|
Eat the Right Fat or Die
Prematurely!
(The truth about the big
"FAT" lies) |
(get printer friendly
"WORD" version of this article)
Go straight
to Eskimo Kids Omega Fish Oil
|
"The fats and oils
story may well be the greatest scandal of ignorance,
disinformation, and greed in the entire history of food
production. The effects of poorly processed oils are a
major causative factor in heart disease, cancer, and
most modern diseases that have affected hundreds of
millions of people all over the world."
John Finnegan, The
Facts About Fats |
For some
years now there has been a
'no-fat' or 'low-fat' craze.
But make no mistake. Fats are vital to
our health. Without the right fats in our diets we first
become ill, and then we die prematurely.
One of the main secrets to good health
is knowing which are the 'good' fats and which are
'bad'.
As Udo Erasmus states on the cover of
his best-selling book "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill",
eating the right fats and oils improves:
-
energy level
-
athletic performance
-
fat loss
-
cardiovascular health
-
immune function
-
longevity
-
and more
We've all heard the 'old wives tale'
that fish is good for the brain. Now the evidence is
rolling in thick and fast of the importance of omega 3
oils for the brain, from the time of pre-conception,
through time spent in the womb building the brain and
nervous system, to school years and beyond.
Essential Fatty Acids' are called that,
because they really are ESSENTIAL. We die without them.
But first we become ill.
And it's not just the
omega-3 " which
everyone is talking about now.
There is much omega 6 to
consider too.
Yet, it
appears on the face of it, that we are getting too much
omega 6 already in our modern diets. And so we are. The
point is, by the time they have been processed, heated,
altered in the manufacturing process, and so on, they
are no longer good for us. On the contrary, they create
big problems for our health, and in spite of eating them
in our diet, many of us are still FUNCTIONALLY DEFICIENT in them, especially
children.
It has
been said recently by Jamie Oliver, popular chef of the
UK television programmes which highlighted the poor
nutritional quality of school dinners, that for the
first time ever, children are destined to die at a
younger age than their parents.
All this and beyond will be discussed in
the following chapters, clearly and precisely, in easy
language.
Best kept secret
One of the
best kept secrets of good health is to eat something
which most of us have been purposefully avoiding, out of fear that it would cause us to
put on weight and die of heart disease. A culture of
fear has surrounded this particular food group. The
reason why? For many years we have been fed misleading
and confusing information - indeed, nothing less than
lied to. The truth has been known for some years, but
vested interests did not want us to know.
It's worth repeating the quote in the
Foreword:
|
"The fats and oils
story may well be the greatest scandal of ignorance,
disinformation, and greed in the entire history of food
production. The effects of poorly processed oils are a
major causative factor in heart disease, cancer, and
most modern diseases that have affected hundreds of
millions of people all over the world." |
The truth is, that fats and oils in
their natural, unprocessed states, are vital for our
good health, whilst processed oils and most margarines
will eventually make us ill.
If you think about it, the oils come
from nuts and seeds. Each nut and seed contains the germ
of a new life, and all it needs to start growing a
completely new healthy plant is water and light. The nut
or seed contains all the nutrition the new plant needs.
But by the time the oil manufacturing companies have
finished with it, they have turned this healthy seed
into a toxic timebomb called 'pure vegetable oil' or
'pure safflower oil' or 'margarine'.
More on this later.
Some vital statistics
There are about 50 essential factors for
healthy life:
-
water
-
oxygen
-
light
-
a source of energy (most commonly starch
or glucose)
-
about 20 minerals
-
13 vitamins
-
8 amino acids (10 for children, 11 for
premature infants)
-
2 essential fatty acids
Our bodies cannot make these things, and
we must obtain them from our environment.
In addition to these 50 essential
factors, there are several which are not considered
'essential' but are required for good health. These
include fibre and friendly bacteria for the health of
our intestines, and digestive enzymes, bile and
hydrochloric acid for digestion of food.
Several surveys in both America and the
United Kingdom have shown that the majority of the
population are deficient in several (often many) nutrients.
Depending on which nutrient is involved, this will
inevitably lead to disease.
You can read more about this
in this newsletter on our sister site
Some of the functions of EFAs
-
Wherever intense biochemical activity
occurs - your nerve and brain cells, testes, adrenal
glands and sense organs - you will find
Essential Fatty
Acids
-
EFAs are found in all cell membranes,
nerve coverings, hormones and prostaglandins
(prostaglandins are similar to hormones, but are found
all over the body where they regulate inflammatory
response and have immune-enhancing functions)
-
EFAs are vital in the transfer of oxygen
to cells and in the conversion of food to energy
-
EFAs increase energy, elevating
metabolic rate by increasing fat burning efficiency
-
EFAs are required for the transport and
metabolism of cholesterol and triglycerides (saturated
fats)
-
EFAs are needed for healthy skin, hair,
nails and for the healing process
-
There are two Essential Fatty Acids,
called:
Omega-3 Deficiency Symptoms:
In his book "Choosing the Right Fats", Udo Erasmus states "Your intake of n-3 (omega-3)
is likely to have decreased to 1/6 of what people
consumed in 1850. N-3 deficiency is widespread. This is
due to the fact that n-3 is very sensitive to
destruction during processing, and is removed from foods
to extend product shelf life."
He continues "A deficiency in n-3 is
more difficult to identify than n-6. The reason is that
n-6 (omega-6) can partially cover n-3 deficiencies. N-3,
on the other hand, cannot cover for a shortage of n-6.
If your body suffers an n-3 deficiency, you may have the
following symptoms."
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He lists the following omega-3
deficiency symptoms:
-
Retarded growth
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Behavioral* change
-
Weakness
-
Weakened vision
-
Learning problems
-
Depression
-
Hyperactivity, attention deficit, and
dyslexia
-
Poor motor coordination
-
Poor muscle growth
-
Impaired healing of injuries
-
Tingling sensations in arms and legs
-
Insulin resistance
-
High triglycerides
-
High blood pressure
-
Sticky platelets, or tendency to form
clots in arteries, leading to heart attack, stroke, or
embolism
-
High lipoprotein(a) - a strong
predictive risk factor for cardiovascular disease
-
High fibrinogen - a clotting risk factor
-
Inflammation in tissues
-
Leaky gut
-
Allergies
-
Auto-immune conditions
-
Increased susceptibility to tumor growth
-
Water retention of odema
-
Dry or inflamed skin
-
Low metabolic rate
-
Low energy level
-
Lowered thyroid and adrenal function
-
Low testosterone level
*American spellings retained when
quoting from American or Canadian books.
|
|
Omega-6 Deficiency Symptoms according
to Udo Erasmus, in the above mentioned book, include the
following:
-
Eczema-like skin eruptions
-
Hair loss
-
Water loss through the skin, with
attendant thirst; common in diabetes insipidus, and
often seen in hyperactive children
-
Behavioral changes
-
Fatty infiltration of the liver
-
Kidney malfunction
-
Drying up of glands
-
Susceptibility to infection
-
Failure of wounds to heal
-
Sterility in males
-
Miscarriage in females
-
Arthritis-like conditions
-
Heartbeat abnormalities that can lead to
cardiac arrest
-
Growth retardation
-
Dry skin and hair
-
Brittle nails
-
Dry eyes
-
Elevated cholesterol
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In his book "Brain-Building Nutrition -
The Healing Power of Fats & Oils", Michael A Schmidt,
says the following:
|
"Fatty acids and
phospholipids have been associated with a surprising
number of disorders of the brain. In reviewing several
thousand research papers, hundreds of lab profiles, MRI
reports, and case studies, we have totalled over fifty
conditions of the brain that involve fatty acids or have
responded to fatty acid treatment."
|
He includes a partial list which shows
the potential for things to go wrong if we do not pay
attention to proper fatty acid balance. This list is as
follows:
| Aggression
Alzheimer's disease
Anorexia nervosa
Anxiety
Apraxia (varied forms)
Attention deficit
Autism |
Memory Problems
Migraine
Multiple sclerosis
Paresthesia
Parkinson's disease
Phobia (fears)
Postpartum depression |
| Bipolar disorder
Brain tumor (glioma)
Cerebral palsy
Chronic fatigue
Developmental delay
Depression
Diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy
Down syndrome
Drug abuse |
Rage
Reading problems
Retinal disease
Schizophrenia
School failure
Self-mutilation
Slower information processing
Slower reaction time
Stroke
(Prevention and recovery.)
|
|
Hyperactivity
Head injury
Hostility
Learning
disability
Lower IQ |
Suicide
Tremors
Violence
Zellweger's
syndrome
(and others) |
These lists do not include
every sign, symptom or syndrome which has been
associated with EFA deficiency or imbalance, but should
serve to make the point that EFAs are absolutely crucial
to our health.
Just a tiny bit of easy science
Chapter Two gave a brief introduction to
the Essential Fatty Acids - essential because we can't
make them in our bodies, and we must get them from our
diet, or from supplements.
But what about the other fats?
Fats are, very roughly, divided into
four types:
-
Saturated (e.g. pork fat)
-
Monounsaturated (e.g. parts of olive
oil)
-
Polyunsaturated (e.g. parts of sunflower
oil)
-
Superpolyunsaturated (e.g. fish oil
or flax oil)
You'll also have heard of 'hydrogenated'
or 'partially hydrogenated' vegetable oils.
Hydrogenation is a process which hardens liquid
vegetable oils so that they can be used for spreading.
The main example is margarine. They're also usually
found in biscuits, cakes, pies, crisps, french fries and
other snack foods. Hydrogenated oils are always
bad, and are implicated in most of the disease states we
see. More on this later.
Let's first enlarge a little on the
different types of fats, and then everything will become
clear. This is a fascinating subject when studied in
detail, but not everyone will have the time or
inclination to do so. For those who do, we can highly
recommend "Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill" by Udo
Erasmus.
|
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill
(Udo Erasmus)
Healing fats are required,
together with other nutrients to prevent and
reverse so called ‘incurable’ degenerative
disease: heart diseases, cancer and Type II
diabetes. Healing fats help reverse arthritis,
obesity, PMS, allergies, asthma, skin
conditions, fatigue, yeast and fungal
infections, addictions, certain types of mental
illness, and many other conditions. Good fats
also enhance athletic performance, skin beauty,
longevity and energy levels. Contrary to
popular belief based on advertising hype, the
most dangerous fats are typically found in
margarine, shortenings and heated and refined
polyunsaturated oils. |
For those who just want a quick and
simple explanation, we hope the following will be
helpful.
