Apparently They know we are trying to do our best to oust HFCS but they keep messing with the consumers by telling them “it’s natural” and now changing it’s name. Come people vote with your wallets and enjoy this article from extraordinaryhealth.com

You heard right. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has taken a beating lately due to its unhealthy effects—so much that the Corn Refiners Association (the makers of HFCS) wants to give it an alias. They want to call it “corn sugar.” The name may be changing, but the adverse effects of HFCS are still the same, so be on the lookout. High fructose corn syrup by any other name is still corn syrup—no matter what anyone says.

The Corn Refiners Association claims that corn syrup is the same as sugar, but it’s not. For example, Princeton researchers found that the consumption of HFCS caused tested animals to gain significantly more weight than the animals that consumed the same amount of regular table sugar. What may be even more astounding, however, is that the amount of HFCS in the study was much less than the amount found in one can of soda.

“Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn’t true, at least under the conditions of our tests,” said psychology professor Bart Hoebel.

By now you probably already know that HFCS has been implicated in obesity, diabetes and in cancer cell proliferation. (Cancer cells gobble up high fructose corn syrup faster than they do regular sugar.) But that’s not all. HFCS also puts a heavy burden on the liver, is made from corn (which is often genetically-modified or GM), and is linked to heart disease and metabolic syndrome.

To top it all off, past studies have also found that at least half of commercial HFCS contains high levels of toxic mercury due to its extensive chemical refining. That could be problematic, too, since HFCS intakes can be high. On average, Americans consume about 12 teaspoons per day of HFCS, but teens and other high consumers can take in 80% more HFCS than average.

Dr. David Wallinga, of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, who co-authored two revealing studies about HFCS says, “Mercury is toxic in all its forms. Given how much high-fructose corn syrup is consumed by children, it could be a significant additional source of mercury never before considered. We are calling for immediate changes by the industry and the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] to help stop this avoidable mercury contamination of the food supply.”

The first study co-authored by Wallinga, published in Environmental Health, states that researchers found detectable levels of mercury in nine of 20 samples of commercial HFCS, although a Corn Refiners Association representative refutes this.

The second study found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury and was found most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.

So, what’s in a name? Plenty.

The name change may take a while to finalize and requires approval by the FDA, but the Corn Refiner‚Äôs Association is busy crafting its marketing for ‚Äúcorn sugar.‚Äù The new slogan claims that “whether it’s corn sugar or cane sugar, your body can’t tell the difference. Sugar is sugar.”

Apparently not.

Donald Kennedy serves as professor emeritus of environmental science at Standford University. Additionally, Kennedy is a former commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so he knows something about our food supply. He also knows what aspects of it can be a threat to human health.

Kennedy writes, “More than 30 years ago, we proposed eliminating the use of penicillin and two other antibiotics to promote growth in animals raised for food. When agribusiness interests persuaded Congress not to approve that regulation, we saw firsthand how strong politics can trump wise policy and good science.”

What Kennedy is referring to is the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics—leading to drug-resistant bacteria—to prevent infection in healthy animals to make them grow faster. It’s a serious health matter, too, since the antibiotics used in the animals are generally the same kinds of antibiotics used in humans.

That means that when those livestock-produced superbugs infect humans there are not many ways to effectively eliminate them. In fact, there are approximately 90,000 people in the United States who die from hospital-acquired infections each year, and about 70% of these infections are antibiotic resistant.

Antibiotic resistance can be expensive, too. It can lead to many bacterial infections and the need to be treated in the hospital for weeks or months. Cook County Hospital in Chicago and the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics—a health policy advocacy group—say that extra costs to our healthcare system are as much as $26 billion per year for antibiotic resistance. Wow.

But does our livestock really need the antibiotics? The livestock industry says that it needs to use antibiotics to keep animals healthy—and the total number of antibiotics used in agriculture keeps growing. The Union for Concerned Scientists, however, says that 70% of the antibiotics used in agriculture are administered to healthy animals that are only at risk of infection due to their crowded, unsanitary confined environment.

