Industrially produced polyunsaturated fats (“PUFAs”) have been all the rage for cooking in recent decades because they are “vegetable oils” that don’t contain cholesterol. Examples: corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, Crisco. Paleo-diet researchers point out that these are undesirable because they contain too much omega-6 fat (which we get too much of today) and/or because they’re manufactured in processes that completely remove them from any semblance of the whole food they may have come from.

Omega-6 and omega-3 (a/k/a N-6 and N-3) fatty acids are PUFAs. Some of the omega-3 fatty acids can’t be produced in the body from other fats, so it is essential to have them in the diet. (The word “essential” with regard to nutrition, by the way, means specifically that the body can’t make it, so we have to eat it to live.) The “3″ in omega-3 refers to the structure of the carbon chain in the molecule. Paleo diet experts believe preagricultural man–hunter-gatherers–ate about twice as much N-6 as N-3 fats. Today, we eat 6 to 22 times as much N-6 as N-3. Both are necessary, but the fact that we get too much N-6 is one of the dietary problems that exacerbates inflammation in our system. We need to get more N-3 through eating fatty fish, including salmon and canned sardines, and by taking fish oil. And we need to reduce the amount of N-6 that we eat. On a paleo diet, we can do that by not using the “vegetable oils” mentioned above and by not eating a lot of nuts. A paleo diet eliminates the processed foods that are made with loads of N-6 fats.

Monounsaturated fats: “monounsaturated” refers to the molecular structure of the carbon chain. Wikipedia says: “Monounsaturated fats are found in natural foods such as red meat, whole milk products, nuts and high fat fruits such as olives and avocados. Olive oil is about 75% monounsaturated fat. Canola oiland Cashews are both about 58% monounsaturated fat. Tallow (beef fat) is about 50% monounsaturated fat and lard is about 40% monounsaturated fat.” It’s good to remember that most foods contain a combination of types of fats. (Even lard isn’t 100% saturated fat!) Monounsaturated fats are good on salads and low temperature usages. They break down and become rancid more quickly at high temperatures than saturated fats. (So do PUFAs.)

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. They are stable, meaning it takes a lot more heat to oxidize them (make them rancid), so they’re great for stir-frying. They don’t oxidize in the body. They are also delicious! Saturated fats have had a bad reputation, and the phrase “artery-clogging” always seems to precede “saturated fats.” But in the absence of inflammation, saturated fats do not cling to arteries or flake off to cause problems. An anti-inflammatory, whole foods diet like a paleo or primal diet is currently believed by paleo diet researchers to safely include saturated fats such as coconut oil, pastured lard, tallow, and butter (if you tolerate dairy).

Ideally, when starting a paleo diet, you should have your cholesterol checked and determine the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol (total divided by HDL — you want high HDL for a lower ratio); you should also find out your fasting blood glucose; triglycerides; and blood pressure. On a high-fat paleo diet plus CrossFit, you typically might have a bit higher total cholesterol but an excellent ratio of HDL to total. And your triglycerides will likely plummet.

This is not medical advice. At CrossFit 206 we are trying to communicate with you about our direct, personal experience and about the research sources we trust.

Sources:
Wikipedia

http://thepaleodiet.com/published-research

Loren Cordain: The Paleo Diet; The Paleo Answer
Robb Wolf: The Paleo Solution

1. I will avoid all gluten containing foods when eating at home, for the next 6 weeks.

2. I am going to allow myself 2 alcoholic beverages per week during the 6 week challenge.

3. I am going to eat at least 3 meals per day for the next 6 weeks.

Our goal is to help you to be successful in reaching your goals. Take advantage of the Yahoo Nutrition group or talking to your trainers in class about any questions or challenges you face. There are so many wonderful Paleo resources online. Today I mentioned my new nutrition blog, Primarily Paleo . I hope that you visit the blog to read in greater detail about any questions you have about a Paleo lifestyle and that you get inspired by some of the family friendly recipes. We look forward to hearing about how great you feel during the next challenge and can’t wait to see the transformations in the after photos.

