, zinc, chromium, iodine, and selenium.
Nourshing Traditions
love the break-down. thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and as far as the turkey fat goes, the exact break down (especially pertaining to omega-6/omega-3 balance) would depend upon the diet of the turkey. Unfortunately, most store bought turkeys don't have an optimal diet. Your best place to look for turkey is in the wild, eating what God meant for them to eat....any hunters in your family or friend circle? Turkey fat contains high amounts of polyunsaturates which dietary gurus will tell you are good for you and that saturated fats cause cancer and heart disease. However, excess consumption of polyunsaturated fats/oils have been shown to contribute to a large number of disease conditions including increased cancer and heart disease, immune system dysfunction, damage to the liver, reproductive organs and lungs, digestive disorders, depressed learning ability, impaired growth, and weight gain. One reason these fats cause so many problems is that they tend to become oxidized or rancid when exposed to heat, oxygen, and moisture - when cooking or processing. I'd be happy to go in to a bit more detail, if you'd like further info. But bottom line, the demonized saturated fats are not the cause of modern diseases. They are in fact, very important for our body chemistry, a topic which I will explore further in a future blog post. Keep an eye out!...and consider a more stable fat like butter or coconut oil.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to add that you can find local pasteured turkey at the 2nd St. Market in Dayton or a great site to check out is www.eatwild.com.
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