Hi Charles,
A good place to begin learning about the human body and its ability to
absorb and assimilate nutrients is the website associated with this list
http://www.paleodiet.com/
You'll find many links there to the information you seek. Also, try the
links below for information about essential fatty acids in detail. Did you
ever wonder why the diet gurus and the ADA warn us about red meat? Well,
it's all about fatty acids. Red meat that is GRAIN FED is high in Omega-6
fatty acids which leads to atherosclerosis and heart disease. This problem
is eliminated by eating GRASS FED beef.
Most Americans today eat a diet that is too high in Omega-6's. The ratio of
Omega 6's to Omega 3's runs between 10:1 - 18:1. A healthy balance of 6's
to 3's is anywhere from 1:1 to 4:1 (although I believe 4:1 is pushing it a
little).
http://www.teleport.com/~jor/http://www.metametrix.com/articles/artcl_caf.htm
This should provide some food for thought. And yes, I remember Zappa's best
line :-)
Peace,
Siobhan