And while Kennedy may be pointing this discrepancy out, he’s not alone in the effort to stop drugging up our livestock. Others who support a ban on non-therapeutic antibiotics in agriculture include: The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Pharmacists Association, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Public Health Association and the National Association of County and City Health Officials.

Simply put, drugging our livestock is a practice that needs to stop—even if it’s over 30 years late.
www.extraordinaryhealth.com

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20101012/bs_yblog_upshot/mcdonalds-happy-meal-resists-decomposition-for-six-months

I have often said that you should stay away from sterile foods but this takes the “cake”. Anytime you have food that does not decompose you will have a problem. Food is supposed to be broken down, mold is one of the ways this happens. If the air can’t break it down how do you think your stomach, intestines, and colon are going to do it? You WILL store sterile, dead (without living bacteria) bleached foods.

If I may respond to the spokesperson from McDonald’s I must say, if you are getting food from the USDA that doesn’t break down then the USDA is the problem! The system is broken and unless we vote with our wallets this problem will only grow.
Tampered with?! The fact that she says this brings me back to the pictures of feed lot cows being fed cardboard, dead animals and boat loads of said sterile grain mixed with antibiotics that I remember researching about years ago.
That crap has to go somewhere, somebody is eating that cow… About 4 million of us.

As a fan of Grass fed farming and a consumer, I love eatwild.com and Jo Robinson. Combined they give great insight to the science behind the cause of grass fed consuming. These basics will get you started if you are a new comer or they can be a refresher to those of you, like myself, who have been enjoying the benefits for years. Now go… Read. Be smarter!

~Back to Pasture. Since the late 1990s, a growing number of ranchers have stopped sending their animals to the feedlots to be fattened on grain, soy and other supplements. Instead, they are keeping their animals home on the range where they forage on pasture, their native diet. These new-age ranchers do not treat their livestock with hormones or feed them growth-promoting additives. As a result, the animals grow at a natural pace. For these reasons and more, grass-fed animals live low-stress lives and are so healthy there is no reason to treat them with antibiotics or other drugs.

More Nutritious. A major benefit of raising animals on pasture is that their products are healthier for you. For example, compared with feedlot meat, meat from grass-fed beef, bison, lamb and goats has less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories. It also has more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and a number of health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and “conjugated linoleic acid,” or CLA. Read more about the nutritional benefits of raising animals on pasture.

The Art and Science of Grassfarming. Raising animals on pasture requires more knowledge and skill than sending them to a feedlot. For example, in order for grass-fed beef to be succulent and tender, the cattle need to forage on high-quality grasses and legumes, especially in the months prior to slaughter. Providing this nutritious and natural diet requires healthy soil and careful pasture management so that the plants are maintained at an optimal stage of growth. Because high-quality pasture is the key to high-quality animal products, many pasture-based ranchers refer to themselves as “grassfarmers” rather than ‚Äúranchers.‚Äù They raise great grass; the animals do all the rest.

Factory Farming. Raising animals on pasture is dramatically different from the status quo. Virtually all the meat, eggs, and dairy products that you find in the supermarket come from animals raised in confinement in large facilities called CAFOs or “Confined Animal Feeding Operations.” These highly mechanized operations provide a year-round supply of food at a reasonable price. Although the food is cheap and convenient, there is growing recognition that factory farming creates a host of problems, including:
• Animal stress and abuse
• Air, land, and water pollution
• The unnecessary use of hormones, antibiotics, and other drugs
• Low-paid, stressful farm work
• The loss of small family farms
• Food with less nutritional value.

Unnatural Diets. Animals raised in factory farms are given diets designed to boost their productivity and lower costs. The main ingredients are genetically modified grain and soy that are kept at artificially low prices by government subsidies. To further cut costs, the feed may also contain “by-product feedstuff” such as municipal garbage, stale pastry, chicken feathers, and candy. Until 1997, U.S. cattle were also being fed meat that had been trimmed from other cattle, in effect turning herbivores into carnivores. This unnatural practice is believed to be the underlying cause of BSE or “mad cow disease.”