What's a molecule between friends
As Udo Erasmus says, the birth of our
health takes place at the level of molecules - all
diseases are rooted in the behaviour of molecules. "The
fats that heal have different molecular structures than
those that kill".
Think of a small twig at the end of a
tree branch. It has three caterpillars hanging from it,
side by side. The twig is made of glycerin, and the
three caterpillars (always three) are fatty acid
molecules. These four separate pieces together are
called a triglyceride. (Your Doctor will often test your
blood for triglycerides when testing for cholesterol.)
Triglyceride
The basic structure of a fatty acid (one
of the three caterpillars hanging off the twig) comes in
two parts: one end is fatty and the other end is acid.
Linked together, it is aptly called 'fatty acid'.
There are many different shapes and
sizes of these fatty acid caterpillars. Some are long,
some are medium length, and some are short. Some are
straight, and some are kinked.
Each of the caterpillar 'bobbles' is a
carbon atom. Now imagine that each of these
'caterpillar bobbles', or carbon atoms, has two hairs,
one on each side. Most of these hairs have a hydrogen
atom attached to its end. (Actually, the hair isn't real
- the thing that keeps the hydrogen atom in place is a
force field.)
 |
 |
|
Saturated Fatty
Acid |
Unsaturated Fatty
Acid |
One more thing to imagine, and then
we're almost there.
One end of the caterpillar hates oil,
but loves water. This end of the caterpillar can
dissolve in water. Before the first carbon bobble, where
the caterpillar hangs onto the twig, look
to your left and right, and you see two oxygen atoms and
a hydrogen. This is called the 'Carboxyl End', or Acid
End. (carb for carbon, and oxy for oxygen - easy!)
The other end of the caterpillar loves
fat, and can indeed dissolve in fat. It hates water, and
is not soluble in water. When you get to the end of this
caterpillar carbon chain, you see another hydrogen atom
on its bottom. This is called the 'Methyl, or Fatty,
End'.
These water-loving or oil-loving
properties determine how the fatty acid caterpillars can
be used in the body.
The more hydrogen atoms are attached to
the 'hairs' on the 'caterpillar carbon bobbles', the
more saturated the fatty acid is. Another way of saying
this is, the more carbon atoms that do NOT have a
hydrogen atom attached, the more 'unsaturated' the fatty
acid is, and the more liquid it is at room temperature.
How long is your caterpillar?
There are short, medium length and long
carbon chains. The more hydrogen atoms are missing along
this chain, the more unsaturated the fatty acid becomes.
If all the hydrogen atoms are in place,
the fat is saturated (with hydrogen) and the fat is
solid at room temperature. Beef fat is a good example.
If one hydrogen atom is missing, it is
mono-unsaturated, like the oleic acid found in olive
oil. This makes it mainly liquid, but a bit sludge-like
in the fridge.
If two hydrogen atoms are missing, the
fatty acid is poly-unsaturated, like sunflower oil. This
makes it liquid, even in the fridge.
When three or more atoms are missing,
the fatty acid is sometimes called
super-poly-unsaturated. This is like the fatty acids you
find in cold water fish. Fish can't afford to have their
fats freeze in the cold water, or they wouldn't be able
to swim.
One more thing - the position along the
carbon chain at which the hydrogen atoms are missing (as
well as the number of hydrogen atoms which are missing)
determines how it will be named. For example,
omega 3 has its first hydrogen atoms missing between
carbons 3 and 4 along the carbon chain. Omega 6, is
between carbons 6 and 7.
This may not seem like a big deal, but
it is. A tiny difference in structure, can make a big
difference in how the oil is used in the body.
The
diagram to the right is
another way of illustrating fatty acids. The one shown
here is DHA, which has six double bonds, making it a
superpolyunsaturated fatty acid. This particular fatty
acid is found in the brain, and is particularly
important for infants and children.
Docosahexaenoic Acid
(DHA)
Let's go back a step
Remember that a triglyceride is like a
glycerol twig, with three carbon chain fatty acid
caterpillars hanging from it?
We just looked at one of the
'caterpillar fatty acids', but there are two others on
the same glycerol twig.
It is the combination of different kinds
of fatty acid caterpillars attached to the glycerol twig
which determines the nature of the fat.
For example, beef fat is made of twigs
on which most of its fatty acid caterpillars are of carbon chains with most of their hydrogen
atoms in place.
Flax oil has more than two-thirds of its
fatty acid caterpillars as long carbon chains, with
several hydrogen atoms missing.
Olive oil is a combination of short and
medium carbon chain fatty acids with most of its
hydrogen atoms in place.
Remember,
the
more hydrogen atoms are missing, the more liquid the oil
will be at room temperature.
Now for some kinky stuff!
Kinky is good when it comes to fatty
acids. The kinks in the caterpillar carbon chains are
caused when at certain points along the chain, a
hydrogen atom is missing, and the caterpillar kinks in
the opposite direction. This is at the place where
bonds, or double bonds, occur in the carbon chain. The
carbon atoms attach slightly differently at these
points, and lots of metabolic activity can occur.
The way in which the fatty acid
caterpillar kinks, and how often, determines its quality
and its functions in the body.
When this happens naturally in nature,
it takes the shape of what is called the
cis-configuration.
In this configuration, or shape, both hydrogen atoms on
the carbons involved in the double bond are on the same
side of the molecule. Simply put, this is a good fatty
acid.
A double bond in the fatty acid chain
can also be in the trans-configuration or shape. In this
arrangement, we find the hydrogen atoms of the carbons
involved in the double bond on opposite sides of the
molecule. This prevents the carbon chain from kinking,
and it now looks more like a saturated fat. The
difference is, it is not a saturated fat found in
nature, but an unnatural 'trans-fatty acid' which
behaves more like an unnatural saturated fat than the
unsaturated fat it actually is.
This is a
harmful fatty acid - the cause of much damage in
the body.
These very harmful trans-fatty acids are
found in the oil of crisps, French fries, hydrogenated
vegetable oils used in shop-bought cakes, pastries,
biscuits, etc. They're also found in bottles of cheap
vegetable and sunflower oil - in fact virtually all the
cheap oils found on supermarket shelves. Most margarines
contain lots of trans-fatty acids.
A few more pointers on kinkiness
-
Saturated fats have no kinks
(double bonds) in their
carbon chains.
-
Monounsaturated fats have 1 kink
or double bond
-
Polyunsaturated fats have 2 kinks
-
Superpolyunsaturated fats have 3 or more
kinks
No double
bond kinks
means the fat is more sticky,
solid at room temperature, which provides rigidity in
the body. They are used in the body for padding and
insulation, and as a source of fuel.
The more
double bonds there are, the more they
participate in your body's biochemical and energetic
processes. When these molecularly active fats are
incorporated into your cell walls, they provide
fluidity.
The more
double bonds there are in the fatty
acid chain, the more delicate and important become its
functions, but at the same time, it becomes highly
unstable. This means that it can be damaged very easily,
by light, oxygen and heat. (This is where it becomes
crucial that you buy your oil supplies from a reputable
manufacturer, and then store it properly in a dark cool
place - more on this later.)
The fatty
acids with double bonds have fewer
functions in the body, other than providing insulation,
padding and fuel for energy when there are not enough
carbohydrate sources. They are much less easily damaged.
This is why it is so much safer to cook with coconut
oil or butter, or, next best, olive oil.
The more
double bond kinks, the more fluid the oil
is. Superpolyunsaturated omega-3 oils remain fluid even
in the freezer, although they might become sludge-like.
In fact, it's a good idea to store spare liquid oil
supplements in the freezer until you need them - this
will extend their shelf life. The oil in the bottle will
contract when it gets colder, so it won't break the bottle.
This makes sense. If these oils became
solid in cold conditions, cold-water fish would freeze
to death.
| Type of Fat |
Consistency |
Kinks |
Molecular Activity |
Stability |
| Saturated Fat |
Most are solid at room temperature |
0 |
Virtually inactive |
Very stable |
| Monounsaturated Fat |
Sludge-like in the fridge |
1 |
Slow |
Stable |
| Polyunsaturated Fat |
Fluid in the fridge |
2 |
Fast |
Unstable |
| Superpolyunsaturated Fat |
Fluid in the freezer, possibly sludge-like |
3 or more |
Very Fast |
Extremely unstable |
The Good, The
Bad and The Ugly
Saturated Fatty
Acids (SaFAs)
These are the
simplest of the fatty acids. They get this name because
their carbon chains are saturated with as many hydrogen
atoms as possible. This makes most of them solid at room
temperature and metabolically quite sluggish.
Our body uses the
short-chain saturated fatty acids mainly to produce
energy. They are easy to digest and people suffering
from liver and digestive ailments should include them in
their diets.
According to Udo
Erasmus, in his book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill,
"Butyric acid (4:0)* helps feed the friendly bacteria
that keep our colon healthy.
Caprylic acid (8:0) is used
to inhibit the growth of yeasts and candida in our
intestines. It appears to be incorporated into the
membranes of yeast cells and then these membranes
rupture, killing the yeast cell."
*4.0 means Butyric
acid has 4 carbon molecules, and no (0) bonds, or kinks,
or missing hydrogen atoms.
Medium-Chain SaFAs
(Saturated Fatty Acids) contain 6 to 12 carbon atoms -
but mainly 8 and 10 - in their chains. Our body
metabolizes medium-chain SaFAs the same way it
metabolizes short-chain SaFAs: to produce energy. It
does not store them as fat. For this reason, they are
used as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in diets of
people with digestive and liver problems.
As MCTs,
medium-chain triglycerides are also popular with
athletes, who use them as a source of energy before
workouts. Coconut oil comes in this category, and as the
body does not store them as fat, but uses them for
energy, they are a good choice for cooking and baking,
especially as they are not damaged by heat in the way
the unsaturated oils are.
Long-Chain SaFAs
are used by our cells to build their membranes. The
tendency of Saturated Fatty Acids to aggregate (stick
together) balances the tendency of unsaturated fatty
acids to disperse. Therefore both kinds of fatty acid
are required in cell membranes. However, the long-chain
SaFAs are needed in moderation only, as excess causes
platelets in the blood to become sticky, leading to
cardiovascular disease.
Diets high in
beef, mutton, pork, dairy ../Products/, cakes, biscuits,
pies and fried foods cause excess long-chain SaFAs to be
deposited within cells, organs, and arteries.
Monounsaturated
Fatty Acids (MUFAs)
MUFAs are unsaturated fatty acids with
one double bond. The length of their carbon chains can
vary.
