Udo Erasmus, pioneer of essential fatty acids, EFA's, omega-3, omega fats, Udo's Choice, Udo's Oil, cold-pressed flax-seed oil, trans-fats, Trans Fatty acids

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ INDEX  |   1 Fats Intro  |   2 Udo's Oil  |   3 Oil Processing  |   4 Good Fats  |   5 Misc  |   6 Questions
The information provided is meant for educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
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PART 4. Good Fats

Where do we find good fats? There are four sources of good fats:

 

1. Green vegetables contain good fats, but in very small quantities. To get 2 tablespoons of good fats, a person would have to eat over 60 pounds of vegetables per day. That is impossible.

2. Seeds and nuts are richer sources of EFAs. But there is no seed or nut that gives an optimum ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 to keep us healthy in our present situation with food habits. Flax is the richest source of omega-3, but a poor source of omega-6. Sunflower and sesame seeds contain omega-6 but no omega-3. So we must mix and match these seeds to get both EFAs in the right quantities and ratio.

3. High fat, cold water fish such as sardines, salmon, trout, herring, and mackerel contain omega-3 and omega-6 derivatives. Eating fish is preferable to using fish oil capsules, due to contamination of fish oils with mercury, pesticides, and PCBs, and due to damage done to fish oils during processing.

4. Oils made with health in mind: pressed from organically grown seeds under protection of light, air, and heat; filtered and filled into dark glass bottles under the same protection; boxed to keep out all light; refrigerated during storage at the factory, in stores, and in the home; and used with care in food preparation (never used for frying, sautéing, or baking).

Oils made with this care are found in the refrigerator in health food stores. It is unusual to see such care taken in oil preparation, packaging, storage, and use. But this kind of care is necessary if EFA-rich oils are to retain their health benefits.

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How do we use good fats in foods?

 

Good fats can be used in any food. They enhance flavors, suppress appetite, and improve the absorption of oil-soluble nutrients in foods. Oil-soluble nutrients are poorly absorbed when there is too little fat in our foods.

  • Good fats make good salad dressings. They can be mixed in vegetable juices, added to hot soups, to steamed vegetables. They make good dips. They make spicy dishes and strong flavors smoother. They enhance the mouth-feel of foods.

  • Good fats can be mixed in protein shakes, yogurt, bean dishes, cooked (low fat) fish, and other meat.

  • Good fats can be mixed in applesauce, and enhance the flavors of fruit juices, especially the tropical ones: pineapple, mango, coconut, orange, and others.

  • Good fats also enhance the flavors of sauces used in pasta and other dishes, and are really nice with potatoes. However, remember that eating too much starch or sweet food increases fat production by your body.

  • Don't blame good fats for overweight. Research has clearly shown that they can decrease fat in the body by burning it faster, slowing down fat production, and increasing energy, activity, and heat, all of which burn more calories.

  • If your weight increases after taking good fats, decrease your intake of sweets, starches, and even fruit.
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    How much good fat should we use?

     

    15% of calories from good fats is a minimum.
    10% might be too low.
    But the quality of the fats you eat
    is much more important than the quantity.

    If you ate only good fats, your fat intake could be as high as 60% of calories from fats, yet you would never die of a fat-related disease. We know that from research done with Inuit (Eskimo) people. They did not die of clots in arteries, nor of diabetes, nor of cancer, nor of multiple sclerosis.

    Inuit fat sources included raw whale blubber and seal fat, and fish. The fats eaten by Inuit were not damaged by processing. Their food fats were also rich in omega-3 and omega-6 derivatives.

    In practice, we have seen people take 50% of their calories from our omega-3 richer 2:1 oil blend made with health in mind, and report increased energy, better sleep, less joint pain, nicer skin, better mood, and better learning and memory.

    In tropical climates, taking that much good oil makes some people sweat more easily.


    CLICK HERE for ABBREVIATIONS & TERMINOLOGY.
    The information provided is meant for educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
    FAQ INDEX  |   1 Fats Intro  |   2 Udo's Oil  |   3 Oil Processing  |   4 Good Fats  |   5 Misc  |   6 Questions

     
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