Clarification of Myths About Animal Fats
Hi Lanu Pitan,
Thank you for your valuable feedback and for inspiring me to respond.
You ask a great question.
I used to be fat-phobic, so I have empathy and compassion for you.
Here is my perspective on healthy fats.
Healthy fats exist in both animal and plant-based sources.
When I was on plant-based diets, my dietician recommended monosaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. She also introduced coconut oil and suggested omega-three oils from plant sources. Some vegetarians also eat butter.
When I transitioned to an animal-based diet, another specialist dietician said I needed no other fats than animal fats and fish (seafood), as they would meet my fat requirements.
She was spot on. I did not take fats from plants. I even stopped butter as my body did not tolerate dairy even though I loved butter.
Ironically, people think that animal fats only include saturated fats. In reality, animal fats such as tallow or lard only have around 40% saturated. The rest are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
So it is an excellent balance nature created for us. Our ancestors survived and thrived with animal foods. They did not know about olive oil or fancy omega threes from plants. Human neocortex developed with animal fats, according to anthropologists.
Here is the breakdown of typical animal fats.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Please note that this comment does not include health advice. I share my perspectives and experience for information only. I respect all diets and don’t recommend my diet to anyone. We are all individuals with different needs.
This comment is part of the attached article.