Animal Stress. A high-grain diet can cause physical problems for ruminants—cud-chewing animals such as cattle, dairy cows, goats, bison, and sheep. Ruminants are designed to eat fibrous grasses, plants, and shrubs—not starchy, low-fiber grain. When they are switched from pasture to grain, they can become afflicted with a number of disorders, including a common but painful condition called “subacute acidosis.” Cattle with subacute acidosis kick at their bellies, go off their feed, and eat dirt. To prevent more serious and sometimes fatal reactions, the animals are given chemical additives along with a constant, low-level dose of antibiotics. Some of these antibiotics are the same ones used in human medicine. When medications are overused in the feedlots, bacteria become resistant to them. When people become infected with these new, disease-resistant bacteria, there are fewer medications available to treat them.

Caged Pigs, Chickens, Ducks and Geese. Most of the nation’s chickens, turkeys, and pigs are also being raised in confinement. Typically, they suffer an even worse fate than the grazing animals. Tightly packed into cages, sheds, or pens, they cannot practice their normal behaviors, such as rooting, grazing, and roosting. Laying hens are crowded into cages that are so small that there is not enough room for all of the birds to sit down at one time. An added insult is that they cannot escape the stench of their own manure. Meat and eggs from these animals are lower in a number of key vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.

Environmental Degradation. When animals are raised in feedlots or cages, they deposit large amounts of manure in a small amount of space. The manure must be collected and transported away from the area, an expensive proposition. To cut costs, it is dumped as close to the feedlot as possible. As a result, the surrounding soil is overloaded with nutrients, which can cause ground and water pollution. When animals are raised outdoors on pasture, their manure is spread over a wide area of land, making it a welcome source of organic fertilizer, not a “waste management problem.” Read more about the environmental differences between factory farming and grass-based production.

The Healthiest Choice. When you choose to eat meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the animals, helping to put an end to environmental degradation, helping small-scale ranchers and farmers make a living from the land, helping to sustain rural communities, and giving your family the healthiest possible food. It’s a win-win-win-win situation.

Abbott Laboratories is taking its weight loss drug Meridia (sibutramine) off the market, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The company voluntarily withdrew the drug in the wake of findings showing an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in people who used the drug. Meridia is taken by about 8 million people worldwide.

According to Paging Dr. Gupta:

‚ÄúApproved in 1997 for weight loss, the original data on the drug showed that people who took Meridia lost at least 5 percent more of their body weight … The FDA requested the company withdraw the drug, after reviewing data from a follow-up study known as the Sibutramine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (SCOUT ). It showed there was a 16 percent increase in the risk of serious heart events‚Äù.

My Thoughts:

Do I ever get tired of hearing about weight loss drugs causing more trouble? Yes! Because we are teaching our youth that “if you ignore your body and do what ever feels good or taste good, later you can take a pill to make it all go away”.
People are getting hurt all the time because of these useless drugs! Exercise and a “clean” diet are priorities people, not just good ideas. There will never be a healthier alternative to eating right and exercising regularly. The minute you realize that well… we will be getting somewhere. I’ll fix your heart and you’ll lose weight at the same time, and it tastes great too!

Go do something.

Sources:
Paging Dr. Gupta October 8, 2010
www.mercola.com

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By: Ashley Dance

So, you’ve been reading up on the heart-healthy benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. You know they are an essential part of the diet because our bodies can’t produce them. We know the best source for these fatty acids are cold-water fish such as salmon, albacore tuna, and mackerel.

What most people don’t know, though, is that there’s an easy way to get the benefits of Omega-3s, other than eating fish. It is actually completely natural and organic as well. It is as simple as eating grass-fed beef rather than commercially raised grain-fed beef. If you already eat beef as part of your diet, just switching to organic beef will increase your intake of Omega-3s.

According to websites like Eatwild.com, grass-fed beef has lower total fat than commercial beef, but the fat it does have is Omega-3 fatty acids, instead of more saturated fat. It is therefore lower in total calories as well, something diet conscious consumers may want to consider. A lean piece of grass-fed beef can have as little fat as a skinless chicken breast.

The most important reason for eating Omega-3s are that they lower blood triglycerides, which lowers your risk for heart disease. It can also help lessen inflammation in diseases like arthritis.