The most important MUFA in nutrition has
an 18-carbon chain, and its double bond is always
between carbons 9 and 10. It's called oleic acid (omega
9) and is found in the oils of the olive, almond,
peanut, pistachio, pecan, canola, avocado, hazelnut,
cashew and macadamia. It's also found in the membranes
of plant and animal cell structures and in the fat
deposit of most land animals. Because it is fluid, it
helps keep our arteries supple. It's a fairly stable oil
(only having one double bond) and is therefore not so
easily damaged by heat, light or oxygen.
In excess, however, oleic acid can
interfere with essential fatty acids and prostaglandins.
Unsaturated Fatty Acids with More
Than One Double Bond
These are the most interesting fatty
acids, in so far as they have numerous functions and
effects on health.
Among the Unsaturated Fatty Acids are
the two which are called 'Essential'. They are extremely
important in nutrition and vital to our health.
One, linoleic acid (omega 6) has two
double bonds. Usually this is called polyunsaturated.
The other, alpha-linolenic acid (omega
3) has three double bonds. This is sometimes known as
superpolyunsaturated.
These are so important to our health,
that the next few chapters are devoted to them.
Trans Fatty Acids
|
"Trans fatty
acids are probably the most unhealthy substance eaten in
quantity by modern people - and modern people do eat
them in quite a quantity. Margarine is a major source.
From cookies to bread, trans fatty acids appear as
either a hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil.
"Medical
studies consistently show that trans fatty acids are
associated with damage to our arteries and higher rates
of death. In Europe, studies also show that they're
responsible for reproductive irregularities, such as low
birth-weight babies, abnormal sperm, and reduced
testosterone levels."
Mary Enig, Ph.D. Researcher of fats and
oils. Well Being Journal, May/June 1995
|
Trans Fatty Acids are unnatural and will
cause disease in the body. They are made when
Unsaturated Fatty Acids (liquid consistency) have
hydrogen atoms attached to them in an artificial manner
by the oil industry. This is called hydrogenation. When
the artificial hydrogenation process is total (that is,
all double bonds in the oil are saturated with hydrogen
atoms, it becomes a very hard fat (used in the industry
for frying, baking, roasting etc). In this new fat,
there are no unsaturated fatty acids, and no 'essential'
fatty acids left. Our body can store this new fat, as
padding and insulation, or in membranes, or we can use
it for energy. This fat contains either aluminium or
nickel which is used in the hydrogenation process, and
our bodies do not need it. It is, however, a
manufacturer's dream: an unspoilable substance that
lasts forever.
Worse than fully hydrogenated fats, are
the partially-hydrogenated fats. Udo Erasmus states in
his book Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill:
| "Partial
hydrogenation produces margarines, shortenings,
shortening oils, and partially hydrogenated vegetable
oils. These ../Products/ contain large quantities of
trans-fatty acids and other altered fat substances, some
of which are known to be detrimental to health because
they interfere with normal biochemical processes. Other
altered substances have not been adequately studied
regarding their effects on health. Trans-fatty acids
have now been shown to increase cholesterol, decrease
beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL), interfere
with our liver's detoxification system, and interfere
with EFA function." |
One alternative to partially
hydrogenated margarines is to dip our bread in fresh,
unrefined olive, flax or other fresh oils. The dipping
custom of Mediterranean countries makes hydrogenation
and processing to manufacture spreads completely
unnecessary and is therefore a step towards better
health.
Herbert Dutton, one of the oldest and
most knowledgeable oil chemists in North America states:
"If the hydrogenation
process were discovered today, it probably could not be
adopted by the oil industry. . . . the basis for
such comment lies in the recent awareness of our prior
ignorance concerning the complexity of isomers formed
during hydrogenation and their metabolic and
physiological fate."
|
Udo Erasmus claims that now that we know
some of the ways in which fats are changed by
hydrogenation, and the fact that our body can't use them
in the same way it uses normal fats and oils, that if
this were a new process, governments would forbid the
use of this process for making 'edible' ../Products/ if it
were introduced today.
He continues:
"However, because
partial hydrogenation has been used commercially on a
large scale since the 1930s and now has a long tradition
behind it, and because the oil industry has powerful
lobbies in government, hydrogenation is allowed to
continue to supply unnatural fat ../Products/ to our foods."
He adds the worrying observation that
just 60 grams (2 ounces) of margarines and shortenings,
which is the average amount a person eats per day in one
way or another, contains more than twice as many toxic
'food additives' as the whole of the rest of the day's
food intake.
|
| And to round off this chapter, animal
experiments have shown that Trans Fatty Acids may make
you fatter by increasing the size of fat cells.
This was
reported in The Omega Diet, by Artemis Simopoulos, M.D. |
Good verses Evil
Oils exposed to light, oxygen and heat
become evil. They arm the free radical terrorists in the
body, and kill.
Of course, not all free radicals in the
body are terrorists. Many are created during normal
metabolic processes in the body, do their job, and are
controlled by antioxidants such as vitamins C and E,
selenium, manganese, zinc and so on.
But it's a case of numbers and control.
| A free radical is a fragment of a
molecule which has lost its electron mate. Udo aptly
describes our free radical as a 'sub-atomic,
free-wheeling, loose-living electron bachelor playing
the field for a mate to settle down with, and willing to
break up other pairs to find that mate'.
It's hard to
stop them, when they're so miniscule (a thousand of them
can hide behind a hydrogen atom), and they constantly
flit from place to place at the speed of light
(300,000km or 186,000 miles per second). They steal
electrons wherever they go, causing plenty of damage
along the way.
The only thing that can stop them are
the anti-oxidants such as: Vitamins C, B3 and E,
carotenes, cysteine, selenium, bioflavonoids and
coenzyme Q10, as well as several enzymes containing
zinc, manganese, and copper. |
Free Radical Chain Reactions
Take a bottle of oil you find on the
supermarket shelf. It's packed in a clear plastic or
glass bottle. A ray of light (photon) hits the bottle.
Meanwhile, a bachelor free radical happens to be sitting
on a carbon atom right next to a double bond in a
molecule of unsaturated fatty acid. The light gives the
electron more energy than it had before, and it gets
excited and takes off with a hydrogen nucleus, leaving
behind a lone electron desperate for a partner. This
electron will now grab a new partner from wherever it
can, leaving another electron unpaired and desperate,
and so on and on and on. Eventually the loose electrons
may be trapped by a passing antioxidant, but before you
know it, another light photon hits the bottle and
another electron goes wayward.
When light starts exciting electrons to
go off and cause mayhem, the results are broken and
changed bonds in the fatty acid molecules, making new
and different molecules from the ones we started with.
Billions of photons are present even on a cloudy day.
Each photon can alter, denature, and destroy oil
molecules exposed to light, especially if the natural
antioxidants were removed during processing.
Oxygen is equally harmful
Oxygen
destroys oils in a similar way to light. Light first
steals an electron from oxygen, creating a singlet
oxygen radical. The singlet oxygen radical then goes off
on a search of a new electron
partner, and pairs up with an electron it steals from an
unsaturated fatty acid.
If there are enough antioxidants
available (which there usually aren't because most oils
have had them removed in the refining process), then the
free radicals will be stopped in their tracks.
The lesson here is that we need to use
only unrefined oils, which have been extracted in the
absence of light, oxygen and heat.
Ensuring we get antioxidants in the
diet, by eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, and
also taking a variety of supplemental antioxidants is a
necessary safeguard for good health. We'd be remiss in
not mentioning that a cup of tea with a couple of
squares of dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa) will provide
valuable antioxidants too!
Frying and Deep-Frying
Very little is more damaging to health
than frying and deep-frying using unsaturated fatty
acids (such as sunflower oil, safflower oil, vegetable
oil, etc.).
When we fry, first of all any
antioxidants that may be present are used up. The
heat produces free radicals and starts chain reactions,
producing trans-fatty acids. If these weren't harmful
enough, other, even more harmful and unnatural changes are made
in the oils.
Click here for our more detailed article about toxins in
fried food
for more details.
Minimising the damage of frying
Deep frying is never recommended.
Minimum stir-frying on the other hand, using the right
oils might not be too bad. Saturated fats are far more
stable and therefore less prone to damage than
unsaturated oils.
The least damaging in terms of the high
heat of frying are the saturated fats, such as coconut,
palm, palm kernel, cocoa butter and butter. Use them in
small quantities, for the minimum amount of time.
Lard has now been largely replaced by
shortenings and margarines. These are not to be
recommended in any circumstances.
Monounsaturated fatty acids, such as
cold pressed olive oil, are acceptable for low
temperature frying.
|
A few tips
-
Traditional Chinese cooks first put
water in their wok, not oil. Water keeps the temperature
down to 100oC which will not
destroy the fat.
-
In European gourmet cooking, vegetables
placed in the frying pan before oil is added protect the
oil from overheating and oxidation. You do need to keep
your eye on the pan though, but it's worth it because
not only is it healthier, but also the food tastes less
burned and retains more of its natural flavours.
-
Add sulphur-rich garlic and onions in
frying. This helps minimise free radical damage.
|
Never, never, never, never, never!
Never, never, never use polyunsaturated
oils in frying. Neither the cheap toxic varieties you
find on supermarket shelves, nor the healthful fresh,
unrefined, mechanically pressed, light- and
oxygen-protected EFA-rich seeds oils which we will
benefit from adding to our diet.
Never, never, never pour oil into an
empty frying pan, let it heat, shimmy and smoke before
adding the foods you want to fry. During this time, the
oil is being destroyed. The temperature is too high.
A reminder from a previous paragraph:
Use saturated fats such as coconut oil or butter, or
mono-unsaturated oils such as olive oil (but not too
hot).
Fats are Big Business, and Big
Business can be Greedy
If you count up all the fat that is
carried around in the bodies of the world's population
of about 5 billion people, it comes to about 100 billion
pounds of fat.
This body fat is constantly being used
up in biological functions, and has to be replaced by
food. We calculate that this amount of fat would fill
over 677 million double-decker buses.
That's big business for the Fat and Oil
Industry.
In the aggressive advertising campaigns
carried out by the various oil companies, truth and
health are not always uppermost in their list of
priorities, even though some advertising might lead us
(or mislead us!) into thinking they care.
About one-third of all edible oil
produced is hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated,
which end up as cheap vegetable oils, margarines and
shortenings. These are used in baked goods, ice cream,
chocolate, crisps, French fries, and so on.
