i might need to split this thread into subcategories later, but for now, let's just have a general fats thread. ps, this thread is talking about fats in the diet, not whether or not you think you're fat! right now i'm listening to udo erasmus. he's the fats guru. He's devoted his life's work to the study of fats, and to getting healthy fats to people. he sells a product, but i still take his work very seriously. the reason he sells oils is because he believes they're so important http://www.videoclipstream.com/t-v/udo/videowindow.html
from just listening to udo, he's said that ala converts to the useful form at a 2% conversion ratio. so you have to eat a lot more flaxoil than fish oil to theoretically get the same amt of dha (dha is the stuff that's supergood for your brain, mkayyy). and that's only if your body is capable of making the conversion~pple who are sick, or who have a chronic health condition often cant make those conversions.
i've seen fish oil supplements work miracles. it's amazing stuff. the modern diet is woefully deficient in dha and epa.
While flax seeds are of some nutritional value, the Omega 3's they contain are of short chain types that have to be converted by the human body into long types to be of any use. This is a fairly inefficient process .Some peoples' bodies do a better job than others. it is more efficient to eat foods that contain ready made long chain omega 3's found in oily fish but also found in some quantities in crustaciens (Lobsters,prawns, shrimps), other seafood such as calamari aka squid and to a lesser extent beef does contain some.
I have just come across this link when looking for something else, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/helthrpt/stories/s28183.htm However I cannot agree with that saturated fat is bad.
re saturated fats...i'd avoid sat fat from factory farmed meats as much as possible. i'd not worry too much about saturated fats from wild/ranged animals.
