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- Traditional
diet reduces heart risk
- Canola
Oil
- Safflower,
Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils
- Recipe
for Ghee
- Sally
Fallon's Book
It
seems the topic of 'Fat' in our diet comes up very often. The
popular public opinion which has been promoted by media and
so-called 'nutrition experts' is that a low fat diet is healthy
and canola oil is a good replacement for other oils and fats.
Neither opinions are true and are an example of the promotion of
misinformation for financial gain. Here is an article written by
Susan Aldridge that appeared on Health and Age website. While she
is on the right track some of her information is misinformation. A
good example of "Don't believe everything you read." We will help
you to read between the lines...see below the article.
Traditional
diet reduces heart risk
Susan Aldridge,
PhD
A diet rich in
marine foods cuts the risk of heart disease, because of its high
omega-3 fatty acid content.
Researchers have been studying a group of 426 Inuit people living
in Quebec, Canada. The traditional diet of the Inuit consists of
marine foods - fish and marine mammals - and is therefore high in
omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart. The survey
revealed that older Inuit, who followed the traditional diet, had
higher levels of omega-3's in their blood than younger people who ate
a wider range of foods.
As omega-3
levels went up, HDL ('good' cholesterol) went up too and it's this
that benefits the heart. Those on the traditional diet had a heart
disease mortality that was only 47 per cent that of the general
population in Quebec. Whether this will rise as people switch to a
diet with more 'modern' foods remains to be seen. Eating a
traditional Inuit diet is probably neither practical nor desirable
for most of us, but we can get the benefits from eating one or two
fish meals a week, while vegetarians could try consuming canola,
soy, flaxseed and walnut oils which are also high in omega-3's.
Source:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition September 2001 Volume 74
pages 464-473
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Our
first comment is that they don't need to question whether the
health of the Inuit will change with the introduction of modern
foods. Other studies have been done and have proved that the
adulterated modern foods cause a decline in health. For example, Dr. Weston
Price in the 1930's studied 2 different groups within several
primitive cultures.
One
group ate their traditional, unadulterated diet and the second
group ate civilized adulterated
foods. The difference in the health of their teeth was astounding.
Not only did the second group have significantly more decay, but
their offspring had narrower faces and dental arches with pinched
nostrils and crowded teeth. If they had a decline in the health of
their teeth and bone structure, you can bet they had other health
issues.
Secondly,
we do not concur with the idea of vegetarians or anyone else for
that matter consuming canola or soy oils. Here's why...
Canola
Oil contains 5% saturated fat, 57% oleic acid, 23% omega-6 and 10%-15%
omega-3. The newest oil on the market, canola oil was developed
from the rapeseed, a member of the mustard family. Rapeseed is
unsuited to human consumption because it contains a
very-long-chain fatty acid called erucic acid, which under some
circumstances is associated with fibrotic heart lesions. Canola
oil was bred to contain little if any erucic acid and has drawn
the attention of nutritionists because of its high oleic acid
content. But there are some indications that canola oil presents
dangers of its own. It has high sulphur content and goes rancid
easily. Baked goods made with canola oil develop mold very
quickly. During the deodorizing process, the omega-3 fatty acids
of processed canola oil are transformed into trans fatty acids,
similar to those in margarine and possibly more dangerous. A
recent study indicates that "heart healthy" canola oil
actually creates a deficiency of vitamin E, a vitamin required for
a healthy cardiovascular system. Other studies indicate that even
low-erucic-acid canola oil causes heart lesions, particularly when
the diet is low in saturated fat.
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Safflower,
Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils all
contain over 50% omega-6 and, except for soybean oil, only minimal
amounts of omega-3. Safflower oil contains almost 80% omega-6.
Researchers are just beginning to discover the dangers of excess
omega-6 oils in the diet, whether rancid or not. Use of these oils
should be eliminated.
Also,
on the topic of Soy...a quote from Sally Fallon's book (see below)
..."Soybeans are high in phytates and contain potent enzyme
inhibitors that are only deactivated by fermentation and not by
ordinary cooking methods. These inhibitors can lead to protein
assimilation problems in those who consume unfermented soy
products frequently. Soybeans must not be used like other legumes
in soups and other dishes but only as fermented products like miso,
natto, and tempeh. It is also a mistake to rely on tofu or bean
curd as a protein food because of its high phytate content. Those
who wish to eat tofu would be wise to imitate the Japanese who eat
small amounts of tofu in fish broth and not as a substitute for
animal foods. Soy milk, often substituted for cow's milk, also has
a phytate content and can lead to mineral deficiencies.
Phytoestrogens found in soy foods, although touted as panaceas for
heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis, are potent endocrine
disrupters as well as goitrogens--substances that depress thyroid
function." The last thing we need in an already mineral
depleted diet is the suppression of the Thyroid. The Thyroid gland
craves minerals and since our soil is so depleted we need all the
help we can get. Ever wonder why so many people are on
anti-depressants these days? Well, that's another whole topic!
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OK,
we know the next question is, "So what kind of fats and oils
should I use?"
Our
choice of fats and oils is one of extreme importance. Most people,
especially infants and growing children, benefit from more fat in
the diet rather than less. But the fats we eat, must be chosen
with care. Avoid all processed foods containing new-fangled
hydrogenated fats and polyunsaturated oils. Eat egg yolks and
other animal fats with the proteins to which they are attached.
And, finally, use as much good quality butter as you like, with
the happy assurance that it is a wholesome, indeed an essential,
food for you and your whole family.
When cooking with fats do not heat
to the point of discolouration. Ghee (a form of clarified butter)
is good to use in cooking because it has the milk solids removed
and this prevents burning. The French favour duck fat, which gives
incredible flavour. Locally, Hills
Foods supplies duck fat and undoubtedly there are a suppliers
in most large cities.
You may wonder why I’m not
mentioning olive oil. The point is that oils are processed...even
olive oil. If you think back to before agriculture existed, we ate
meat, fish, nuts, seeds, vegetation, and some fruit (mainly
berries). We did not have high glycemic carbohydrates or processed
oils. The only oil recommended, is flax oil in oxygen free dark-coloured
gel caps. This is because we do not get enough essential fatty acids
in our diet. DON’T BURN FAT!!! It will cause free radical damage
to your body, which in turn can cause cancer.
Ghee
Yields: 1 1/2
cup (375 ml)
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) unsalted butter
Melt
the butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Increase the
heat and bring the butter to a boil. When the surface is
completely covered with foam stir the butter gently and reduce the
heat to the lowest possible setting. Simmer uncovered and
undisturbed for 45 minutes, or until the milk solids in the bottom
of the pan have turned golden brown and the butter on top is
transparent. Strain the butter through a sieve lined with linen or
four layers of cheesecloth. If there are any solids in the ghee,
no matter how small, strain it again until it is perfectly clear.
Pour the ghee into a glass jar
and seal tightly. This recipe
makes about 1 1/2 cups, and may be kept at room temperature for
several months, or almost indefinitely refrigerated. It will
congeal if refrigerated, and so must be warmed before using if
liquid ghee is called for.
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Sally
Fallon's Book
I've included a rather significant amount of information here about oils
and fats taken directly from Sally
Fallon's book.
This is one of the best and best-researched sources of information and recipes about healthy
eating we have come across.
 Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
- by Sally Fallon
References:
-
Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats
- Sally Fallon
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