freemotion
Food Guru
OK, I just couldn't help it.....and it is raining tonight, so I thought I'd start this promised thread. I really feel that doing everything we can to stay healthy is a huge part of being self sufficient.
What is healthy for one person is not necessarily healthy for the next person. This thread is about what I have found that works for me and my family, after many months (years, really) of research. It is not intended to start a debate, so if you really, really, REALLY disagree, please start another thread. If you can be polite, please post here. Thanks for keeping it civil!
Keep in mind that the corn and soy industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and for that very reason, misinformation abounds. The pharmaceutical industry benefits greatly from this misinformation, and they "own" the media through the sheer volume of their advertising. I have counted over 20% of pages in Prevention that are owned by big pharm alone.
Here is the tip of the iceberg that I want to say about fats:
There is a lot of confusion about fats.which are healthy, which are not, in what amounts, and how can one find good fats in the market? What is propaganda used to sell products, and what is true?
First, some definitions:
Saturated and the unsaturated (mono-, poly-, etc.) refers to the molecular structure of the fat in question. It refers to how many double carbon bonds there are. A mono-unsaturated fat has one. Poly-unsaturated fats have two or more. Saturated fats have none.
Each double carbon bond creates a bend or twist in the molecule. Saturated fats are straighter in shape, so they pack together tightly, hence the tendency to be solid at room temperature, 72 degrees F. The more twists in the molecule, the less densely they pack, and the more fluid they are. Mono-unsaturated olive oil has one twist, so it is fluid at warmer temperatures, and becomes more solid in the refrigerator. Poly-unsaturated fats, such as canola oil, are liquid even when quite cold.
One of the biggest dangers from fats that are obtained from all natural sources, whether organic or not, is whether or not they are rancid or oxidized. This means that free radicals are created..atoms with unpaired electrons, that are very unstable, and cause free radical cascades when they enter are bodies..they steal an electron from the nearest atom, turning it into an unstable atom that then steals an electron from the next atom, and so forth. This cascade can have a negative impact on millions of atoms, and the DNA of the cell is even endangered.
Each atom that becomes a free radical and then corrects this by stealing a neighbors electron is still a damaged atom that can no longer function normally. Although normal body functions create free radicals and we are designed to cope with this through a healthy diet high in antioxidants, we cannot overcome the unnatural amount of oxidative stress found in todays world through diet alone. One approach is to limit the amount of oxidative stress through diet and lifestyle, to the extent possible.
Saturated fats (animal fats such as butter, lard, and tallow and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oils) are highly stable due to the carbon-hydrogen pairs of their molecules, and do not go rancid easily, even when heated. This reduces the chances of oxidation and free radical production. Lard was actually used in centuries past to preserve foods, such as meats and eggs, without refrigeration. Tallow was used for deep frying foods because of its ability to be heated in a sustained fashion without losing quality..what we now refer to as oxidation.
Mono-unsaturated fats are next, with only one double carbon bond, so more stable. These include olive oil, nut oils, peanut oil, and avocado oil. They can tolerate some heating, so are good for cooking, if the smoke point is not reached. One of the problems, though, is the process in which they are extracted from the nuts or fruits. Many processes use heat, so the oils come to our kitchens already oxidated. Many use solvents in the extraction process, and then bleach and deodorize the oil to make it more palatable to the uninformed consumer, most of whome prefer an odorless, colorless, and bland oil. Each step of the process makes the oil more and more poisonous to our bodies. So look for the words cold-pressed and solvent-free on the labels, and look for oils that retain some color, smell, and taste of the plant from which they were derived. Extra virgin olive oil is a good bet, especially organic.
Poly-unsaturated fats are the ones with two or more double carbon bonds, and these are the least stable of all the fats. They oxidize quite readily. Even the heat created by the friction that is inevitable in cold-pressing starts the oxidation process. These oils should never be heated, as this creates a free-radical bombardment when eaten. The way they are processed today, with solvents, deodorizing and bleaching, removes any food value. Add to that frightening list is the way the grains commonly used in these oils are grown..with genetically modified seed, chemicals that are retained in the seed, and insecticides that include hormone disruptors. Also consider the amount of time from farm to table, and there is even more time for rancidity and oxidation to develop. These oils, if used at all, should be an extremely small part of the diet, and of extremely high quality and organic. They should purchased in small quantities, be kept in the refrigerator, and used up quickly.
