First of all on saturated fat I'd like to correct my last posting - or add
to it:
The competitors for the enzymes working on EFAs are the *monounsaturated*
fats 18:1 and 16:1.
Saturated fats compete as well, but only after one stage of processing by a
desaturase (D9D), which makes them monounsaturated.
Adding the 18/16-C monounsaturated and 18/16-c saturated fats is what totals
beef fat to such a small part of EFAs.
Other animal slaughter fats like pig fat are somewhat less EFA suppressing,
according to Erasmus' reference.
Other saturated fats (< length of 16 , like most of butter and coconut)
are also not converted to competitors or at least more slowly.

On Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:10:59 -0700, Ken Stuart <[log in to unmask]> cited from:

>http://www.westonaprice.org/oiling.htm

My opinion is:
Weston Price has some good articles.
Some I've seen erraneous - as in the critic about the book of Udo Erasmus
it's stated that hemp (promoted by Erasmus) wouldn't have a history of
usage. That's wrong. Hemp is a most nutritious nut with superb properties
and in use by humans since many thousands of years in China.
In Europe, hemp was used at least since the Hallstatt age (pre-celtic)
about 500BC. One famous grave of a noble (Hochdorf) had inside a bed made of
coloured cloth which was identified as hemp.

However I like their enthusiasm on nourishing traditions, which emphasizes
diets as proven at least over several centuries.

>So, here is the portion about saturated fats:
>
>> Yet the
>>scientific literature delineates a number of vital roles for dietary
>>saturated fats—they enhance the immune system,54 are necessary for healthy
>>bones,55 provide energy and structural integrity to the cells,56 protect
>>the liver57 and enhance the body’s use of essential fatty acids.

Saturated fats *are* of course important in the body - but not essential.
The body makes them as needed. Where's the reference (above) that they would
"enhance the body’s use of essential fatty acids"?
I don't think so (to the opposite).
Well if you use SFAs *instead* of some trans-fats, then they do.
Also shorter chain SFAs are neutral on EFAs - as far as i know.

>>.. cholesterol..  your body makes cholesterol—about 2000
>>mg per day. In general, cholesterol that the average American absorbs from
>>food amounts to about 100 mg per day.
>> .. praise of cholesterol...

I agree. The body makes it as an important substance.
Not after all,

>> Cholesterol is the body’s repair
>>substance, manufactured in large amounts when the arteries are irritated
>>or weak.

That's true. Cholersterol is not the *cause* of artery diseases  it's just
the repair substance *indicating* that artery repair is necessary.

But *why is* the repair necessary after all? This is the (CHD) question.
There are indications that exactely the lack of EFAs to be incorporated
into membranes (to keep them elastic) causes the demand for repair.
In addition to prostaglandin effects, which are also governed by EFAs.

Only the excess of saturated and monounsaturated 18 and 16-C fats in
*relation* to 18 and 16-C EFAs is what inactivates the EFAs and
could be a cause for CHD.

>>.. Like sex, animal fats are necessary for reproduction. ..
This is why vegan people never reproduce ;-)
Thanks good i did eat a little milk fat,
so i for this reason only i was able to reproduce twice.
;-)

Or could it be that the body makes it's own animal fats?
Oh yes, i have got a mammal body - just like other animals.
From time to time it makes fat.

cheers

Amadeus