Dr. Patricia Terry, a registered dietician and professor at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala., said, “The most important aspect of eating grass-fed beef is the increased Omega-3s, like in fish, and the conjugated linoleic acid.”

In addition to the heart-healthy Omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, in early research, is known as a cancer fighter. It can block stages of cancer and slow the growth of some tumors, according to Eatwild.com. CLA is another one of those essential fatty acids that we must get from the food we eat.

The reason the meat from grass-fed animals contains more Omega-3s is simple. Omega-3s are formed in the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. When animals are removed from the pasture, they don’t eat the Omega-3s from the chloroplasts in the grass. They eat feed grains instead, which are lower in fiber and have little to no chloroplasts.

Grass-fed beef does not contain hormones, either. The FDA allows six hormones to be injected into commercially raised cattle to help them grow faster. Three are natural hormones that every animal and human produces for growth. Three more however are synthetic and not found in nature. An FDA regulation exists for the amount of hormone residue in the beef that is still edible for human consumption. The European Union, however, will not trade or accept beef from the U.S. because the European Commission prohibited the use of all hormones in meat in the late 1989. Pasture-raised cattle eat grass, as nature intended. They grow at a natural rate without added hormones.

Still need convincing? Grass-fed beef has more antioxidants and vitamins than commercially raised beef. It has higher levels of Vitamin C, E, beta-carotene and the B vitamins thiamin and riboflavin. More vitamins must be a plus. Not only does the meat from grass-fed animals have all these benefits, the milk does, too. “The milk from (grass-fed cows) is better for children and their growth,” says Terry.

What an easy way to sneak in more vitamins and nutrients in your children’s diets.

While most traditional grocery stores still don’t offer organic or grass-fed beef, Whole Foods, a chain of organic grocery stores, does. Another way to buy organic grass-fed beef is to search for local farmers in your area that will sell sides of beef to individual consumers. Again, try Eatwild.com for their directory of pasture-based farms, that can help you find organic beef near your hometown.

Generally, to ensure you are buying grass-fed beef, make sure it is certified organic. The stipulations surrounding organic qualifications are very strict, and look after the health of the animal while it is alive in addition to the product. The USDA’s National Organic Program controls the standards for farms to be certified. Organic food in stores will be labeled “100% organic” or some simply “organic.” The USDA seal must be present on labels that have been certified. Want to find restaurants that serve organic beef? Try eatwellguide.org to search for them.

With the natural and organic movement on the rise in this country, consuming grass-fed beef is one more push in the right direction. This is just another example that naturally produced food is healthier than commercially altered substances. Now health-conscious Americans can eat beef without feeling guilty about the amount of fat they are consuming. Terry says, “We are regaining another source to fight against heart disease.”

Part 4 in the series about the USDA and the food pyramid.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to construct a diet based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines that meets the nutritional requirements of either adults or growing children.24 Meals based on the dietary guidelines will not only contain an excess of carbohydrates and not enough fat (or high levels of processed fat), they are also likely to be deficient in a number of nutrients:

• Vitamin A: Since USDA Guidelines severely restrict animal fats and do not specifically recommend liver and other organ meats, meals based on these guidelines will be virtually devoid of vitamin A. USDA has recognized this problem and tried to solve it by insisting that adequate vitamin A can be obtained from vitamin A precursors found in fruits and vegetables; in fact, contrary to statements in biochemical textbooks and the Merck Manual, USDA falsely labels these carotenes as vitamin A. Yet the precursors to the true animal form of vitamin A are very poorly converted, especially in babies and children who need vitamin A the most.25 Vitamin A is an extremely important nutrient, needed for growth, hormone production, healthy bones, skin and eyes and protection against infection.

• Vitamin D: A consensus is building that vitamin D deficiency is widespread in the U.S. population. According to advocates for supplements, adequate vitamin D cannot be obtained from food. This is certainly a true statement if one is following the USDA Guidelines. Yet there are many food sources of vitamin D including butter, whole milk, egg yolks, organ meats, lard and other animal fats from animals raised in sunlight, cod liver oil, shellfish and oily fish. The problem is that the Guidelines have demonized these high-fat, nutrient-dense foods and they have largely disappeared from the American diet.