Even though some people in the know
suggest that if hydrogenation were a new process, it
would be forbidden by Governments due to health risks,
the edible fats industry has developed powerful
political and economic lobbies to protect the sale of
../Products/ for profits, whilst hoodwinking the consumer
into thinking some of their ../Products/ are 'good for the
heart'.
Commercial Oil Making Methods
|
It starts with a super-nutritious seed
which has been created by nature to provide all the nutrients to bring
forth a whole new plant.
It ends up with a dead, toxic remnant -
bland, colourless, rancid and deadly.
|
What happens in between involves:
-
destructively high temperatures of 240
to 270 degrees centigrade (464 to 518 degrees fahrenheit)
-
oxidation at a rate 1000 times faster
than at room temperature
-
solvent extraction, using solvents such
as hexane or heptane (gasoline), some of which remains
in the final product
-
degumming, which removes healthy
phospholipids, including lecithin, as well as
chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper
-
refining, using caustic soda, known in
North America under the trade name of 'Drano' - drain
cleaner. More nutrients are removed during this refining
process
-
bleaching to remove pigments
(chlorophyll and beta-carotene, as well as aromatic
substances). Toxic peroxides are formed at this stage
-
deodorizing removes more aromatic oils,
free fatty acids and molecules that impart pungent
odours and unpleasant tastes that were not present in
the natural oil before processing began. Deodorizing is
carried out at extremely high temperatures for 30-60
minutes during which time unsaturated fatty acids become
mutagenic, which means that they can damage our genes
and those of our offspring.
-
To extend shelf life in the supermarket,
these refined oils may have synthetic antioxidants
added, such as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), butylated
hydroxyanisole (BHA), or others. These replace the
natural antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin E that
were processed out of the oil.
-
If the oils are going to be used as
margarines, then an added, artificial saturation is used
- hydrogenation.
|
What you find in all supermarkets and
even most health food stores
Virtually all the oils you will find
in the supermarket, with the exception of Virgin Olive Oil,
will have undergone the above processes. This includes
almond, avocado, canola, corn, grape seed, peanut,
safflower, sesame, soybean, safflower, vegetable and
anything else you can think of.
Sometimes they are advertised as 'low
cholesterol' (all plant oils are cholesterol free).
However, once they have been processed in this way, they
can cause a rise in cholesterol levels in the body even
though they don't contain cholesterol.
They may be recommended for 'frying,
baking and cooking' - almost no liquid oils can safely be used to fry
or cook.
They'll often be described as 'high in
polyunsaturates'. By the time they have been processed,
they're more likely to be full of trans-fatty acids, and
devoid of the antioxidants needed to prevent free
radical damage.
These are only a few of the ways in
which advertisers of inferior ../Products/ tell only the
part of the story they want to tell. If we knew all the
facts, most of us might think twice about buying and
using these cheap oils.
Vitamin E and polyunsaturates
In nature, seeds and nuts always contain
vitamin E and other natural antioxidants. Generally, the
more essential fatty acids (EFAs) an oil contains, the
more antioxidants accompany it to help protect the oil
from destruction by light and oxygen, both in the seed
and in our body.
When we eat fresh nuts and seeds, there
will be no shortage of vitamin E to protect the oil.
When we press nuts and seeds to extract
the oil, the antioxidants remain in the oil. And so long
as the oils were pressed in the absence of light and
air, these antioxidants will remain intact, and these
oils will not go rancid in our body.
| If the oils are exposed to light and
air, however, during careless processing and storage in
clear glass or plastic bottles, the vitamin E and other
antioxidants will be rapidly used up (within hours or
days), and then the oils become rancid. |
In Chapter six we discussed processed
oils - degumming, refining, bleaching, deodorising, and
so on. During these processes, all antioxidants,
including vitamin E, are removed. The oil-refining
industry doesn't throw this vitamin E away though - they
collect the sludge, separate and concentrate the vitamin
E, and sell it separately!
When we eat these refined oils, we may
well end up short of vitamin E, and the oils will be
unprotected from free radical damage. If our diet isn't
naturally high in vitamin E to make up for the deficit
in the processed oils, uncontrolled free radical chain
reactions will occur in our body, causing degeneration
and ageing.
The kinds of foods which contain
antioxidants which help protect us from free radical
damage are most fruits and vegetables, and many herbs
and spices. Especially good sources include broccoli,
turmeric and garlic.
Some writers have suggested that we
reduce our intake of polyunsaturated oils, in order to
conserve our vitamin E, but this is not good advice. The
vast majority of us are deficient in essential fatty
acids - we just need to ensure that the oils we consume
are of high quality (that is, prepared with health in
mind, and not profit first and foremost). These
healthful oils still retain their natural antioxidants,
although in this day and age it would benefit many of us
to take extra antioxidant supplements, especially if our
diet is less than perfect.
Fresh Vegetable/Seed/Nut oil - The
Best Oils of All
|
It's a very odd thing
As odd as can be
That whatever Miss T
eats
Turns into Miss T
De La Mare
|
Methods are available for extracting
healthful oils, and when health-conscious, educated
consumers demand such oils and refuse inferior oils, the
oil industry will more widely develop and adopt such
methods.
Meanwhile, there are a few, relatively
small manufacturers who do produce oils with health in
mind.
To make fresh oils, that stay fresh for
many months if kept in the right conditions, several
factors have to be addressed:
Light and Air Free
Conventional oil pressing does not, and
cannot, exclude light and air. But the fresh-pressed
technology introduced over twenty years ago is both air
and light-free.
Low temperature
High temperatures destroy enzymes and
cause free radical damage, especially in the presence of
light and oxygen. The temperatures must be kept low,
ideally below body temperature.
Processed without toxic solvents
Solvents aren't necessary to extract
most of the commonly used vegetable, seed or nut oils.
The use of solvents arises from the motivation to
extract every last drop of oil. This, of course, makes
for cheaper oil. But it also requires tremendous heat to
drive off the solvent - as much as 518 degrees
fahrenheit - and the solvent residues that remain are
certainly toxic and probably carcinogenic.
Bottled in opaque black plastic or
brown glass with cardboard containers
Black polyethylene (PE), thickened to
make it completely opaque to light and ultraviolet (UV)
rays, completely protects the oil from its most
destructive influence. Brown glass bottles are necessary
for people with allergies or sensitivities to synthetic
materials. Keep the glass bottle inside the cardboard
box in which it comes.
Cold Stored, Short-shelf Date, and
Quick-Delivery
Refrigerated storage before delivery.
Freezing is even better.
Refrigeration and Rapid Use After
Opening
Opened bottles of oils should be kept in
the fridge and used up rapidly (3 to 6 weeks for flax, 6
to 12 weeks for hemp, longer for less sensitive oils).
Unopened fresh oils will last about 6 months in the
fridge and between 3 and 5 years in the freezer.
Generally, omega 3 oils need to be used more rapidly
after opening than omega 6 oils, and omega 9 oils (olive
oil) will last 2 years. Coconut oils are much more
stable and do not spoil quickly.
Fresh oils
are as different from the ordinary expeller pressed oils
found in health and natural food stores as freshly
ground whole wheat flour from your local stone mill is
from white. Like whole wheat flour, fresh oils will
hopefully become the standard
for health conscious consumers as the true facts become
from widely known.
Freshness and flavour
Fresh vegetable/seed/nut oil is full of
flavour and aroma. This is in vivid contrast to the
bland vegetable oils that the vegetable oil industry
wants us to consider normal. The bottle you open is
literally fresh from the press. As soon as you try the
fresh oil, you'll experience flavour, aroma and
nutrition surpassing anything you're likely to have
experienced before in terms of oil.
Cost
Fresh oils
cost more than ordinary vegetable oils. Here are some
reasons why:
-
Usually fresh oils are made from
certified organically grown seeds, which cost more
than non-organic seeds.
-
Fresh oils are made on a small
scale, using exacting procedures that prevent the
formation of free radicals, trans-fatty acids, and
other kinds of distorted molecules.
-
In order to keep pressing
temperatures down, pressure is reduced, which means
all the oil is not extracted - quality is
emphasized, not quantity.
|
Advantages of
FRESH Oils |
| |
Solvent Extract Oils |
Expeller Pressed Oils |
FRESH oils |
| Where found? |
Most food shops |
Occasionally found in health
food stores |
direct from manufacturers or
here |
| From certified organic seed? |
No |
Probably not |
Usually |
| Protected from light and air? |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Pressed at temperatures resembling body heat
or lower? |
No |
No (don't
believe the term 'cold pressed'. This usually
mean the pressing was low temperature, but
ignores the fact that extremely high
temperatures may have been used later in the
process!) |
Yes |
| Enzymes and other important nutrients
intact? |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Free of trans fatty acids? |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Flavourful and aromatic? |
No |
Not usually |
Yes |
| Good for our health? |
No |
No |
Yes |
Individual Requirements
Each human being is unique. Each of us
has somewhat different requirements for building,
maintaining, and regaining health. We must find out for
ourselves what our requirements are, by trial and error,
and by noticing how we feel.
While all humans need proteins, fats,
and carbohydrates, and we all need the same 50 essential
substances mentioned in chapter one, each of us is also
biochemically unique.
A fascinating book, 'Biochemical
Individuality' by Dr Roger Williams describes in detail
how we each differ in the efficiency of our enzymes, our
ability to digest, to assimilate and to metabolize
foods. We differ in our nutritional requirements. We
differ in the quantities of each essential nutrient that
leads to optimum health. Even the size, shapes and
relative positions of our organs vary significantly from
one another.
Because we are unique, there is no
single diet that is right for everyone.
We need to experiment, to see what we
like, what makes us feel good, and what seems to give us
the best health.
We have different requirements at
different times of our lives, not least according to
whether we are athletes, sedentary or during pregnancy.
As we age, we may have lower calorie requirement, but
we still have high nutrient needs as we digest less well
and therefore obtain fewer nutrients than we used to. As
we get older we particularly need to supplement with
digestive enzymes and probably HCl (hydrochloric acid
for protein digestion).
One example of many given in the above
mentioned book, is that of calcium. Dr Williams writes:
| "In balance studies performed on
19 healthy males, they found that one man given 225mg of
calcium daily was in calcium balance, while at the other
extreme another individual given 261 mg of calcium daily
was losing 256 mg per day. The total requirement for
calcium balance varied for the 19 individuals in
experiments of at least 20 days' duration from 222 to
1018 mg per day. On the basis of the requirement per
kilogram of body weight per day, the range was 3.52 to
16.16mg. On either basis the range is over 4.5-fold." |
It appears that some nutrient
requirements vary more significantly than others from
one individual to another.
