What are the top 3 reasons why grass fed raw milk changes in flavor and consistency? FIND OUT HERE.

The PUFA Predicament: A Look Into Healthy Fats

posted on

November 3, 2023

PUFA.jpg

At Miller's Bio Farm, our commitment to health and wellness drives us to delve deeply into the intricacies of every ingredient and nutrient. We value the trust our customers place in us and continuously strive to stay ahead of emerging health topics. Recently, our curiosity led us to explore the world of PUFAs. After all, many of our customers SHOP WITH MILLER'S because they're seeking low or virtually no PUFA diets.

We wanted to understand: What exactly are PUFAs? Why have they garnered attention in the health community? And most crucially, how might they affect our overall well-being?

What are PUFAs?

PUFAs, or Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, are a type of fat molecule composed of more than one double bond in their backbone. They are commonly found in many foods, especially vegetable oils like soybean, sunflower, and corn oils. PUFAs are further classified into two main types: omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. While these fats are essential for our body in certain amounts (since our body can't produce them on its own), the modern Western diet has a disheartening imbalance of these fats, which can have potential health consequences.

Who is Dr. Ray Peat and What Did He Discover about PUFAs?

Enter Dr. Ray Peat, a brilliant scientist and researcher who has dedicated a significant portion of his career to understanding the effects of various nutrients on our health. According to Dr. Peat, PUFAs, when consumed in excess, can have a multitude of negative effects on our health. One of his primary concerns about high PUFA intake relates to their instability when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen, leading them to oxidize easily. When consumed, these oxidized fats can cause oxidative stress and inflammation in the body, potentially contributing to various diseases.

Moreover, Dr. Peat found that excessive PUFA intake could suppress the thyroid function, slowing down our metabolism and potentially leading to various health issues like decreased energy, weight gain, and more.

The PUFA Problem: Why is it Harmful?

The problems with PUFAs, as pointed out by Dr. Ray Peat and validated by various studies, include:

  1. Inflammation: PUFAs can lead to an increased production of pro-inflammatory molecules, thus promoting inflammation in the body.
  2. Oxidative Stress: Given their instability, PUFAs easily undergo oxidation, producing harmful compounds that can damage cells and DNA.
  3. Thyroid Suppression: High PUFA intake can interfere with thyroid function, which plays a crucial role in metabolism, energy production, and overall health.
  4. Potential Link to Diseases: Excessive PUFA consumption might be linked to a higher risk of various diseases, including heart diseases, certain cancers, and more.

The PUFA Connection: Implications for Disease Progression and Autoimmune Conditions

The potential links between high PUFA intake and various health concerns raise pressing questions about the long-term consequences of our dietary choices. Particularly, does a diet abundant in PUFAs amplify the risk for certain diseases or even exacerbate autoimmune conditions?

Autoimmune Conditions and PUFAs: Autoimmune diseases arise when our immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in our body. Factors contributing to these conditions are multifaceted and include genetics, environmental triggers, and possibly diet. Some studies suggest that a higher intake of omega-6 PUFAs can enhance inflammation, which plays a significant role in many autoimmune diseases. By potentially amplifying inflammatory responses, a high PUFA diet may exacerbate symptoms in individuals predisposed to or already diagnosed with autoimmune conditions.

PUFA and Disease Magnification: Beyond autoimmune conditions, a diet consistently high in PUFAs may accentuate risks for other diseases. As PUFAs can promote inflammation and oxidative stress, two pivotal factors in the development of many chronic diseases, individuals regularly consuming high amounts of these fats may find themselves at an elevated risk. This includes but isn't limited to heart diseases and certain types of cancers.

Understanding PUFA-free Foods:

When we say a food is "PUFA-free", we're indicating that it contains negligible or no polyunsaturated fatty acids. Remember, fats in foods are usually a combination of different types of fatty acids: saturated (SFAs), monounsaturated (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated (PUFAs). No natural food is entirely devoid of a particular type of fat, but some foods have such minuscule amounts of PUFAs that they can be effectively considered "PUFA-free" for dietary purposes.

Why Seek PUFA-free Foods?

There's a growing interest in PUFA-free or low-PUFA diets due to concerns about the potential negative health implications of consuming excessive PUFAs. As previously mentioned, excessive PUFA consumption may contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, and other health issues. Additionally, many PUFAs, especially those in processed vegetable oils, can be easily oxidized, forming harmful compounds when exposed to heat, light, or air.

