n6:n3 ratios

[Guest guest]

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>There is so

>little polyunsaturated fat in beef (about 3% of total fat) that it doesn't

>have much of an impact on the overall dietary n6/n3 ratio. The real problem

>is the proliferation of vegetable oils in the modern diet.

Though I agree that the beef issue is microscopic compared to the vegetable

oil issue, I have two quibbles with your statement.

First, the amount of PUFA in beef seems to vary heavily according to cut

and somewhat according to husbandry methods. Some figures indicate it can

amount to up 7% of overall fat, and more in specific depot areas. Second,

vegetable oils have replaced a lot of saturated fats in our diet, but if

you switched those oils back to, say, lard, butter and coconut oil, people

without seafood in their diet would find themselves getting the bulk of

their PUFA from meat and land-based animal products, in which case the

ratio might be important (though certainly not nearly as important as the

replacement of vegetable oils!).

Also, whether it's due to n6:n3 ratios, CLA content or some other variable

or variables, such as soil fertility and the nutrient content of grass

compared to grain on a per-calorie basis, I've noticed that grass-fed meat

is better for me just based on how it affects my health and

well-being. earlier suggested that the benefit is entirely placebo

in nature, but the best way to observe a change is to make the change,

stick with it for awhile, and then switch back (that's where you really

notice the contrast), and on most of the occasions when I was forced to

switch to grain-fed meat for awhile I didn't give so much as a thought to

the nutritional issue because I had much more pressing matters demanding my

attention.

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