There is also not complete agreement
between the experts as to how much, and the precise
balance of oils we need. However, an interesting comment
was made as follows:
|
"Food processing
practices in the last 100 years have caused the dietary
ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 to become
seriously out of balance. While omega-6 has remained
relatively unchanged, omega-3 intake has decreased by
nearly 80%."
John Diamond, M.D., Biological Therapy,
vol.13, no.2, 1995 |
The ratio of fatty acids found the
body's tissues is between 1:1 and 4:1 (omega-6 is always
the first number, omega-3 the second number - so this
would be 4 parts omega-6 to one part omega-3).
The ratio 1:1 applies to fatty acids
found in brain tissue, and other areas of fast
metabolism such as sense organs, adrenal glands and sex
organs. The 4:1 ratio is found in other parts of the
body.
Many experts in Essential Fatty Acids
believe the balance of oil we consume should be close to
1:1 or 2:1 of good quality, functional omega 6 and omega
3.
Amounts will vary as well, in line with
the biochemical individuality described above. Udo
Erasmus suggests as an average 1 tablespoon (15ml -
American measure - the UK equivalent is dessert spoon)
per 50 pounds of weight. Therefore a person weighing
150lb would take approximately 3 dessert spoons of Udo's
Choice Ultimate Oil Blend per day. Take a little
less in warm weather.
|
In his book 'Choosing the Right Fats'
Udo suggests taking up to 10 tablespoons (UK dessert
spoon) which is 150ml per day, or 50% of calories, to
lose weight, speed healing, build muscles, and help
reverse degenerative conditions caused by getting too
little essential fat.
He finds it useful to gauge the amount
by the quality of his skin - when he feels he is getting
enough oil, his skin is soft and velvety.
|
The better the quality of our food, the
more likely we are to know what our body needs:
|
Macy has found in extensive experiments involving giving
small children a free choice of sugar in their diets
that, when the children are adequately nourished with a
diet containing the proteins, minerals, and vitamins
that they need, they voluntarily eat less sugar. It is
evident that good nutrition promotes this wisdom of the
body.
Icie G Macy,
Nutrition and Chemical Growth in Childhood, Charles C.
Thomas, Springfield, III, and Baltimore, Md., Vol.I,
1942
|
Many experts in EFAs suggest that as the majority of
people are now (in the last 100 years) deficient in
omega-3 EFAs, that they first supplement with omega-3
for approximately 5-6 months. This would ideally be fish
oil which provides DHA and EPA.
Flax is sometimes a good alternative for vegetarians,
although not everyone will be able to make the important
conversions in the body from the LNA content into EPA
and DHA. Children in particular need high levels of DHA
for brain development, and may not get the full benefit
from flax.
|
CHILDREN
There are special blends available for children.
Two options are:
|
|
Eskimo Kids |
Eskimo
Kids (Tutti Frutti Flavour) |
Pure natural
omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 with vitamins D & E
Derived from fresh
deep-sea fish and purified to reduce
environmental heavy metal toxins.
This blend is
designed to be taken as a supplement, rather
than added to recipes, although it can be added
to cold food if desired.
|
|
Omega Nutrition Essential Balance Junior
|
Omega
3/6 Junior blend |
A bestseller since Professor Winston's TV
Programme. Omega 3 fatty acids are vital for the
brain and many body functions including healthy
skin. Essential Balance Junior offers a high
ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids, with a
naturally sweetened blend of certified 100%
organic flax, olive and pumpkin seed oils with
added lignans. Blend with desserts or fruit, or
add to shakes. |
|
USE OF FRESH OILS IN THE
KITCHEN
-
Healing oils can be added to cold, warm, or hot dishes
such as soup or steamed vegetables, but they should
never be used for frying or baking. Fresh healing oils
are delicious drizzled over lightly scrambled eggs.
-
Add the oils to the food AFTER they have been cooked,
but if you like, while they're still hot.
-
Enjoy healing oils in the traditional Mediterranean way
- drizzled fresh on salads, pasta, steamed vegetables or
grains. Dip crusty wholemeal bread in a mixture of oil,
crushed garlic and herbs. Healing oils make great salad
dressings - experiment with different dressings.
-
The oil will bring out the full flavour of the food.
-
You can also add healing oils to yoghurt and kefir, or
protein shakes or smoothies. Add some fresh fruit, like
a banana or peach, and you'll have a delicious snack.
-
For a super healthy start to the day, or for a between
meals boost, add some greens and enzymes. We recommend
Flora Beyond Greens.
-
If you're looking for a spread, mix healing oil 50:50
with virgin coconut oil or butter.
|
|
Ice cream with
blueberries
3 tablespoons of Fresh
Flax Seed Oil
2 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon honey
100g Quark
3 tablespoons blueberries
1 handful walnuts
|
Flax |
|
Method:
Mix the Quark, Flax Seed
Oil, milk and honey in a blender. Puree with the
blueberries. Add a handful of walnuts and mix briefly so
that the walnuts are well chopped, but still remain
granular. Pour this cream into the ice-maker and freeze.
This mixture is exquisite.
(Recipe from 'The
Oil-Protein Diet Cookbook' by Dr Johanna Budwig.
(Discover how to utilize the healing powers of Flax Oil
in over 500 deliciously possible recipes.)
|
|
Fresh Seeds Dressing
2 tablespoons of fresh ground sunflower seeds*
2 tablespoons of fresh ground sesame seeds*
2-3 tablespoons of Udo's Choice Ultimate Balance
Oil (or Omega Nutrition Essential Balance Oil)
1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of soy or tamari sauce
1-2 teaspoons in total of the following mixed herbs
(oregano, basil, celery seed, tarragon and thyme)
|
Udo's Choice |
Essential Balance |
|
Method:
Grind the sunflower and sesame seeds in a coffee grinder
or mortar and pestle. Mix all the ingredients together
in a jar and shake. Store in the fridge.
|
|
Mediterranean style Salad Dressing
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of Udo's Choice Ultimate Balance Oil, or
Fresh Pumpkin Seed Oil, or Omega Flax Oil
1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1 teaspoon of mixed herbs (try oregano, marjoram,
rosemary, basil and thyme) (use more if fresh herbs are
used)
Half a teaspoon of tamari sauce if desired.
|
Udo's Choice |
Flax |
|
Method:
Mix all ingredients together, leave a few minutes whilst
flavours are infused into oil, and blend with green
salad.
|
|
Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
Serves 4
1/2 cup (125ml) Udo's oil
1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (5ml) Dijon mustard
Vegetable salt, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp (25ml) shallot or onion, minced
1 tbsp (15ml) red or yellow bell pepper, finely diced
1 tbsp (15ml) chives or green onion, chopped
1 tsp (5ml) fresh thyme
|
Udo's Choice |
|
Method:
To make the vinaigrette, blend oil, lemon juice,
vinegar, mustard and seasoning with a whisk or hand
blender to emulsify. Stir in shallot, pepper, chives and
thyme.
Toss with vegetables and serve. Save any remaining
vinaigrette in the refrigerator for up to one week.
(Recipe from Choosing the Right Fats for Vibrant Health,
Weightloss, Energy, Vitality by Udo Erasmus)
|
|
Vegetables with Dhal Sauce
Serves 4
8 oz (225g) of red lentils
1 pint (600ml) of vegetable stock or water
1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil
1 chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 inch piece (2.5cm) of ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 tablespoon Udo's Choice Ultimate Oil Blend, or Omega
Nutrition Essential Balance Oil
|
Coconut Oil |
Udo's Choice |
Essential Balance |
|
Method:
Place the lentils in the saucepan with the stock,
coconut butter and the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT
the Oil Blend which is added later.
Bring to the boil, cover and reduce the heat to a very
slow simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring
occasionally and adding more stock if necessary. Aim for
a soft, not too thick dhal sauce.
Just before serving, stir in one tablespoon of Udo's Oil
or Omega Essential Balance Oil.
Serve with steamed vegetables and wholegrain rice.
NOTE: If preferred, pour the oil over the steamed
vegetables and rice, instead of mixing with the dhal. A
little extra coconut oil can then be used in preparing
the dhal.
|
|
Tabbouleh Cracked Wheat
Salad
Serves 4
5 oz (150g) bulgar cracked
wheat
half pint of cold
vegetable stock water*
4 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cucumber, diced
bunch of spring onions,
sliced
handful of parsley,
chopped
a few sprigs of mint,
chopped
1 lemon, both juice and
finely grated rind
3 tbsp (45ml) Udo's Choice
Ultimate Balance Oil
small handful black olives
4 eggs, hard-boiled and
quartered
3 tbsp of sunflower seeds,
lightly toasted
|
Udo's Choice |
|
Method:
*for the stock water, use
either left-over water from steaming green and other
vegetables, or a vegetable stock cube
Cover the cracked wheat
with this cold stock water and leave to soak for up to
an hour, drain well and press out all excess liquid. Add
the chopped tomato, cumber, spring onions, parsley and
mint.
Mix together the lemon
juice, rind and Udo's Choice Ultimate Balance Oil, pour
over the cracked wheat mixture, and toss together to mix
thoroughly.
Cover and leave in the
fridge for a while before serving to allow flavours to
blend.
Serve garnished with
hard-boiled eggs, olives and a sprinkling of sunflower
seeds.
|
|
Sauted Green leaves
Serves 4
2 tablespoons of virgin
coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 red onions, sliced or
chopped
1 cup small button
mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon of turmeric
powder
1 teaspoon of coriander
powder
10 cups of various greens
(try kale, spinach, Swiss chard, beet tops, etc)
1 cup of feta cheese,
crumbed in small lumps
2 tbsp (30ml) of Udo's
Choice Ultimate Balance Oil
(or Omega Garlic Chilli Flax Oil)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
|
Udo's Choice |
Garlic Chilli Flax |
|
Method:
Gently heat the virgin
coconut oil and cumin seeds in a large wok or pan. Add
the onion to soften a little, stirring frequently. Add
the mushrooms and gently stir-fry gently for a few
moments. Add the garlic and spices, and gently stir
until onions and mushrooms are almost done.
Now add the greens and mix
everything well. If the spinach yielded much water,
drain off a little if necessary.
Stir fry gently for a few
minutes until vegetables are done to your liking.
Add the feta cheese and
let it melt into the greens.
Serve into a dish and
drizzle Udo's Choice Ultimate Balance Oil (or
other oil as above) and fresh lime juice over the
greens.
