Hi Chris!

The more I talk to our course students and read emails from our community, the more I hear similar stories. Someone feels great eating home-cooked meals, then eats out, and boom - gut chaos ensues. It's like their digestive system is sending an SOS signal about something in restaurant food that just isn't sitting right.

Generally people jump to conclusions, such as "it's because I don't tolerate carbs" or "I just have too many food sensitivities"... But if this happens to you, have you ever considered it might be the PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and their impact on our gut health?

(As you are probably well aware by now, basically every restaurant cooks in vegetable oils (high in PUFAs).

Before we dive into the science, let me remind you of something important: we should never FEAR the food on our plate - and we should still 'allow' ourselves to eat out on occasion, especially with friends and loved ones.

Instead, the goal here is to be AWARE of potential metabolic implications of some ingredients. This helps us make better food choices that we both enjoy AND make us feel better. Health is to enjoy!

What Are PUFAs Again?

Let's do a quick refresh! There are three main types of fatty acids, which differ by the number of double bonds in their structure. The more double bonds, the more unstable the molecule is (meaning, the more vulnerable it is to free radical attack - not what we want!!).

The three main types are:

1. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) - no double bonds
2. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) - 1 double bond
3. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) - 2 or more double bonds

All fats are actually a combination of these three types. But some fats are more saturated (like animal fats), while others contain more PUFAs (like vegetable oils).

The Gut Health Connection

Here's where it gets interesting - the type of fat we eat literally becomes part of us. It impacts how our body is built and how it functions.

Your gut lining is supposed to have selective permeability, meaning it should be like a smart bouncer at a club, carefully controlling what gets in and what stays out. But when you have a 'leaky' gut, it's like having a sleeping bouncer - everything gets through! Undigested food, endotoxins, you name it. This triggers inflammation and all sorts of unwanted symptoms.

Remember those unstable PUFA molecules I mentioned? Unlike saturated fats, which are stable and protective, PUFAs can oxidize and cause systemic damage when consumed in excess.

The Science Speaks

Let's look at what research tells us about Omega 6 (a type of PUFA):

• They harm the integrity of the intestinal wall by reducing the height and width of the villi that line the gut
• They increase tight junction (TJ) permeability - and these TJs are crucial for intestinal barrier function! Scientists literally stated: "We demonstrate that USF [unsaturated fatty acids] by itself results in dysregulation of intestinal TJ integrity leading to increased gut permeability"
• They alter the gut microbiome and induce dysbiosis and gut inflammation

Not exactly what we want for a happy gut, right?

Yet, amazingly, the Harvard food pyramid still tells us to prioritize PUFA-rich oils/fats and minimize saturated fat consumption. And we've listened - there's been a shocking 1163-fold increase in soybean oil consumption from 1909-1999!

What Should We Do?

First, if you have good gut health - don't change a thing! Keep pooping like a champ and digesting a diverse amount of food well!

The goal isn't to eliminate PUFAs completely (that's impossible - even 1 cup of whole milk contains 0.19g of Omega 6). But we shouldn't go out of our way to add them to our diet like mainstream advice suggests - ESPECIALLY if you have gut problems. 

You don't have to overdo your dietary fat consumption (moderation is key), but let's be mindful of our sources.

High Omega 6 PUFA Sources to Minimize:

• Vegetable oils (aka seed oils - soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, etc.)
• Nuts and seeds (you don't have to avoid these entirely (if you don't have gut issues), just don't overdo them, and try to optimize their preparation via sprouting, etc.)
• Fat & fatty cuts of meat from chicken and pigs fed a high PUFA diet (if you're eating PUFA-fed animals, prioritize leaner cuts)

Instead, Prioritize These Fats:

• Butter and ghee
• Dairy fat (like cheese, fat in milk, etc.)
• Tallow
• Coconut oil
• Chocolate (without weird ingredients)

(Side note - doesn't that second list just sound SO much more delicious? Maybe there's a reason for that!)

A Personal Note

The topic of PUFAs is truly one of our favorites - and being super mindful of our dietary fat sources is one of the key principles we follow around here.

It's where we feel our best, and it's how our ancestors ate (modern PUFA consumption is astronomically higher than ever before).

This PUFA passion is actually what led us to make our own chicken feed and produce low PUFA eggs at Angel Acres.

And for the first time since we started our farming operations, our eggs are now in stock for purchase beyond just the waiting list. For the past 4 years, we have been unable to keep up with demand, but diligently working towards improving our efficiencies and partnering with like minded farmers who utilize our feed, we are now able to offer our low PUFA eggs to more people. SHOP EGGS.

And, still frustrated with the PUFA infiltration into multiple levels of the food system, we expanded and started our own farm cooperative to provide low PUFA pork, chicken, and seasonal turkey - because we wanted to eat and make food how it used to be made when everyone was healthier. Insert: Nourish Cooperative. SHOP NOURISH.

Warmly,
Sarah & Ashley