To participate in the Paleo Body Challenge, the rules in a nutshell are:

• Put $10 into a pool
• Eat a paleo-style diet and read our handouts
• Keep a food diary of everything you eat, and email it in once a week to the Yahoo! Group (if you don’t send in your food diary, you’re eliminated)
• Allow us to take before and after photos so that we can determine the winner of the money in the pool: the person who changes the appearance of their body the most. The photos will be kept private, stored in one place and viewed on paper by the trainers.

The challenge lasts six weeks. The winner gets the money in the pool and a free month at their membership level. To win the pool contributed by our clients, you have to be a current client or have been at some time since Sept. 1, 2011.

Food diaries, emails with questions, ideas and recipes, and PDF resources are all to be sent to the Yahoo! Group, which you can join here.

The challenge will begin on Sunday, January 29, after you’ve had a week to clean out your kitchen and go shopping. First food diary is due February 5. The challenge ends on Saturday, March 10 with the final food diary due on the 11th.

“Before” photos will be taken in the gym starting during the potluck and over the following week. (Yes, this means you can get an early start!) All “After” photos will be taken in the gym by the end of the day on Monday, March 12–no exceptions. (Can’t make the potluck? You can still participate in the challenge by getting your picture taken and contributing to the pool.)

I want to highlight Stephanie’s new website (click here). Stephanie has developed a simple method, called Primarily Paleo, to help you bring the Paleo diet and lifestyle into your life. She can make it manageable and realistic. Check out her site and contact her, stephanie@crossfit206.com.

Despite professing an interest in one’s own nutrition, and realizing that food has more of an effect on weight than exercise does, most people find it hard to truly live in the knowledge that what we eat affects us directly and right now, and not just in some vague or ultra-long-term way. Click here for a really inspiring story of how profoundly changing your diet can change your life. This is not one of those ultra long tales–take a look.

And, just for fun, why not buy some gifts of these unusual Christmas-tree ornaments?

HealthBent is a recipe site with an index and an FAQ. I love the visual style of this site as well as the recipes. This pulled-pork recipe appeals to me! These writers seem to support the big Paleo picture and to be a bit lenient on some of the details, for example they include wheat-free soy sauce in this recipe. Soy is usually off limits. It is true that a little bit of certain nonpaleo foods (soy sauce) are better than a little bit of others (wheat flour). They address this perceived lenience in the FAQ.

PaleoDietLifestyle opens with a brief, friendly, easy to read intro to Paleo. They offer a free preview of their cookbook and a link to their recent recipes. Prosciutto stuffed flank steak?? Yes, please! I think I’ll make that next weekend.

NomNomPaleo offers a recipe index and engaging short blog posts in which she links to recipes. She’s a good example of a busy mom who manages to make Paleo work for her whole family even though she’s busy. She made bloody eyeballs for Halloween! But I think what I love most on this site is her T-shirt “Deadlift Girl.”

Join me in making a few new recipes during the next week or two. Quick–pick two right now and print them out.

UPDATE: Here’s one more excellent recipe site, Paleo Table. Thanks for sending this, Sally! (She says its recipes are better than all the other sites those she tried from the Everyday Paleo cookbook. What does everybody else think?)

Unrelated: Leschi Market is now carrying Camano Island Eggs. Now that our local farmer’s markets are over with for the season, this is a convenient source of excellent eggs. To me they seem more robust and delicious even than the bulk ones at Madison Market. I sure wish I had time to care for chickens because I’d love to eat eggs from my own yard! Does anybody know of any neighborhood people who sell their own (chickens’) eggs?

Stephanie, a certified Nutritional Therapist, is available for nutrition sessions to assist you in meeting your goals. Take advantage of our nutrition consulting services- whether it be determining what factors prevent you from losing weight, help figuring out what and when to eat , or navigating the obstacles that are preventing you from being successful. It is never to late to start adding healthier habits to your lifestyle and you don’t have to do it out alone. Contact Stephanie (stephanie@crossfit206.com) to learn more.

For one thing, they’re not yummy. For another, they just make you crave the real thing. Why not get used to whole foods? The cravings for junk food will go away and you’ll find yourself craving an apple, a steak, some delicious pork carnitas with avocado and pico de gallo… mmm…. Don’t go down the road to SWYPO!