Comments on: What’s In A Fat? http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/ An urban insurgent's guide to real food for life Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:52:26 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Ed Bruske http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2875 Ed Bruske Wed, 27 May 2009 11:04:34 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2875 Kristen, I love the idea of cooking with lard, butter, tallow, coconut oil. I save all my bacon grease and use it to cook certain things. But I don't reject everything invented after Woodstock, nor do I think it's practical for everyone to switch their general-purpose cooking oil to one of those you mentioned. Canola oil, in fact, is 57-60 percent monounsaturated fat, and has an extremely good omega-6 to omega-3 balance of 2:1. That's why I use it, along with olive oil, for most of my stove-top cooking. Kristen, I love the idea of cooking with lard, butter, tallow, coconut oil. I save all my bacon grease and use it to cook certain things. But I don’t reject everything invented after Woodstock, nor do I think it’s practical for everyone to switch their general-purpose cooking oil to one of those you mentioned. Canola oil, in fact, is 57-60 percent monounsaturated fat, and has an extremely good omega-6 to omega-3 balance of 2:1. That’s why I use it, along with olive oil, for most of my stove-top cooking.

]]> By: FoodRenegade http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2873 FoodRenegade Wed, 27 May 2009 01:03:31 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2873 I like the recommendations to eat more pasture-raised meats because those have a healthier balance of Omega 6 to 3 fats, and I agree with the assertion that we need to eat mostly monounsaturated and saturated fats. But canola oil? It wasn't invented until 1970, and contains too many polyunsaturated fats to be your primary cooking oil. Most of us are likely to get plenty polyunsaturated fats just by occasional snacking on seeds or nuts. Why not recommend more traditional oils like lard or tallow (from foraged/pastured animals), or even the traditional tropical oils like coconut or palm? Those all better fit the picture Allport paints: naturally good balance of Omega 6/3 fats, mostly monounsaturated & saturated. I'm eager to read the book, though, and grateful for your review. Cheers, KristenM (AKA FoodRenegade) I like the recommendations to eat more pasture-raised meats because those have a healthier balance of Omega 6 to 3 fats, and I agree with the assertion that we need to eat mostly monounsaturated and saturated fats.

But canola oil? It wasn’t invented until 1970, and contains too many polyunsaturated fats to be your primary cooking oil. Most of us are likely to get plenty polyunsaturated fats just by occasional snacking on seeds or nuts.

Why not recommend more traditional oils like lard or tallow (from foraged/pastured animals), or even the traditional tropical oils like coconut or palm? Those all better fit the picture Allport paints: naturally good balance of Omega 6/3 fats, mostly monounsaturated & saturated.

I’m eager to read the book, though, and grateful for your review.

Cheers,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)

]]> By: cheflovesbeer http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2872 cheflovesbeer Tue, 26 May 2009 19:23:16 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2872 Thank you. I'm new to the whole omega-3/6 thing. Just trying to figure out what is healthy, even if I do not always make the right decision. Thank you. I’m new to the whole omega-3/6 thing. Just trying to figure out what is healthy, even if I do not always make the right decision.

]]> By: Ed Bruske http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2871 Ed Bruske Tue, 26 May 2009 19:14:38 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2871 Sylvie, you're right. It's sadly comical to see people buying highly processed industrial foods whose nutrition had to be added as a supplement, rather than just purchasing the genuine article. The food corporations have us well trained. Chef, I'm sorry if I confused you. Of course you want more omega-3 fats in your diet. The historical ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s was probably around 2-to-1, but now may be as high as 50 to one. The author has a nice chart in her book showing the ratio for many different kinds of cooking oils. In order to restore balance, consumer fewer omega-6s and more omega-3s. Sylvie, you’re right. It’s sadly comical to see people buying highly processed industrial foods whose nutrition had to be added as a supplement, rather than just purchasing the genuine article. The food corporations have us well trained.

Chef, I’m sorry if I confused you. Of course you want more omega-3 fats in your diet. The historical ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s was probably around 2-to-1, but now may be as high as 50 to one. The author has a nice chart in her book showing the ratio for many different kinds of cooking oils. In order to restore balance, consumer fewer omega-6s and more omega-3s.

]]> By: cheflovesbeer http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2870 cheflovesbeer Tue, 26 May 2009 16:08:05 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2870 I am confused by your wording. I was under the impression that we should have more omega-3's than 6's. It sounds to me you are saying the opposite. Anyway, love the new look! I am confused by your wording. I was under the impression that we should have more omega-3’s than 6’s. It sounds to me you are saying the opposite.

Anyway, love the new look!

]]> By: Ed Bruske http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2869 Ed Bruske Tue, 26 May 2009 14:18:13 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2869 Meg, I'd be curious to know what someone from the macro-biotic world would think of this book about fats. Meg, I’d be curious to know what someone from the macro-biotic world would think of this book about fats.

]]> By: Sylvie http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2868 Sylvie Tue, 26 May 2009 14:13:03 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2868 and to add insult to injury, those calorie-dense processed food are nutrient poor, deficient in so many fibers, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and probably other components we don't even know about yet. And missing on all the synergies of food working together that we are just starting to appreciate. And so, many people now think that by swallowing a multi-vitamin pill along with their fat-free TV dinner, they are eating "healthy". Very sad. and to add insult to injury, those calorie-dense processed food are nutrient poor, deficient in so many fibers, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and probably other components we don’t even know about yet. And missing on all the synergies of food working together that we are just starting to appreciate. And so, many people now think that by swallowing a multi-vitamin pill along with their fat-free TV dinner, they are eating “healthy”. Very sad.

]]> By: megwolff http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2867 megwolff Tue, 26 May 2009 12:32:47 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2867 I will definitely read the book. I will definitely read the book.

]]> By: megwolff http://www.theslowcook.com/2009/05/26/whats-in-a-fat/comment-page-1/#comment-2866 megwolff Tue, 26 May 2009 12:30:46 +0000 http://www.theslowcook.com/?p=1519#comment-2866 I enjoyed reading this article. Thanks. I enjoyed reading this article. Thanks.

]]>