Modern Methods of Processing Fats+Nutrients in Butter+Composition of Different F

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Extracted from The Skinny on Fats

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/skinny.html

Look for references at the above url.

 

Modern Methods of Processing Fats

 

It is important to understand that, of all substances ingested by the body,

it is polyunsaturated oils that are most easily rendered dangerous by food

processing, especially unstable omega-3 linolenic acid. Consider the following

processes inflicted upon naturally occurring fatty acids before they appear on

our tables:

 

Extraction:

Oils naturally occurring in fruits, nuts and seeds must first be extracted.

In the old days this extraction was achieved by slow-moving stone presses. But

oils processed in large factories are obtained by crushing the oil-bearing

seeds and heating them to 230 degrees. The oil is then squeezed out at pressures

from 10 to 20 tons per inch, thereby generating more heat. During this process

the oils are exposed to damaging light and oxygen. In order to extract the

last 10% or so of the oil from crushed seeds, processors treat the pulp with one

of a number of solvents-usually hexane. The solvent is then boiled off,

although up to 100 parts per million may remain in the oil. Such solvents,

themselves toxic, also retain the toxic pesticides adhering to seeds and grains

before

processing begins.

 

High-temperature processing causes the weak carbon bonds of unsaturated fatty

acids, especially triple unsaturated linolenic acid, to break apart, thereby

creating dangerous free radicals. In addition, antioxidants, such as

fat-soluble vitamin E, which protect the body from the ravages of free radicals,

are

neutralized or destroyed by high temperatures and pressures. BHT and BHA, both

suspected of causing cancer and brain damage, are often added to these oils to

replace vitamin E and other natural preservatives destroyed by heat.

 

There is a safe modern technique for extraction that drills into the seeds

and extracts the oil and its precious cargo of antioxidants under low

temperatures, with minimal exposure to light and oxygen. These

expeller-expressed,

unrefined oils will remain fresh for a long time if stored in the refrigerator

in

dark bottles. Extra virgin olive oil is produced by crushing olives between

stone or steel rollers. This process is a gentle one that preserves the

integrity

of the fatty acids and the numerous natural preservatives in olive oil. If

olive oil is packaged in opaque containers, it will retain its freshness and

precious store of antioxidants for many years.

 

Hydrogenation:

This is the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room

temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature-margarine and

shortening.

To produce them, manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils-soy, corn,

cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process-and mix them

with

tiny metal particles-usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is

then subjected to hydrogen gas in a high-pressure, high-temperature reactor.

Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it

a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures

when it is steam-cleaned. This removes its unpleasant odor.

 

Margarine's natural color, an unappetizing grey, is removed by bleach. Dyes

and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the

mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health

food.

 

Partially hydrogenated margarines and shortenings are even worse for you than

the highly refined vegetable oils from which they are made because of

chemical changes that occur during the hydrogenation process. Under high

temperatures, the nickel catalyst causes the hydrogen atoms to change position

on the

fatty acid chain. Before hydrogenation, pairs of hydrogen atoms occur together

on

the chain, causing the chain to bend slightly and creating a concentration of

electrons at the site of the double bond. This is called the cis formation,

the configuration most commonly found in nature. With hydrogenation, one

hydrogen atom of the pair is moved to the other side so that the molecule

straightens. This is called the trans formation, rarely found in nature. Most of

these

man-made trans fats are toxins to the body, but unfortunately your digestive

system does not recognize them as such. Instead of being eliminated, trans fats

are incorporated into cell membranes as if they were cis fats-your cells

actually become partially hydrogenated! Once in place, trans fatty acids with

their

misplaced hydrogen atoms wreak havoc in cell metabolism because chemical

reactions can only take place when electrons in the cell membranes are in

certain

arrangements or patterns, which the hydrogenation process has disturbed.

 

In the 1940's, researchers found a strong correlation between cancer and the

consumption of fat-the fats used were hydrogenated fats although the results

were presented as though the culprit were saturated fats.54 In fact, until

recently saturated fats were usually lumped together with trans fats in the

various U.S. data bases that researchers use to correlate dietary trends with

disease conditions.55 Thus, natural saturated fats were tarred with the black

brush

of unnatural hydrogenated vegetable oils.