• Vitamin K2: Recent research indicates that the animal form of vitamin K is needed for numerous processes, not just the clotting factor in the blood. Vitamin K2 is needed for healthy bones, normal growth, freedom from tooth decay, proper neurological function, reproduction and protection against heart disease. The USDA Dietary Guidelines result in a diet largely devoid of vitamin K2, which is found in meat fats, organ meats, whole cheeses and butterfat.26

• Zinc: A critical nutrient for reproduction and neurological function. The best sources are red meat and shellfish. Diets high in whole grains—recommended in the USDA Guidelines—tend to block absorption of zinc.

• Vitamin B12: A critical nutrient for healthy blood, neurological function, protection against depression and other psychological disorders, and protection against heart disease, cancer, anemia and multiple sclerosis. Best sources are organ meats like liver and shellfish.

CONCLUSION

As formulated, the USDA Dietary Guidelines and Food Pyramid have resulted in widespread nutrient deficiencies and have had the effect of conferring official approval on very unhealthy processed foods containing trans fats, processed vegetable oils, refined carbohydrates and neuro-toxic additives such as MSG. These Guidelines have undermined the traditional healthy diets of the various populations that have immigrated to the United States, Most seriously, they have influenced the makeup of baby formula, allowing manufacturers to use vegetable oils and sucrose rather than the animal fats and lactose that mother’s milk provides.

The consequences of the flawed guidelines are extremely serious; we are already seeing the tragic effects in the current epidemic of chronic disease in adults and low birth weight, growth problems and learning disabilities in our children.

The Weston A. Price Foundation urges the committee to start over, scrap the unworkable food pyramid, abandon the strictures against saturated fats and cholesterol, and provide useful, science-based guidelines that will steer Americans towards a diet of nutrient-dense whole foods.

Prepared by Sally Fallon Morell, President
The Weston A. Price Foundation
Washington, DC
(202) 363-4394
www.westonaprice.org

REFERENCES
1. Hudgins LC, Hellerstein M, Seidman C, Neese R, Diakun J, Hirsch J. Human fatty acid synthesis is stimulated by a eucaloric low fat, high carbohydrate diet. J Clin Invest. 1996;97(9):2081-91.
2. United States Department of Agriculture. U.S. Food Supply – Food Supply Database. http://65.216.150.148/ifs/Query.htm. Accessed October 20, 2009.
3. Holman RT. Autoxidation of fats and related substances. In: Progress in the chemistry of fats and other lipids. Academic Press, 1954; Dayton S, Pearce ML, Hashimoto S, Dixon WJ, Tomiyasu U. A Controlled Clinical Trial of a Diet High in Unsaturated Fat in Preventing Complications of Atherosclerosis. Circulation. 1969;40(1):Suppl2:1-63.; Mata P, Odabella V, Alonso R, Lahoz C, de Oya M, Badimon L. Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated n-6 Fatty Acid-Enriched Diets Modify LDL Oxidation and Decrease Human Coronary Smooth Muscle Cell DNA Synthesis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997;17(10):2088-95.
4. J J Kabara, The Pharmacological Effects of Lipids, J J Kabara, ed, The American Oil Chemists’ Society, Champaign, IL, 1978, 1-14; L A Cohen, et al, J Natl Cancer Inst, 1986, 77:43.
5. B A Watkins and others. Importance of Vitamin E in Bone Formation and in Chrondrocyte Function. Purdue University, Lafayette, IN, AOCS Proceedings, 1996; B A Watkins, and M F Seifert. Food Lipids and Bone Health. Food Lipids and Health. R E McDonald and D B Min, eds, Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY, p 101.
6. J F Mead and others. Lipids: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Nutrition, Plenum Press, 1986, New York.
7. A A Nanji and others. Gastroenterology, Aug 1995, 109(2):547-54; Y S Cha, and D S Sachan, J Am Coll Nutr, Aug 1994, 13(4):338-43.
8. M L Garg and others. The FASEB Journal, 1988, 2:(4):A852; R M Oliart Ros and others. Meeting Abstracts, AOCS Proceedings, May 1998, p 7, Chicago, IL.
9. L D Lawson and F Kummerow. B-Oxidation of the Coenzyme A Esters of Vaccenic, Elaidic and Petroselaidic Acids by Rat Heart Mitochondria. Lipids, 1979, 14:501-503.
10. Busconi and Denker, Biochum J 1997;328:23.
11. Goerke J. Pulmonary surfactant: functions and molecular composition. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1998;1408(2-3):79-89.
12. Data compiled from European Cardiovascular Disease Statistics, 2005 Edition, www.heartstats.org/uploads/documents%5CPDF.pdf.
13. Dreon, MD and others. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2000 71:1611-1616).
14. http://gupea.ub.gu.se/dspace/handle/2077/16984.
15. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Volume 84, Number 6, Pages 1481-1488.
16. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005;159:543-550.
17. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060619133024.htm.
18. Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol provided by eggs and plasma lipoproteins in healthy populations. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2006;9(1):8-12.
19. http://cholesterol.about.com/od/statindrugs/a/statindruginter.htm.
20. Jones, P J. Am J Clin Nutr, Aug 1997, 66(2):438-46; Julias, A D and others. J Nutr, Dec 1982, 112(12):2240-9.
21. Cranton, E M, MD, and J P Frackelton, MD, Journal of Holistic Medicine, Spring/Summer 1984, 6-37.
22. Engelberg, Hyman, Lancet, Mar 21, 1992, 339:727-728; Wood, W G, et al, Lipids, Mar 1999, 34(3):225-234.
23. Alfin-Slater, R B, and L Aftergood, Lipids. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 6th ed, R S Goodhart and M E Shils, eds, Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia 1980, 134.
24. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/27/AR2009042702677.html.
25. http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitaminasaga.html.
26. http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitamin-k2.html.

