Thanks for your excellent post on EFAs and saturated fats Todd. I'd 
like to add the following:  In addition to eicosanoid production, we 
need omega 3 to  maintain healthy eyes. Docosahexanoic acid, a sub-group 
of omega 3, is used to make and maintain critical membranes in brain 
cells and a deficiency will result in cognitive decline. Both types of 
essential fatty acids are most amenable to synthesis of ketone bodies so 
they are very important for mitigating the "foggy brain" that sometimes 
accompanies the shift to ketosis. Adequate saturated fat intake to meet 
energy needs will help conserve EFAs for their critically important 
functions in the brain.

Best Wishes,
Ron


> The omega 3 and 6 fats are the "essential" fatty acids (EFA) because we can't synthesize them. We must eat them. What are they essential *for*?  They are needed by our system of eicosanoids, or prostglandins, which are powerful regulatory hormones. For this and other purposes, however, we only need small amounts. A few grams a day.
>
> For energy, saturated and monounsaturated fats are better. For one thing, polyunsaturates (PUFA) are now known to be implicated in hepatic insulin resistance and leptin resistance, which leads to dysregulation of appetite.
>
> All EFAs are PUFA. If you avoid seed oils and nut oils, which are heavily weighted toward omega 6, then your main source of EFA is meat, etc. Since feedlot cattle will have fat that is also skewed toward omega 6, you'll need to balance it with omega 3. Free range meat should be balanced so that you don't need to supplement. The absolute amounts are small, but sufficient.
>
> When we eat carbs, what can't be stored as glycogen immediately (which will be very little if we eat a lot of carbs regularly) is stored as fat. What kind of fat?  98% palmitic acid, a saturated fat. Over time, some of this is converted to monounsaturated fat. We make these fats because these are the fats we actually burn the best.
>
> The reason why animal fat is so good is that we are animals and our fat is animal fat, so our bodies are built to utilize this kind of fat for fuel.
>
> Todd Moody


-- 
PK