 

Altered partially hydrogenated fats made from vegetable oils actually block

utilization of essential fatty acids, causing many deleterious effects

including sexual dysfunction, increased blood cholesterol and paralysis of the

immune

system.56 Consumption of hydrogenated fats is associated with a host of other

serious diseases, not only cancer but also atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity,

immune system dysfunction, low-birth-weight babies, birth defects, decreased

visual acuity, sterility, difficulty in lactation and problems with bones and

tendons.57 Yet hydrogenated fats continue to be promoted as health foods. The

popularity of partially hydrogenated margarine over butter represents a

triumph of advertising duplicity over common sense. Your best defense is to

avoid it

like the plague.

 

Homogenization:

This is the process whereby the fat particles of cream are strained through

tiny pores under great pressure. The resulting fat particles are so small that

they stay in suspension rather than rise to the top of the milk. This makes

the fat and cholesterol more susceptible to rancidity and oxidation, and some

research indicates that homogenized fats may contribute to heart disease.58

 

The media's constant attack on saturated fats is extremely suspect. Claims

that butter causes chronic high cholesterol values have not been substantiated

by research-although some studies show that butter consumption causes a small,

temporary rise-while other studies have shown that stearic acid, the main

component of beef fat, actually lowers cholesterol.59 Margarine, on the other

hand, provokes chronic high levels of cholesterol and has been linked to both

heart disease and cancer.60 The new soft margarines or tub spreads, while lower

in

hydrogenated fats, are still produced from rancid vegetable oils and contain

many additives.

 

Nutrients in Butter

 

The Diet Dictocrats have succeeded in convincing Americans that butter is

dangerous, when in fact it is a valued component of many traditional diets and a

source of the following nutrients:

 

Fat-Soluble Vitamins:

These include true vitamin A or retinol, vitamin D, vitamin K and vitamin E

as well as all their naturally occurring cofactors needed to obtain maximum

effect. Butter is America's best source of these important nutrients. In fact,

vitamin A is more easily absorbed and utilized from butter than from other

sources.61 Fortunately, these fat-soluble vitamins are relatively stable and

survive the pasteurization process.

 

When Dr. Weston Price studied isolated traditional peoples around the world,

he found that butter was a staple in many native diets. (He did not find any

isolated peoples who consumed polyunsaturated oils.) The groups he studied

particularly valued the deep yellow butter produced by cows feeding on rapidly

growing green grass. Their natural intuition told them that its life-giving

qualities were especially beneficial for children and expectant mothers. When

Dr.

Price analyzed this deep yellow butter he found that it was exceptionally high

in all fat-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin A. He called these vitamins

" catalysts " or " activators. " Without them, according to Dr. Price, we are not

able to utilize the minerals we ingest, no matter how abundant they may be in

our diets. He also believed the fat-soluble vitamins to be necessary for

absorption of the water-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A and D are essential for

growth, for healthy bones, for proper development of the brain and nervous

systems

and for normal sexual development. Many studies have shown the importance of

butterfat for reproduction; its absence results in " nutritional castration, " the

failure to bring out male and female sexual characteristics. As butter

consumption in America has declined, sterility rates and problems with sexual

development have increased. In calves, butter substitutes are unable to promote

growth or sustain reproduction.62

 

Not all the societies Dr. Price studied ate butter; but all the groups he

observed went to great lengths to obtain foods high in fat-soluble

vitamins-fish,

shellfish, fish eggs, organ meats, blubber of sea animals and insects.