Part 3 in our series about the USDA and their food pyramid

The USDA Dietary Guidelines have led to the restriction of saturated fat in children’s diets; pediatricians now advise parents to put their children on reduced-fat dairy products and avoid meat and dairy fats starting at the age of two; and school children no longer have the option of whole milk in school lunches.

Authorities justify these restrictions of nutritious foods by claiming that fat, especially saturated fat, results in weight gain. Yet a recent study from Sweden found that a higher intake of fats, including saturated fats, in childhood resulted in lower body weight; children on reduced fat diets had higher body mass and greater insulin resistance.14

Furthermore, in a study of Swedish adults, consumption of whole fat milk and cheese was linked to lower weight gain;15 and dairy fat was not linked with weight gain in a longitudinal study of adolescents.16

Individuals who try to restrict saturated animal fats according to the USDA guidelines often end up consuming more trans fats. Yet animal research indicates that in calorie-restricted diets containing the same number of calories, those diets containing trans fats result in increased weight gain.17

CHOLESTEROL

Restriction of saturated animal fats is also justified with the argument that animal fats contain cholesterol, and therefore cause heart disease. Yet even the amount of cholesterol found in three to four eggs per day produces no change in blood cholesterol levels in 70 percent of the population, as shown in randomized, placebo-controlled trials; in the other 30 percent, dietary cholesterol increases both LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol equally and turns small, dense “pattern B” LDL into light, buoyant “pattern A” LDL, changes that are widely regarded by promoters of the cholesterol theory as beneficial.18

Cholesterol restriction is particularly harmful for pregnant women and growing children. Pregnant women need extra levels of cholesterol for the formation of the fetus, and cholesterol-lowering drugs can lead to extremely serious birth defects.19 Growing children cannot produce all the cholesterol they need for the formation of the brain and gut, but need to obtain it from a cholesterol-rich diet. Just a few decades ago, experts on child feeding agreed that the best foods for infants were cholesterol-rich foods such as egg yolk, liver, butter and whole milk; today, thanks to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, children are denied these nutrient-dense foods so important for growth and neurological development.