Serve immediately.
|
|
Alternative Pesto
This version of pesto
would complement grilled fish or chicken
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh coriander
leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped
walnuts
1-2 cloves garlic, finely
chopped or minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime
juice
2 tablespoons Omega Garlic
Chilli Flax Oil (or other fresh oil of choice)
black pepper, freshly
ground
|
Garlic Chilli Flax |
|
Method:
Mix and puree all the
ingredients in a blender or food processor. Adjust
seasonings to taste and store in the fridge until ready
to use. Do not cook the mixture. Spread over fish or
chicken after cooking and allow the heat of the cooked
food to permeate through the pesto.
|
|
Scrumptious Coconut
Treats
Serves 4
1/2 cup of chopped nuts of
choice
6 tablespoons of
unsweetened coconut flakes
4 tablespoons of virgin
coconut oil
4 tablespoons of freshly
ground flax seeds (grind in coffee grinder or similar)
1 or 2 teaspoons of pure
vanilla extract
1 or 2 teaspoons of pure
almond extract
2 tablespoons of Xylitol (XyloSweet)
*
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cinnamon
|
Coconut Oil |
|
‘Xylitol is the ONLY sugar
alternative I recommend. It’s
100% natural, low in calories,
won’t disrupt your blood sugar
and actually protects your
teeth!’
Patrick Holford, Nutritionist
(Available in good health food
shops, approximately £6.50 per
lb. |
Method:
Combine all ingredients, except
3 tablespoons of the unsweetened
coconut flakes. Mix well. Form
into small balls and roll in the
left-over coconut flakes. Place
in a small dish and freeze for
about 10 minutes. Share
with your best friends and pop
into your children's school
lunch boxes. (After freezing,
keep in the fridge until ready
to eat)
|
|
Houmous
1
15 1/2 oz (440g) can chick peas
1
garlic clove, crushed
1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml)
organic tahini
2
tablespoons lemon juice
3
tablespoons (45ml) Fresh
oil of choice (e.g. Udo's Choice
Ultimate Blend, Omega Garlic and
Chilli Flax Oil)
Sprinkling of Paprika
Wedges of lemon
|
Udo's Choice |
Garlic Chilli Flax |
|
Method:
Drain the chick peas, saving the
liquid. In a blender or food
processor, place the chick peas,
garlic, tahini, lemon juice and
fresh oil. Blend into a smooth
thick paste. Add a little of the
saved liquid if the mixture is
too thick. Taste, and add
more tahini, lemon juice or a
little sea salt, if necessary.
Transfer to a suitable serving
dish, drizzle a little extra oil
over the top, with a sprinkle of
paprika and wedges of lemon.
|
|
Brown Rice Salad
Serves 4
4
oz of wholegrain organic rice
2
stalks of celery, sliced
2
or 3 carrots, coarsely grated
1
orange, cut into segments
1
or 2 apples, chopped
2
tablespoons of walnuts
1
tablespoon of fresh chopped
parsley
1/2 tablespoon of fresh chopped
coriander
1
tablespoon of omega flax
seed oil, or Udo's Choice
Ultimate Balance Oil
|
Flax |
Udo's Choice |
|
Method:
Cook the rice, drain and rinse
with cold water. When completely
cooled, add all the other
ingredients and mix gently.
Serve with chicken and a green
salad.
|
alpha-linolenic acid (LNA)
Alpha-linolenic acid is one of the two essential fatty
acids. An 18-carbon fatty acid
with 3 double bonds, positioned
between w carbons 3 and 4, 6 and
7, and 9 and 10. Our body cannot
make it, requires it for life
and must therefore obtain it
from food. Alpha-linolenic acid is vital to
optimum health. LNA sources
include flax and hemp seeds and
their oils, as well as walnut
and pumpkin seeds and their
oils.
antioxidants
Antioxidants are a
large group of substances which
slow down oxygen-and free
radical-induced deterioration of
fatty acids. Antioxidants are naturally found in
many fruits and vegetables and
available as supplements.
Examples of antioxidants are vitamins C and E,
selenium, lipoic acid and many
more.
arachidonic acid (AA) (20:4w.6)
Arachidonic acid is a
long-chain polyunsaturated fatty
acid from the omega-6 family. Arachidonic
acid
contains 20 carbons and four
double bonds. It is the brain's
principal omega-6 fatty acid. Arachidonic acid is found
primarily in animal fats and is
often too high in modern diets.
This fatty acid can be converted
into the powerfully inflammatory
PGE2 prostaglandins. Alpha-linolenic
acid, EPA and DHA can counter
the effects of arachidonic acid.
GLA from borage or primrose oil
is often used to counter the
PGE2 substances as well.
butyric acid (BA, 4:0)
Butyric acid is a
short-chain (4-carbon) saturated
fatty acid found in butter. Butyric
Acid
is beneficial to normal
intestinal bacteria.
caprylic acid (8:0)
Caprylic acid is a
medium-chain (8-carbon)
saturated fatty acid found in
tropical oils and to a small
extent in medium-chain
triglycerides (MCTs)
carbon chain
Carbon atoms linked to one
another in a chain by bonds
formed when atoms share
electrons
carboxyl (-COOH)
Carboxyl (-COOH) is a
weak acid group found at one end
of fatty acids (and many other
molecules found in nature)
cell membrane
A
cell membrane is a
double layer of fatty material
(phospholipids) and proteins
that surround each living cell
of all organisms. Organelles
found within cells are also
surrounded by cell membrane.
chemical bond
Atoms held together by sharing
electrons with one another to
form molecules. Two shared
electrons, one each from two
atoms, constitute a chemical
bond between those atoms
cis-
or
cis-configuration. In a fatty
acid, the natural arrangement
where the single hydrogens on
both carbons involved in a
double bond are found on the
same side of the molecule,
producing a bend or kink in its
shape. Also see 'trans-'
cold-pressed
Cold-pressed is a
meaningless advertising term
used to imply quality in edible
oils. It is possible to call an
oil 'cold-pressed' even if the
oil has been heated to a very
high temperature somewhere in
the refining process
delta-5-desaturase
the delta-5-desaturase enzyme converts omega-6
fatty acids such as linoleic
acid and GLA into arachidonic
acid. High carbohydrate diets
may activate delta-5-desaturase
enzyme, causing
the body to make too much arachidonic acid. This feeds the
inflammatory pathways.
delta-6-desaturase
the delta-6-desaturase enzyme that converts dietary linoleic acid to Prostaglandiin
Series E1 (PGE1). It also
converts alpha-linolenic acid to
PGE3. Delta-6-desaturase enzyme is needed to
make DHA from ALA. The two
essential fatty acids Linoleic
acid and linolenic acid compete
for delta 6-desaturase so if
there is too much of one fatty
acid, the ../Products/ of that fatty
acid predominate.
desaturation
Desaturation is
the enzyme process by which 2
hydrogen atoms are removed from
neighbouring carbon atoms in a
fatty acid chain and at the same
time, an additional bond is
created between these 2 atoms
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
(22:6w3)
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is a
long-chain highly unsaturated (6
double bonds) polyunsaturated
fatty acid derived from dietary
alpha-linolenic acid. DHA is
also found in foods such as
salmon, mackerel, herring and
sardines. It contains twenty-two
carbons, six double bonds, and
is an omega-3 fatty acid
(22:6w3). DHA is the most
important omega-3 fatty acid
found in the brain and is highly
concentrated in the retina,
brain, adrenals and testes. Due
to the contamination of almost
all fish, it is now often
recommended that we obtain DHA
from fish oil supplements which
have been screened for purity.
DHA is very susceptible to
damage. Children in particular
have high requirements for DHA.
double bonds
Usually, the carbon atoms strung
together in a chain to form a
fatty acid are linked by one
pair of shared electrons. This
is a single bond. A double bond
is the linking of adjacent atoms
in the carbon chain by sharing 2
pairs of electrons between the
carbons instead of the usual 1
shared pair of a single bond.
EFA balance
Essential Fatty Acid (EFA)
balance is the relationship between the two EFAs, usually expressed as the
ratio between omega-6 and
omega-3. Generally speaking, the
optimum range is probably
somewhere between 1 to 4 parts
of omega-6, to 1 part of
omega-3. The average Western
diet over the past 100 years has
become grossly imbalanced, to in
the region of 20-25 to 1. This
is largely due to eating more
fried foods, margarine and
general consumption of cheap
sunflower and vegetable oils.
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA,
20:5w3)
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is a
20-carbon fatty acid with 5
double bonds in its chain. It is
found in large quantities in
cold-water fish and marine
animals. EPA is the parent
substance from which the body
makes series 3 prostaglandins
that decrease inflammation,
water retention and blood
pressure by inhibiting the
production of pro-inflammatory,
water-retaining,
artery-constricting series 2
prostaglandins. EPA can be
converted into DHA for use in
the brain. EPA is important in
the brain's blood supply.
emulsify
Emulsification is the
breaking down of fats into smaller droplets
by the action of detergents such
as lecithin. Lecithin acts as a
natural washing-up liquid in the
body.
enzyme
Enzymes are
proteins produced by the body to
enable particular chemical
reactions to take place.
Digestive enzymes are also found
in foods, but are easily
destroyed by cooking. Digestive
enzymes include amylases,
proteases, lactase, etc. but
there are many other enzymes. An
example is delta-6-desaturase
(D6D) which converts w6 linoleic
acid (LA) to gammalinolenic acid
(GLA), and w3 alpha-linolenic
acid (LNA) to stearidonic acid (SDA).
