Nutrition is a field of contradictions and changing fads. However, amidst it all, is an essential food source that has been severely underrated, and even outright disapproved of.
It is animal fat and organs.
Part Two of a Six Part Series.
WAPF’s researchers reasoned that because human bodies are warm-blooded — as with the beef, pork, lamb, and poultry we consume — this makes animal fat more compatible in our diet.
The fats and oils we consume have many uses in our bodies, they line all of the cells in our body, and different fats or oils can introduce very different characteristics.
Saturated and trans fats are solid (fat) at room temperature, this is because the fat molecules are straight long chains, allowing each molecule to pack closely, giving them higher melting temperatures.
Polyunsaturated fats are usually liquid (oil) at room temperature, as their double (unsaturated) bonds produce kinks that prevent the molecules from stacking up against each other, giving them lower melting temperatures.
The straight chains of saturated fats give them stiffness so that when incorporated into our cells, they will “provide the appropriate stiffness and structure to our cell membranes and tissues,” according to the WAPF dietary guidelines. However, polyunsaturated fats cannot pack as closely, and too much of them lining our cells will make our cells fluid and “floppy.”
Trans fats on the other hand, improve stiffness of the cell membranes, but are also associated with many pathways that lead to inflammation and cell death. Though some animals also contain low amounts of trans fats, most of the trans fats in our diet are from artificially hydrogenated polyunsaturated fats.
Animal fats are also highly nutritious.
Tallow from beef provides an alternative to fish as a safer source of omega-3 fatty acids and is also low in omega-6 fatty acids, which is known to contribute to inflammation. Raw milk is a great source of calcium, vitamin A, D, K, iron, zinc, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
“Why is the fattiest steak the most expensive?” Dr. Robert Kiltz, a renowned fertility doctor asked. “That’s because it is the most nutrient-dense.”
However, the quality of the meat and fat varies depending on the diet and treatment given to animals.
Fallon encourages consumption of pasture-fed animals; grass-fed cows live a healthier lifestyle and studies show that these meats are more dense in nutrients as compared to grain-fed cows.
Certain organs from animals are also highly prized; the skin of chicken, the livers of chicken, beef, and lamb are all highly nutritious foods.
Animal livers are rich in essential amino acids, which form our proteins and muscles. They are also rich in vitamins such as vitamin A, B, iron, and various other minerals.
However, it should be noted that this only applies for organic, and pasture-fed animals not exposed to antibiotics and hormones. Since the liver is a place that processes toxins, animals recently exposed to contaminants before slaughter are likely to still contain the toxins in the meat.
WAPF recommends that protein should make up 10 to 20 percent of the diet, and that 80 to 90 percent of the diet should be split between fats and carbohydrates, with a greater proportion of fats as opposed to carbohydrates.
Kiltz, a fertility doctor who practices a keto carnivorous diet, recommends a diet high in fats, moderate proteins, and low carbohydrates. He argues that humans can survive fully on meat, provided they eat nutritious organs.