Without knowing the names of the vitamins contained in these foods, isolated

traditional societies recognized their importance in the diet and liberally ate

the

animal products containing them. They rightly believed such foods to be

necessary for fertility and the optimum development of children. Dr. Price

analyzed

the nutrient content of native diets and found that they consistently provided

about ten times more fat soluble vitamins than the American diet of the

1930's. This ratio is probably more extreme today as Americans have deliberately

reduced animal fat consumption. Dr. Price realized that these fat-soluble

vitamins promoted the beautiful bone structure, wide palate, flawless uncrowded

teeth

and handsome, well-proportioned faces that characterized members of isolated

traditional groups. American children in general do not eat fish or organ

meats, at least not to any great extent, and blubber and insects are not a part

of

the western diet; many will not eat eggs. The only good source of fat-soluble

vitamins in the American diet, one sure to be eaten, is butterfat. Butter

added to vegetables and spread on bread, and cream added to soups and sauces,

ensure proper assimilation of the minerals and water-soluble vitamins in

vegetables, grains and meat.

 

The Wulzen Factor:

Called the " antistiffness " factor, this compound is present in raw animal

fat. Researcher Rosalind Wulzen discovered that this substance protects humans

and animals from calcification of the joints-degenerative arthritis. It also

protects against hardening of the arteries, cataracts and calcification of the

pineal gland.63 Calves fed pasteurized milk or skim milk develop joint stiffness

and do not thrive. Their symptoms are reversed when raw butterfat is added to

the diet. Pasteurization destroys the Wulzen factor-it is present only in raw

butter, cream and whole milk.

 

The Price Factor or Activator X:

Discovered by Dr. Price, Activator X is a powerful catalyst which, like

vitamins A and D, helps the body absorb and utilize minerals. It is found in

organ

meats from grazing animals and some sea food. Butter can be an especially rich

source of Activator X when it comes from cows eating rapidly growing grass in

the spring and fall seasons. It disappears in cows fed cottonseed meal or

high protein soy-based feeds.64 Fortunately, Activator X is not destroyed by

pasteurization.

 

Arachidonic Acid:

A 20-carbon polyunsaturate containing four double bonds, found in small

amounts only in animal fats. Arachidonic acid (AA) plays a role in the function

of

the brain, is a vital component of the cell membranes and is a precursor to

important prostaglandins. Some dietary gurus warn against eating foods rich in

AA, claiming that it contributes to the production of " bad " prostaglandins,

ones that cause inflammation. But prostaglandins that counteract inflammation

are

also made from AA.

 

Short- and Medium-Chain Fatty Acids:

Butter contains about 12-15% short- and medium-chain fatty acids. This type

of saturated fat does not need to be emulsified by bile salts but is absorbed

directly from the small intestine to the liver, where it is converted into

quick energy. These fatty acids also have antimicrobial, antitumor and

immune-system-supporting properties, especially 12-carbon lauric acid, a

medium-chain

fatty acid not found in other animal fats. Highly protective lauric acid should

be called a conditionally essential fatty acid because it is made only by the

mammary gland and not in the liver like other saturated fats.65 We must obtain

it from one of two dietary sources-small amounts in butterfat or large amounts

in coconut oil. Four-carbon butyric acid is all but unique to butter. It has

antifungal properties as well as antitumor effects.66

 

Omega-6 and Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids:

These occur in butter in small but nearly equal amounts. This excellent

balance between linoleic and linolenic acid prevents the kind of problems

associated with overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids.

 

Conjugated Linoleic Acid:

Butter from pasture-fed cows also contains a form of rearranged linoleic acid

called CLA, which has strong anticancer properties. It also encourages the

buildup of muscle and prevents weight gain. CLA disappears when cows are fed dry

hay or processed feed.67

 

Lecithin:

Lecithin is a natural component of butter that assists in the proper

assimilation and metabolization of cholesterol and other fat constituents.

Cholesterol: Mother's milk is high in cholesterol because it is essential for

growth and development. Cholesterol is also needed to produce a variety of

steroids that protect against cancer, heart disease and mental illness.

 

Glycosphingolipids:

This type of fat protects against gastrointestinal infections, especially in

the very young and the elderly. For this reason, children who drink skimmed

milk have diarrhea at rates three to five times greater than children who drink

whole milk.68

 

Trace Minerals:

Many trace minerals are incorporated into the fat globule membrane of

butterfat, including manganese, zinc, chromium and iodine. In mountainous areas

far

from the sea, iodine in butter protects against goiter. Butter is extremely

rich in selenium, a trace mineral with antioxidant properties, containing more

per gram than herring or wheat germ.