Roles of cholesterol include:

‚Ä¢ Along with saturated fats, cholesterol in the cell membrane gives our cells necessary stiffness and stability. When the diet contains an excess of polyunsaturated fatty acids, these replace saturated fatty acids in the cell membrane, so that the cell walls actually become flabby. When this happens, cholesterol from the blood is “driven” into the tissues to give them structural integrity. This is why serum cholesterol levels may go down temporarily when saturated fats are replaced with polyunsaturated oils in the diet.20

• Cholesterol acts as a precursor to vital corticosteroids, hormones that help us deal with stress and protect the body against heart disease and cancer; and to the sex hormones like androgen, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone.

• Cholesterol is a precursor to vitamin D, a very important fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy bones and nervous system, proper growth, mineral metabolism, muscle tone, insulin production, reproduction and immune system function.

• The bile salts are made from cholesterol. Bile is vital for digestion and assimilation of fats in the diet.

• Research shows that cholesterol acts as an antioxidant.21 This is the likely explanation for the fact that cholesterol levels go up with age. As an antioxidant, cholesterol protects us against free radical damage that leads to heart disease and cancer.

‚Ä¢ Cholesterol is needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain.22 Serotonin is the body’s natural “feel-good” chemical. Low cholesterol levels have been linked to aggressive and violent behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies.

‚Ä¢ Mother’s milk is especially rich in cholesterol and contains a special enzyme that helps the baby utilize this nutrient. Babies and children need cholesterol-rich foods throughout their growing years to ensure proper development of the brain and nervous system.

• Dietary cholesterol plays an important role in maintaining the health of the intestinal wall.23 This is why low-cholesterol vegetarian diets can lead to leaky gut syndrome and other intestinal disorders.

The demonization of saturated fats is unscientific and has had an extremely detrimental effect on the health of the whole nation, particularly on growing children. The human body contains high levels of saturated fat in the cell membranes and in protective fat around the organs. When saturated fat is not available in the diet, the body very efficiently turns refined carbohydrates into saturated fat;1 thus restriction of saturated fat can often lead to cravings for refined carbohydrates.

Saturated fatty acids are said to cause cancer, heart disease and obesity. Yet these diseases were rare at the turn of the century when consumption of saturated fats was much higher than it is today. The likely culprits for these conditions are polyunsaturated fatty acids and trans fats, which came into widespread use after WWII.2

Saturated fats play many important roles in the body chemistry:
• As saturated fats are stable, they do not become rancid easily, do not call upon the body’s reserves of antioxidants, do not initiate cancer and do not irritate the artery walls.3

• Vitamins A and D, which are vital for proper growth and for protein and mineral assimilation, are found only in mostly saturated animal fats.

• Saturated fats enhance the immune system, thereby protecting us against infection and cancer.4

• Saturated fats help the body lay down calcium in the bones and help prevent osteoporosis.5

• Saturated fats provide energy and structural integrity to the cells.6 At least 50 percent of many, if not most, of the cell membrane must be saturated fat for the cells to work properly.

• Saturated fats protect the liver from alcohol, drugs, pesticides and other poisons.7

• Saturated fats enhance the body’s use of essential fatty acids, which the body needs in small amounts and obtains from whole foods.8

• Stearic acid, found in beef tallow and butter, has cholesterol-lowering properties and is a preferred food for the heart.9

• Saturated fats are needed for the kidneys to work properly.10

• The lung surfactants are composed of saturated fatty acids.11 The lungs cannot work without adequate amounts of saturated fats.

Warnings against dietary saturated fats are predicated on the assumption that saturated fats contribute to atherosclerosis and therefore to heart disease; yet, as saturated fat consumption has declined in the U.S. over the last one hundred years, heart disease has increased. Recent epidemiological evidence from Europe does not support a correlation of saturated fat with heart disease, as shown in the charts below. To view these charts please go to the link below.

http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/1950-comments-on-the-usda-dietary-guidelines.html

What happens when children are put on lower fat diets? When researchers prominently associated with the American Heart Association fed children lower fat diets and measured some of the markers they consider important predictors of heart disease, they found that these lower fat diets were causing the very problems they wanted to prevent. The children whose genes would normally have been producing the desirable light and fluffy form of LDL started to make the dangerous small and dense form of LDL.13 Thus the US dietary recommendations are likely to be causing heart disease, not preventing it.