Enzymes usually require vitamins
and minerals as cofactors and
catalysts.
essential fatty acid (EFA)
Essential fatty acids are
either of 2 fatty acids which
the body requires, cannot make
from other substances found in
the body, and which must
therefore be supplied by the
food. The names of these 2
essential fatty acids are linoleic acid (LA) (18:2w6) and
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, LNA
18:3w3).
essential fatty acid deficiency
shortage of one or both of the
essential fatty acids and the
attendant effects on health of
this shortage
essential nutrient
any of about 45 nutrients that
are known to be necessary for
the body structure and
physiology. 20 or 21 minerals,
13 vitamins, 8 to 11 amino acids
(depending on age), and 2
essential fatty acids must come
from foods we eat, since the
body cannot manufacture them in
the body out of other
substances. Other factors also
necessary are water, oxygen,
light, a source of calorie
energy (usually carbohydrate,
but also protein and certain
fats). Fibre and
intestinal bacteria are also
included in this list. This
makes about 50 essential factors
required by the body.
fat
Fats comprise
three fatty acids hooked to a
glycerol molecule. Also called
lipid and triglyceride. In
common terminology, it usually
refers to hard fats, which are
mostly saturated.
fatty acid
Fatty acids comprise a
chain of carbon atoms with an
acid group at one end and
hydrogen atoms attached to the
other. The length of the fatty
acid carbon
chain can vary from 4 to 26
carbons or
more.
fatty acid profile
The composition of an oil
regarding fatty acid content,
usually presented in
percentages. For example,
sunflower = 12% saturated fat,
19% monounsaturated fat, 69%
polyunsaturated fat. If the oil
has omega-3 fatty acids, the
polyunsaturated parts are
usually separated. For example,
Flax oil = 9% saturated, 16%
monounsaturated, 18% omega-6
polyunsaturated, and 57% omega-3
polyunsaturated. (Note that
percentages can change somewhat
according to growing conditions
of the seed.)
flax
Flax is an
ancient plant whose seed oil is
the richest source of alpha-linolenic
acid (LNA; 18:3w3) known. The
seed also contains protein,
minerals and vitamins. Flax is a
rich source of mucilage and
fibre, which help the body
eliminate cholesterol, and help
prevent reabsorption of toxic
wastes from the large intestine.
Used along with plenty of water,
flax is a wonderful help in
constipation. Flax is also the
richest known source of lignans,
which have anti-viral,
anti-fungal and anti-bacterial
properties. Flax oil has been
used by many well-known nature
Doctors, not least of which is
Dr Johanna Budwig (seven time
Nobel Prize nominee,
world-renowned scientist and
biochemist who worked for many
years connecting the
relationship between cancer
research and fat metabolism. See
'Flax Oil as a True Aid Against
Arthritis, Heart Infarction,
Cancer and Other Diseases' by
Johanna Budwig.)
free radical
A
free radical is a molecular
fragment with a single, unpaired
electron. Stealing another
electron makes a free radical
whole again, so they attempt to
grab electrons from
whole molecules. In vegetable
oils, free radicals are created
by light in the process known as
photon decay, and oxygen
in the process known as
oxidation. (Udo Erasmus
estimates that photon decay from
light is 1,000 times more
damaging to oils than
oxidation.) Free radicals change
the structure of oil molecules
(as well as protein and
carbohydrate molecules), making
them unsuitable for the
functions they would normally
perform. This is the probable
connection to the theory that
free radicals help cause some
diseases and the aging process.
However, free radicals are
essential to the function of the
human body. Problems only occur
when free-radical production
begins to exceed the body's
ability to protect against them,
and this occurs in many disease
processes. Antioxidants protect
against free radicals.
free radical chain reaction
Uncontrolled free radical
reaction that is damaging to the
body
gamma-linolenic acid (GLA,
18:3w6)
GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) is
made in the body from essential
linoleic acid (LA; 18:2w6) by
the healthy body. If certain
vitamins or minerals are
deficient in the body (for
example, vitamin C, B3, biotin,
magnesium), or the enzyme
delta-6-desaturase is not functioning, the body is
unable to convert LA into GLA.
In this case it can be obtained
from Evening Primrose Oil,
Borage Oil, Black Currant Oil or
Hemp Oil. It has been used very
successfully for Premenstrual
Syndrome and Eczema. GLA should
be used with great caution
(under supervision of a
physician) in cases of seizure
or cancer.
glycerol
Glycerol is a molecule that
consists of 3 carbon atoms,
hydrogen and oxygen. Glycerol is the backbone of
the fat or oil molecule and of
the membranes' fatty components.
Two glycerol molecules can be
hooked together to make a sugar
molecule.
glycogen
Glycogen comprises
glucose molecules hooked
together in long-chains and
stored in the liver and muscle
of animals as energy reserves.
hydrogenated oils
Hydrogenated oils are fats which have
been industrially saturated with
hydrogen to alter their chemical
make-up, usually to make the fat
hard or stop it from going
rancid. Hydrogenated oil is worse for
you than naturally saturated fat
and should be avoided. Most
margarines are hydrogenated and
many processed foods contain
hydrogenated fats and oils.
lecithin
Lecithin
contains fatty acids, glycerol,
a phosphate group and choline.
Soybeans and egg yolk are the
usual source of lecithin
containing both essential fatty
acids. Lecithin is found in the
structure of membranes of cells.
Lecithin is also known as phosphatidylcholine.
linoleic acid (LA)
Linoleic acid is one of the 2
essential fatty acids. 18-carbon
fatty acid with 2 double bonds,
positioned between w carbon
atoms 6 and 7, and 9 and 10. The
body requires Linoleic Acid for life itself, but cannot
make it, and must therefore
obtain it from food. Linoleic
Acid deficiency
causes severe problems in every
cell, tissue and organ. In its
absence, the body will die. The
body makes several other
important substances from Linoleic Acid. LA-rich foods
include safflower, sunflower and
hemp seeds and oil, and
soybeans. Modern diets provide
too much of this omega-6
linoleic acid in relation to the
other essential fatty acid
omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.
However, this excess is usually
in the form of the detrimental
trans-fatty acid, and therefore,
whilst we can have too much
omega-6 linoleic acid in our
diets, we can still be
functionally deficient due to
poor quality.
linolenic acid
More properly called alpha-linolenic
acid.
One of the two essential fatty
acids. Alpha-linolenic acid is an 18-carbon fatty acid
with 3 double bonds, positioned
between w carbons 3 and 4, 6 and
7, and 9 and 10. Our body cannot
make alpha-linolenic acid, requires it for life
and must therefore obtain it
from food. It is vital to
optimum health. LNA sources
include flax and hemp seeds and
their oils, as well as walnut
and pumpkin seeds and their
oils. It is highly sensitive to
destruction by light, oxygen and
high temperatures. Modern diets
contain only about one-fifth of
that found in diets in similar
Western cultures a hundred years
ago.
lipid
Also called fats, oils,
phospholipids and waxes and
other fatty substances.
Cholesterol is technically not a
fat, but a sterol. However, it
is still considered a lipid.
Lipid is the collective name
used by chemists.
lipid peroxide
A
lipid peroxide is a
damaged fatty acid (or other
lipid) molecule that develops
when free radicals or free
oxygen reacts with an
unsaturated fatty acid. Lipid
peroxides are very damaging to
biological systems, especially
the cell membrane. Lipid
peroxides in the nervous system
are very detrimental. Lipid
peroxides are also found in
rancid cells. We might think of
lipid peroxides in the body as
rancid fats.
long-chain fatty acid
A
long-chain fatty acid has
more than 14 carbons atoms in
its chain
medium-chain fatty acid
A medium-chain fatty acid has
from 6-12 carbon atoms in its
chain
metabolism
Metabolism refers to all chemical changes that take
place in the body that make
physical life possible
methyl (-CH3)
Methyl (-CH3) is
the free end of a fatty acid.
Methyl is a carbon singly bonded
to the three hydrogen atoms
molecule
Molecules comprise 2
or more atoms held together by
means of electron pairs shared
between them
monounsaturated fat (or fatty
acid) (MUFA)
A
monounsaturated fat is a fatty
acid with one kink (double bond)
in its chain of carbon atoms. If
monounsaturated fatty acids are dominant in
the fatty acid profile - as in
olive, sesame and canola oils
- they are referred to as
monounsaturated oils.
oil
Oil is a liquid fat. The more
saturated the fat, the less
liquid it is. Coconut oil (91%
saturated) only becomes liquid
at 76 degrees Fahrenheit. The
more double bonds present in the
fatty acid chains,
the more liquid the oil. Superpolyunsaturated fatty acids
(omega 3 oils such as fish or
flax) retain their liquid state
even in the freezer.
oleic acid (OA, 18:1w9)
Oleic acid is
the monounsaturated fat most
common in olive, sesame, peanut,
pecan, macadamia and canola
oils. Oleic acid is an 18-carbon fatty acid
with one double bond between
carbons 9 and 10.
omega
Omega is the last letter in the Greek
alphabet, signifying the last
carbon atom (methyl end) in the
chain that comprises a fatty
acid. Symbolized by the letter w.
omega 6
The family of polyunsaturated
Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) in
which the first double bond
occurs 6 carbons from the end.
This Essential Fatty Acid is one
of 2 which are essential for
human life, and which we must
get from our diet as our bodies
can't make them. Most Western
diets favour omega-6 over
omega-3 by 20-25 times. This is
highly unbalanced. From omega-6
our body makes series 1 and 2
prostaglandins, and an excess of
series 2 prostaglandins is
associated with health problems
such as inflammation, water
retention, high blood pressure,
sticky blood and decreased
immune response. Even the
omega-6 fats we eat in our
modern Western diets have been
spoiled by light, oxygen and
heat, as well as artificial
hydrogenation, so that we can be
functionally deficient in
omega-6 in spite of consuming
too much (especially in relation
to omega-3). The answer is to
eat much less 'damaged' omega-6,
enough FRESH omega-6, and more
omega-3.
omega 3
The second family of essential
fatty acids which are essential
to human life. The first double
bond occurs 3 carbons from the
end. Omega-3 are sometimes
called superpolyunsaturates,
because they have 3 or more
double bonds, whereas omega-6
have only 2. Omega-3 is
generally deficient in modern
Western diets, intake having
decreased to about one-sixth of
that 150 years ago. From omega-3
fatty acids, our body makes
series 3 prostaglandins, which
have mild anti-inflammatory action.
omega 6:3 balance
To
have optimum health we must have
the correct balance of omega 6
and omega 3 fatty acids.
Research suggests that
approximately four or five
omega-6 for every one omega-3 is
a good balance, although dietary
intakes in different cultures
has differed over the years and
the body appears to be able to
adapt to a certain degree. Most
modern Western diets are between
10 and 25 to 1 in favour of
omega-6, which is far too high
in omega-6. This encourages
overproduction of
pro-inflammatory prostaglandin
series 2, with consequent
negative effects on health. It
is generally considered that
therapeutic omega6:omega3
balance for Western diets is
about 1:2.
oxidation
Exposure to air (oxygen) causes
unsaturated oil molecules to
oxidise, causing them to become
rancid
partially hydrogenated
Partially hydrogenated oil is an
oil in which some but not all
double bonds have been destroyed
by adding hydrogen to the fatty
acid molecules, using pressure
and high temperature. Many
chemical changes take place in
the fatty acid molecules during
the hydrogenation process (for example the
creation of trans-fatty acids),
and this partially hydrogenated
fat (partially artificially
saturated) may be even more
harmful than fully hydrogenated
oils, and certainly more harmful
than naturally saturated fats.
phosphatidylcholine (PC)
Phosphatidylcholine is a
component of the nerve cell
membrane made up of two fatty
acids, phosphate and choline.