 

One frequently voiced objection to the consumption of butter and other animal

fats is that they tend to accumulate environmental poisons. Fat-soluble

poisons such as DDT do accumulate in fats; but water-soluble poisons, such as

antibiotics and growth hormones, accumulate in the water fraction of milk and

meats. Vegetables and grains also accumulate poisons. The average plant crop

receives ten applications of pesticides-from planting to storage-while cows

generally graze on pasture that is unsprayed. Aflatoxin, a fungus that grows on

grain,

is one of the most powerful carcinogens known. It is correct to assume that

all of our foods, whether of vegetable or animal origin, may be contaminated.

The solution to environmental poisons is not to eliminate animal fats-so

essential to growth, reproduction and overall health-but to seek out organic

meats

and butter from pasture-fed cows, as well as organic vegetables and grains.

These are becoming increasingly available in health food stores and supermarkets

and through mail order and cooperatives.

 

Composition of Different Fats

 

Before leaving this complex but vital subject of fats, it is worthwhile

examining the composition of vegetable oils and other animal fats in order to

determine their usefulness and appropriateness in food preparation:

 

Duck and Goose Fat are semisolid at room temperature, containing about 35%

saturated fat, 52% monounsaturated fat (including small amounts of antimicrobial

palmitoleic acid) and about 13% polyunsaturated fat. The proportion of

omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids depends on what the birds have eaten. Duck and

goose

fat are quite stable and are highly prized in Europe for frying potatoes.

 

Chicken Fat is about 31% saturated, 49% monounsaturated (including moderate

amounts of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid) and 20% polyunsaturated, most of

which is omega-6 linoleic acid, although the amount of omega-3 can be raised by

feeding chickens flax or fish meal, or allowing them to range free and eat

insects. Although widely used for frying in kosher kitchens, it is inferior to

duck and goose fat, which were traditionally preferred to chicken fat in Jewish

cooking.

 

Lard or pork fat is about 40% saturated, 48% monounsaturated (including small

amounts of antimicrobial palmitoleic acid) and 12% polyunsaturated. Like the

fat of birds, the amount of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids will vary in lard

according to what has been fed to the pigs. In the tropics, lard may also be a

source of lauric acid if the pigs have eaten coconuts. Like duck and goose

fat, lard is stable and a preferred fat for frying. It was widely used in

America at the turn of the century. It is a good source of vitamin D, especially

in

third-world countries where other animal foods are likely to be expensive.

Some researchers believe that pork products should be avoided because they may

contribute to cancer. Others suggest that only pork meat presents a problem and

that pig fat in the form of lard is safe and healthy.

 

Beef and Mutton Tallows are 50-55% saturated, about 40% monounsaturated and

contain small amounts of the polyunsaturates, usually less than 3%. Suet, which

is the fat from the cavity of the animal, is 70-80% saturated. Suet and

tallow are very stable fats and can be used for frying. Traditional cultures

valued

these fats for their health benefits. They are a good source of antimicrobial

palmitoleic acid.

 

Olive Oil contains 75% oleic acid, the stable monounsaturated fat, along with

13% saturated fat, 10% omega-6 linoleic acid and 2% omega-3 linolenic acid.

The high percentage of oleic acid makes olive oil ideal for salads and for

cooking at moderate temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil is also rich in

antioxidants. It should be cloudy, indicating that it has not been filtered, and

have a

golden yellow color, indicating that it is made from fully ripened olives.

Olive oil has withstood the test of time; it is the safest vegetable oil you can

use, but don't overdo. The longer chain fatty acids found in olive oil are

more likely to contribute to the buildup of body fat than the short- and

medium-chain fatty acids found in butter, coconut oil or palm kernel oil.

 

Peanut Oil contains 48% oleic acid, 18% saturated fat and 34% omega-6

linoleic acid. Like olive oil, peanut oil is relatively stable and, therefore,

appropriate for stir-frys on occasion. But the high percentage of omega-6

presents a

potential danger, so use of peanut oil should be strictly limited.

