Question for a Vegetarian on Fat and Vitamin Absorption

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

First I would rather not this turn into yet another debate about vegetarians versus carnivores. I'm merely asking a question.

On a recent Julia Child program she mentioned fat in the diet is required for proper vitamin absorption. If this is correct, how does a true vegetarian (vegan) get this fat in their diet? Do vegetable-based oils serve the same purpose?

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 09, 2001

Answers

Ken, Yes, vegetable fats serve the same purpose. And, even vegetable fats can be unhealthy in excess.

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), September 09, 2001.

Yes. Fat is fat to a certain extent. When it comes to absorbtion it doesn't matter if it's a saturated fat, a polyunsaturated fat, or a monounsaturated fat. You'll see things like vit. E capsules packed in oil,usually a veg oil, to make uptake better.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), September 09, 2001.

Ken,

Yes and as you probably already know avoiding all high-fat foods and added fats is probably not necssary and may not be wise,they have found now. Some fats,like the monounsaturated fats found in ("nuts,olives,olive oil,canola oil and avocados,") have health benefits. You also need to have "omega-3 fatty acids" (flaxseeds,full- fat soy products,walnuts,and canola oil). Try to eat less of safflower,sunflower and corn oil. Try for a total fat intake of about 20% to 30% of calories.

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), September 09, 2001.


I highly recommend reading the new book "Your Miracle Brain" by Jean Carper. She was a CNN medical reporter who has compiled all the latest research about the effect on the brain of adding nutritional supplements (vitamins) and fats to the diet. The book is a must- read. There are some essential Omega-3 type of fats (olive oil, canola, fish oil, flax oil) that improve brain IQ and health, and other brain-damaging type of fats to steer clear of (corn oil, safflower oil, lard, butter, margarine). The book also goes into great detail about how to give a tremendous boost to brain IQ and health by adding certain vitamins with antioxidant properties.

I have definitely seen a great improvement in my family's overall health by following the recommendations of the various researchers listed in the book. Even my son who has ADD no longer needs to take medication, and is doing very well academically, I believe, as a result of adding the vitamins and fats to his diet that are listed in the book.

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), September 09, 2001.


This, incindentally, is also the argument against the miracle of "yellow rice". You need a certain level of fat in the diet to adequately absorb and use the vitamins in the new and wondrous rice, which the diet of the poor and downtrodden peasents that would supposedly benefit immensely from this bio-engineered miracle is notably lacking, by a wide margin. Perhaps Monsanto could develop a rice seasoning that would grow in adverse conditions that is high in veggie fats! "Wonder Sprinkles" anyone?

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 09, 2001.


Hi Ken, good question, sorry I don't know the answer. A little off topic, there is a very old diet program invented by a doctor at Johns Hopkins, that uses a very precise amount of fat in the diet to practically cure seizures. A producers' young son, who lived in LA, had severe seizures that medicine was no help to. The man got on the internet, found out about the diet, called Johns Hopkins and got hold of the old nurse that used to assist the doctor. She gave him the precise diet formula and his son became remarkably well after being on it. Wild, huh? Saw it on 20/20 a few years ago.

-- Annie (mistletoe@kconline.com), September 09, 2001.

ken: fats and oils are very important. i was veg/mostly vegan for almost 14 years (i am healthier since i started eating meat again, i must admit, and i was a fabulous veg....excellent hemoglobin, etc.). make sure you use lots of UNREFINED OIL. My fav is unrefined safflower oil. also, try some evening primrose oil in your diet daily. you need good and healthy fats. maybe it will make you laugh to know my butt is bigger since eating meat, but boy, do I have muscle! (i usually speak a bit more crudely about this, but you get the jist of it...)

-- marcee king (thathope@mwt.net), September 09, 2001.

No one really addressed the reason WHY fats are important in the diet. One main reason, among others, is that lipids (fats) are used in the production of cell walls, meaning the walls of all the cells in your body. Fats are also necessary to process some fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E, as mentioned above. And like it or not, fats are stored in the body in the form of...fat!, which can be metabolized to provide engergy in times of severe stress and/or starvation, illness, etc.

-- HannahMariaHolly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), September 09, 2001.

HannahMariaHolly, only *excess* dietary fat is stored as fat for future energy requirements. But then, so are *excess* dietary carbohydrates and even *excess* dietary protein. The problem with American eating is not too too high a percentage of dietary fat. The problem is far more complex than that. It goes back to too much refined carbohydrates (white flour and sugar), the presence of unnaturally hydrogenated fats, too few vegetables in the diet, and WAY too little exercise.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

Today's paper mentions a study (which they do not identify) which says the average American today is healthier than they were 25 years ago. Among measures used are: longer life expectancy, better infant survival, fewer smokers, less hypertension and lower cholesterol levels. Interestingly, it said of the three groups of city dwellers, suburbanites and rural populations, those in the suburbs were the healthiest by more than a dozen measures.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 10, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