Hi,

>>EFAs are present in many different foods, but not in the significant
>>amounts that seed oils and nuts offer.
>
>ok, but the inherent assumption above is that we need them in these
>"significant" amounts, when we do not - we need them in small amounts.
>
>In addition, seed oils are not whole healthy foods and are usually rancid
>and impure, consisting of fat without the original elements of the seed.

Seed oils are not whole foods, true. But if they are cold pressed,
fresh,
and refrigerated they can and will be pure and healthy foods for up to
5
months. Only a very few seed oil companies I know of offer such
products.
The vast majority, the other producers of bottled oils are exactly as
you
say, the oils are rancid not good for you.

I think this true if a person is healthy and well nourished, that only
very
small amounts are needed.  But most are not and most folks are
nutritionally deficient in EFAs.  Just as one can have a specific
vitamin
deficiency that causes problems (no vitamin A and a person will become
night blind, as an example), if a person has not consistently had raw
fats
to provide EFAs in adequate amounts, or had injuries to metabolism due
to
eating a "normal" diet, they'll be healthier if they get the EFA
deficiency
addressed.

I believe this to be true from the stuff I have read, but more
importantly
from results I have had. I had not one, but two patients who were
seriously
ill, one lady and one child, and for a while the only change I did was
to
have them add raw, cold pressed seed oils to their diets, along with
eating
some raw nuts daily.  The child started growing again after four years
of
no growth; her body had been injured by lupus and prednisone.  The
woman
who was going bald had cut all fat out to try to lose weight, and as a
result was going bald and her nails became brittle.  That has been
improving contiuously for nearly two years.

What is so interesting to me is that the condition in TCM diagnosis
known
as "blood deficiency" (english translation makes no sense) includes
all the
symptoms of EFA deficiencies, including dry skin, hair loss, weak
nails,
hormone imbalances.

>>The problem with fats is in the USA everyone generally only eats the toxic,
>>cooked fats no no EFAs.  For the most part, as soon as a vegetable fat is
>>cooked, the EFAs disappear and you get only toxic transfatty acids.
>
>that is why we endeavor to eat them raw.
>This is not a list about the general usa diet.

Right, it isn't but remember C I was writing to respond to the issue
of
liver disease that Matt was concerned about.  He didn't say if the
mustard
oil was cooked or raw that caused the health problems.

Regards,
Roberta