More to come.......
What is healthy for one person is not necessarily healthy for the next person. This thread is about what I have found that works for me and my family, after many months (years, really) of research. It is not intended to start a debate, so if you really, really, REALLY disagree, please start another thread. If you can be polite, please post here. Thanks for keeping it civil!
Keep in mind that the corn and soy industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and for that very reason, misinformation abounds. The pharmaceutical industry benefits greatly from this misinformation, and they "own" the media through the sheer volume of their advertising. I have counted over 20% of pages in Prevention that are owned by big pharm alone.
Here is the tip of the iceberg that I want to say about fats:
There is a lot of confusion about fats.which are healthy, which are not, in what amounts, and how can one find good fats in the market? What is propaganda used to sell products, and what is true?
First, some definitions:
Saturated and the unsaturated (mono-, poly-, etc.) refers to the molecular structure of the fat in question. It refers to how many double carbon bonds there are. A mono-unsaturated fat has one. Poly-unsaturated fats have two or more. Saturated fats have none.
Each double carbon bond creates a bend or twist in the molecule. Saturated fats are straighter in shape, so they pack together tightly, hence the tendency to be solid at room temperature, 72 degrees F. The more twists in the molecule, the less densely they pack, and the more fluid they are. Mono-unsaturated olive oil has one twist, so it is fluid at warmer temperatures, and becomes more solid in the refrigerator. Poly-unsaturated fats, such as canola oil, are liquid even when quite cold.
One of the biggest dangers from fats that are obtained from all natural sources, whether organic or not, is whether or not they are rancid or oxidized. This means that free radicals are created..atoms with unpaired electrons, that are very unstable, and cause free radical cascades when they enter are bodies..they steal an electron from the nearest atom, turning it into an unstable atom that then steals an electron from the next atom, and so forth. This cascade can have a negative impact on millions of atoms, and the DNA of the cell is even endangered.
Each atom that becomes a free radical and then corrects this by stealing a neighbors electron is still a damaged atom that can no longer function normally. Although normal body functions create free radicals and we are designed to cope with this through a healthy diet high in antioxidants, we cannot overcome the unnatural amount of oxidative stress found in todays world through diet alone. One approach is to limit the amount of oxidative stress through diet and lifestyle, to the extent possible.
Saturated fats (animal fats such as butter, lard, and tallow and tropical oils such as coconut and palm oils) are highly stable due to the carbon-hydrogen pairs of their molecules, and do not go rancid easily, even when heated. This reduces the chances of oxidation and free radical production. Lard was actually used in centuries past to preserve foods, such as meats and eggs, without refrigeration. Tallow was used for deep frying foods because of its ability to be heated in a sustained fashion without losing quality..what we now refer to as oxidation.
Mono-unsaturated fats are next, with only one double carbon bond, so more stable. These include olive oil, nut oils, peanut oil, and avocado oil. They can tolerate some heating, so are good for cooking, if the smoke point is not reached. One of the problems, though, is the process in which they are extracted from the nuts or fruits. Many processes use heat, so the oils come to our kitchens already oxidated. Many use solvents in the extraction process, and then bleach and deodorize the oil to make it more palatable to the uninformed consumer, most of whome prefer an odorless, colorless, and bland oil. Each step of the process makes the oil more and more poisonous to our bodies. So look for the words cold-pressed and solvent-free on the labels, and look for oils that retain some color, smell, and taste of the plant from which they were derived. Extra virgin olive oil is a good bet, especially organic.
Poly-unsaturated fats are the ones with two or more double carbon bonds, and these are the least stable of all the fats. They oxidize quite readily. Even the heat created by the friction that is inevitable in cold-pressing starts the oxidation process. These oils should never be heated, as this creates a free-radical bombardment when eaten. The way they are processed today, with solvents, deodorizing and bleaching, removes any food value. Add to that frightening list is the way the grains commonly used in these oils are grown..with genetically modified seed, chemicals that are retained in the seed, and insecticides that include hormone disruptors. Also consider the amount of time from farm to table, and there is even more time for rancidity and oxidation to develop. These oils, if used at all, should be an extremely small part of the diet, and of extremely high quality and organic. They should purchased in small quantities, be kept in the refrigerator, and used up quickly.
More to come.......
.