 

Sesame Oil contains 42% oleic acid, 15% saturated fat, and 43% omega-6

linoleic acid. Sesame oil is similar in composition to peanut oil. It can be

used

for frying because it contains unique antioxidants that are not destroyed by

heat. However, the high percentage of omega-6 militates against exclusive use.

 

Safflower, Corn, Sunflower, Soybean and Cottonseed Oils all contain over 50%

omega-6 and, except for soybean oil, only minimal amounts of omega-3.

Safflower oil contains almost 80% omega-6. Researchers are just beginning to

discover

the dangers of excess omega-6 oils in the diet, whether rancid or not. Use of

these oils should be strictly limited. They should never be consumed after

they have been heated, as in cooking, frying or baking. High oleic safflower and

sunflower oils, produced from hybrid plants, have a composition similar to

olive oil, namely, high amounts of oleic acid and only small amounts of

polyunsaturated fatty acids and, thus, are more stable than traditional

varieties.

However, it is difficult to find truly cold-pressed versions of these oils.

 

Canola Oil contains 5% saturated fat, 57% oleic acid, 23% omega-6 and 10%-15%

omega-3. The newest oil on the market, canola oil was developed from the rape

seed, a member of the mustard family. Rape seed is unsuited to human

consumption because it contains a very-long-chain fatty acid called erucic acid,

which

under some circumstances is associated with fibrotic heart lesions. Canola

oil was bred to contain little if any erucic acid and has drawn the attention of

nutritionists because of its high oleic acid content. But there are some

indications that canola oil presents dangers of its own. It has a high sulphur

content and goes rancid easily. Baked goods made with canola oil develop mold

very quickly. During the deodorizing process, the omega-3 fatty acids of

processed canola oil are transformed into trans fatty acids, similar to those in

margarine and possibly more dangerous.69 A recent study indicates that " heart

healthy " canola oil actually creates a deficiency of vitamin E, a vitamin

required

for a healthy cardiovascular system.70 Other studies indicate that even

low-erucic-acid canola oil causes heart lesions, particularly when the diet is

low

in saturated fat.71

 

Flax Seed Oil contains 9% saturated fatty acids, 18% oleic acid, 16% omega-6

and 57% omega-3. With its extremely high omega-3 content, flax seed oil

provides a remedy for the omega-6/omega-3 imbalance so prevalent in America

today.

Not surprisingly, Scandinavian folk lore values flax seed oil as a health food.

New extraction and bottling methods have minimized rancidity problems. It

should always be kept refrigerated, never heated, and consumed in small amounts

in salad dressings and spreads.

 

Tropical Oils are more saturated than other vegetable oils.

 

· Palm oil is about 50% saturated, with 41% oleic acid and about 9%

linoleic acid.

 

· Coconut oil is 92% saturated with over two-thirds of the saturated fat in

the form of medium-chain fatty acids (often called medium-chain

triglycerides). Of particular interest is lauric acid, found in large quantities

in both

coconut oil and in mother's milk. This fatty acid has strong antifungal and

antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil protects tropical populations from

bacteria

and fungus so prevalent in their food supply; as third-world nations in

tropical areas have switched to polyunsaturated vegetable oils, the incidence of

intestinal disorders and immune deficiency diseases has increased dramatically.

Because coconut oil contains lauric acid, it is often used in baby formulas.

 

· Palm kernel oil, used primarily in candy coatings, also contains high

levels of lauric acid. These oils are extremely stable and can be kept at room

temperature for many months without becoming rancid. Highly saturated tropical

oils do not contribute to heart disease but have nourished healthy populations

for millennia.72 It is a shame we do not use these oils for cooking and

baking-the bad rap they have received is the result of intense lobbying by the

domestic vegetable oil industry.73

 

· Red palm oil has a strong taste that most will find disagreeable-although

it is used extensively throughout Africa-but clarified palm oil, which is

tasteless and white in color, was formerly used as shortening and in the

production of commercial French fries, while coconut oil was used in cookies,

crackers

and pastries.

The saturated fat scare has forced manufacturers to abandon these safe and

healthy oils in favour of hydrogenated soybean, corn, canola and cottonseed

oils.