Phosphatidylcholine is also
known as lecithin. Lecithin is
found in particularly high
amounts in eggs and soy.
Phosphatidylcholine is
used as a supplement in a number
of brain disorders.
phospholipid
A
phospholipid is a
fatty compound found in
membranes, comprising two fatty
acid molecules, a glycerol
molecule, a phosphate group, and
some other groups hooked to the
phosphate. The best-known
example of a phospholipid is lecithin.
photon decay
Photon decay is the process by
which light rays excite oil
molecules, causing electrons to
spin off to form free radicals.
These trigger a chain reaction
that damages the oil. Opaque
containers, or dark brown
coloured glass in a cardboard
box prevent photon decay.
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)
A
polyunsaturated fatty acid is an
unsaturated fat that has two or
more double bonds in the chain
of carbon atoms. These can
include natural,
health-enhancing oils such as
FRESH oils, or unnatural,
health-destroying oils such as
supermarket quality vegetable
oil or margarines.
prostaglandin (PG)
Prostaglandins are hormone-like substances
derived from Essential Fatty
Acids that regulate many body
functions. Prostaglandins are
made all over the body and live
for only a very short time
(seconds), as opposed to
hormones which are made in
glands (e.g. thyroid/thyroxine)
which last much longer. They
fine-tune functions in the body.
Prostaglandin Series 1 and 2 are produced in
the body from omega-6, if
sufficient vitamins, minerals
and relevant enzyme is present.
Series 3 is produced from
omega-3, under similar
conditions. Some have strong
inflammatory action, while
others tend to be
anti-inflammatory. As well as
this, they have many other
functions in the body. The most
commonly described
prostaglandins include:
PGE1: made from LA and GLA -
anti-inflammatory
PGE2: made from AA (arachidonic
acid) - powerful inflammatory
substance
PGE3: made from ALA - mildly
anti-inflammatory
rancidity
Rancidity refers to
oil molecules combined with
oxygen, resulting in poor
quality and flavour, to the
detriment of health.
refined
processed sugars, starches and
fats and oils are refined. Essential
substances are removed from
foods, and yet these foods
require these nutrients in order
to be metabolized. Consequently
the body is left in a state of
deficit, in the same way as
withdrawing more money from the
bank account than is put into
it. Deficiency diseases and
degenerative conditions result
from these nutrient-impoverished
foods.
saturated fat (or fatty acids) (SaFA)
Saturated fats are fatty acids without double bonds
in the carbon chain, and every
possible position taken up by
hydrogen atoms. Without kinks,
the flat structure allows the
relatively inactive molecules to
stack up in solid form. Found
mainly in animal fats, butter
and tropical oils. Saturated
fats are stable and not easily
damaged by light, oxygen or
heat, and are therefore suitable
for cooking, in moderation. They
are only unhealthy if eaten
surplus to energy requirements
(i.e. what is not used in the
body for energy, will be stored
as fat).
short-chain fatty acids
A
Short-chain fatty acid is a
fatty acid with 6 or less carbon
atoms in its chain
superunsaturated fatty acid (SUFA)
Another name of omega-3 fatty
acids, which distinguishes them
from omega-6 fatty acids.
A superunsaturated (or
superpolyunsaturated) fatty acid
contains three or more double
bonds.
trans-configuration
Trans-configuration occurs
where hydrogen atoms on the
carbons involved in a double
bond are found on opposite sides
of the molecule. The unnatural
arrangement caused by pressure,
heat and unnatural chemical
reactions (such as artificial
addition of hydrogen molecules).
Trans-configuration as opposed to cis-configuration,
which is the natural form found
in nature.
trans-fatty acid
Trans-fatty acid is
where the extra electrons in a
double bond in the carbon chain
are 'transferred' to the other
side of the carbon chain through
pressure, heat and unnatural
chemical reactions. Researchers
suspect that this structural
change into an unnatural form
makes the fat harmful to our
health.
triglyceride (TG)
A
triglyceride is a
molecule of fat or oil. It
consists of 3 fatty acid
molecules, hooked to a glycerol
backbone. Fats are stored in the
body's fat tissues and in the
seeds of plants in the form of
triglycerides.
unsaturated fat (or fatty acids)
(UFA)
An
unsaturated fat is a
fatty acid with one or more
double bonds between carbons in
its chain
Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill
Udo Erasmus
The Facts About Fats
John Finnegan
Flax Oil as a True Aid Against
Arthritis, Heart Infarction,
Cancer and Other Diseases
Dr
Johanna Budwig (seven time Nobel
Prize nominee)
The Oil-Protein Diet Cookbook
Dr
Johanna Budwig
Brain-Building Nutrition
Michael A Schmidt
Biochemical Individuality
Roger Williams
Essential Fatty Acids in Health & Disease
Edward Siguel
Trans-Fatty Acids in the Food
Supply: a comprehensive report
covering 60 years of research.
Mary G Enig
Lipids in Human Nutrition
G
J Brisson
The Omega-3 Phenomenon
Donald Rudin MD and Clara Felix
Essential Fatty Acids: A
Review. In: Horrobin, D.F. (ed)
Clinical Uses of Essential Fatty
Acids. Eden Press 1982
D
F Horrobin
Large number of research studies
have been carried out over many
years, much of which has been
published and is available to
read in detail on the internet.
Just a few examples are
mentioned below.
Fatty Acid Make up of the brain
In
the brain, nearly one third of
the fatty acids are
polyunsaturated essential fatty
acids, and these must be
obtained from the diet.
Bourre,
JM et al. The effects of dietary
alpha-linolenic acid on the
composition of nerve membranes,
enzymatic activity, amplitude of
electrophysiological parameters,
resistance to poisons, and
performance of learning tasks in
rates. J.Nutri 1989; 199:1880-92
Balance of Essential Fatty Acids
Required in the Human Body
Ratio of omega-6 to omega-3
fatty acids in the diet is
important. It has been estimated
that the ratio used to be 1:1
many years ago, which scientists
believe to be more or less ideal
for the human brain. These days,
the ratio is estimated to be
between 20 and 30:1 (thirty
parts omega-6 for every part of
omega-3). In human breast milk
the ratio can be as high as
45:1. Infant formula
generally had a ratio of about
10:1, but until fairly recently
none of this was in the form of
the vital DHA.
Simopoulos,
AT. Omega-3 fatty acids.
Handbook of Lipids in Human
Nutrition.
Innis,
S. Essential Fatty Acid
Requirements in Human Nutrition.
Can. J. Physiol Pharmacol
1993;71(1):699-706
Innis,
S. et al. Development of visual
acuity in relation to plasma and
etythrocyte omega-6 and omega-3
fatty acids in healthy term
gestation infants. Am J Clin
Nutr 1994; 60(3):347-52
Vitamin E to help prevent free
radical damage of Essential
Fatty Acids
Vitamin E supplementation is
especially important when the
diet is high in essential fatty
acids, of when supplementing
with essential fatty acids.
Laganiere,
S, Fernandes, G. High
Peroxidizability of subcellular
membrane induced by high fish
oil diet is reversed by vitamin
E. Clin Res 1987;35(3):565A
Low-fat, low-cholesterol diets
lead to more violent, aggressive
behaviour
Kaplan, JR et al. The effects of
fat and cholesterol on social
behavior in monkeys. Psychosom
Med 1991;53:634-642
Violent, antisocial men in a
prison environment low on DHA
Violent male offenders in a
prison system were monitored for
fatty acids. Violent, antisocial
men showed very low blood
measurements in DHA (as found in
fish oil). Their serum
cholesterol was also very low.
All the men consumed alcohol
(which damages DHA in the brain
and prevents it being made from
its parent fatty acids such as
alpha-linolenic acid).
Virkkunen,
ME, Horrobin, DF et al. Plasma
phospholipid essential fatty
acids and prostaglandins in
alcoholic, habitually violent,
and impulsive offenders. Biol
Psych 1987; 22:1087-96
High Blood Pressure
Supplementation with borage oil
and fish oil, which are sources
of GLA and DHA respectively,
reversed the rise in blood
pressure often associated with
psychological stress.
Mills, DE, et al. Dietary fatty
acid supplementation alters
stress reactivity and
performance in man. J Human
Hypertension 1989;3:111-16
Phosphatidylserine reduces
physical stress response
Two studies show that
Phosphatidylserine (PS)
supplementation significantly
reduced the stress hormone
response to physical stress.
Monteleone,
P, et al. Effects of
phosphatidylserine on the
neuroendocrine response to
physical stress in humans.
Neuroendocrinology
1990;52:243-48
Monteleone,
P, et al. blunting the chronic
phosphatidylserine adminstration
of the stress-induced activation
of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal
axis in healthy men. Eur J Clin
Pharmacol (Germany)
1992;42:385-88
Dementia
According to this study, people
with low blood levels of DHA
have almost twice the risk of
developing dementia over the
next nine years than people
whose blood levels of DHA is
high.
Schaefer, EJ. Decreased plasma
phosphatidylcholine
docosahexaenoic acid content in
dementia. Presented at: Keeping
Your Brain in Shape: New
Insights into DHA. Cornell
University Medical Centre, New
York, April 8, 1997.
Vegetarian and Vegan diets
provide inadequate EPA and DHA
Vegetarian, especially vegan,
diets are relatively low in
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
compared with linoleic acid (LA)
and provide little, if any,
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Clinical studies suggest that
tissue levels of long-chain
omega-3 fatty acids are
depressed in vegetarians,
particularly in vegans. Omega-3
fatty acids have numerous
physiologic benefits, including
potent cardio-protective
effects. These effects have been
demonstrated for ALA as well as
EPA and DHA, although the
response is generally less for
ALA than for EPA and DHA.
Conversion of ALA by the body to
the more active longer-chain
metabolites is inefficient: less
than 5-10% for EPA and 2-5% for
DHA. Thus, total omega-3
requirements may be higher for
vegetarians than for
non-vegetarians, as vegetarians
must rely on conversion of ALA
to EPA and DHA. Because of the
beneficial effects of omega-3
fatty acids, it is recommended
that vegetarians make dietary
changes to optimize omega-3
fatty acid status.
Davis, B.C. and
P.M. Kris-Etherton (2003).
Achieving optimal essential
fatty acid status in
vegetarians: current knowledge
and practical implications.
Am J Clin Nutr 78(3
Suppl): 640S-646S.
