In a message dated 10/7/02 5:23:28 AM, [log in to unmask] writes:

>I thought that the fat of US feedlot
>meat is actually high in omega6  and NOT saturated fat.  (Cordain mentions
>this -- see brief article link below

I just read the link you mention and it doesn't say that grain fed beef is
high in omega 6 and not saturated fat -- it says that the ratio of omega6 -
omega 3 found in beef fed grain is worse than that from beef from grass fed
cattle ( actually all cattle are grass fed for most of their lives -- only at
the end of their lives are they fattened up on grains, carbs to you and I) To
quote a passage: *Both grass-fed steers and the wild ruminants have a ratio
of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids slightly above two in meat. In other words,
two parts omega-6 to one part omega-3," Watkins says. "That ratio is much
lower than the ratios of 5-to-1 to 13-to-1 reported in previous studies for
grain-fed steers.* But beef fat, whether grain or grass fed has very few
polyunsaturates (at most 3 - 6% of beef fat is polys) and the percentage of
linoleic (omega 6) is usually about 1% and that for linolenic acid (omega 3)
is usually less than 1%. (source - Know YOur Fats, Enig).  Beef is simply not
a significant source of the essential fatty acids -- need very little of
these -- Enig reports that about 2 - 3% of daily fat calories should be in
the form of omega 6 and 1 - 1.5% in the form of omega 3. Actually saturated
fat is necessary to enable the body to convert linolenic acid to the
elongated forms EPA and DHA. Beef fat is about 50 -55% saturated (mostly the
good stearic acid), 40% oleic (yes folks, same stuff as olive oil) and 3 -6%
polyunsaturates.

Namaste, Liz
<A HREF="http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html">
http://www.csun.edu/~ecm59556/Healthycarb/index.html</A>