Examples of Foods that are Virtually PUFA-free:

At Miller's Bio Farm, we pride ourselves on the quality of our products, emphasizing the nutritional content and health benefits they offer. Virtually all our foods stand out as being low in PUFAs or virtually PUFA-free. This nutritional advantage stems from our farming practices: our ruminant animals are 100% grass-fed, while our non-ruminant animals are strictly reared without corn and soy in their diets. This ensures that the products we offer are not just delicious but also nutritionally aligned with holistic health goals.

Examples of Foods that are Virtually PUFA-free:

1. Animal Fats: LARD, TALLOW, BUTTER, and GHEE are primarily made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats, with only trace amounts of PUFAs.

2. Tropical Oils: Coconut oil and palm oil are predominantly saturated fats and contain very low levels of PUFAs.

3. Certain Dairy Products: Full-fat dairy products, especially from grass-fed animals, tend to have higher saturated fat content and lower PUFA levels. At Miller's Bio Farm, our COW DAIRY, RAW COW DAIRY, and RAW BUFFALO DAIRY products are virtually PUFA-free, while our RAW GOAT DAIRY is categorized as low PUFA.

4. Certain Meats: Fatty cuts of beef, lamb, and pork, especially from animals raised on natural diets, will generally have lower PUFA content compared to poultry or grain-fed livestock. In line with this, our 100% GRASS FED BEEF offerings at Miller's Bio Farm are virtually PUFA-free. Additionally, our corn and soy free PASTURED CHICKEN, PASTURED TURKEY, and WOODLAND PORK selections, known for their superior quality, are all low in PUFAs.

5. Eggs: Another essential mention is eggs. The CORN & SOY FREE EGGS at Miller's Bio Farm are meticulously sourced and are considered low PUFA, making them an excellent choice for those keen on monitoring their PUFA intake.

A Word of Caution:

While there's merit in being cautious about excessive PUFA consumption, it's also essential not to swing to the other extreme and completely eliminate all sources of PUFAs from your diet. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are types of PUFAs, are essential for the body, meaning we need to get them from our diet because our body cannot produce them on its own. The key is achieving a balance and avoiding sources of oxidized or processed PUFAs.

The Bottom Line:

In the ever-evolving landscape of nutrition, it's crucial to navigate our choices with information that prioritizes our well-being. Aiming for PUFA-free or low-PUFA foods isn't merely a trend; it's a conscious decision to prioritize the quality and integrity of the fats we introduce into our bodies. By doing so, we move closer to a dietary approach that aligns with nature – favoring fats that are less processed, less prone to oxidation, and thereby more stable and beneficial for our health.

Such an approach underscores our belief at Miller's Bio Farm: that food, in its most natural state, is often the best. While PUFAs have their place and role in nutrition, it's important to strike a balance. Overconsumption, especially of oxidized or excessively processed PUFAs, can pave the way for health concerns. By being aware and making informed choices, we can relish the myriad benefits of healthy fats without the pitfalls of excessive PUFA intake.

In conclusion, our journey through understanding PUFAs reminds us of the importance of ongoing education, reflection, and making choices that resonate with holistic health. As always, we remain committed to delivering the best to our community and continuing the conversation on vital health topics.

References:

More from the blog

Does exploding milk kefir mean it's bad? Not necessarily.

We get this question from customers on the regular --> "My kefir exploded. Is that normal? Does that mean it's bad?" The answer? Bubbly volcanic kefir is 100% ok. Kefir is known as the "champagne of dairy" for a reason! In case you haven't tried it, milk kefir is a fermented drink made with milk. It's similar in taste to yogurt (a little stronger in my opinion) but has more probiotics.  As I've heard it said, yogurt is good for cleansing the gut. Kefir, on the other hand, adds to the gut. People working to heal or enhance the function of their digestive system often turn to kefir as part of this process. Even though kefir has been around for thousands of years, it seems that there's still some mystery around it. I mean, it's just not as popular as yogurt, particularly in the US. Bubbles in kefir are a natural part of the fermentation process. To make kefir, you need to add culture to milk. Different from yogurt culture, which is strains of probiotic bacteria only, kefir is a symbiotic culture of probiotic bacteria AND yeast.  Once the culture is added, you let it ferment at room temp. The culture eats up the milk sugar (AKA lactose), creates bubbles (AKA CO2), and grows more of the culture. When you get bubbly kefir, that's a sure sign that it's fermented. It's also a sure sign that it's probiotic. After all, the more CO2, the more eating and duplicating the bacteria and yeast did. After we make it, kefir will continue to ferment. It will happen more rapidly at room temp and more slowly in the fridge. But, it's still happening. More and more bubbles are created over time. And, if that container is air tight, lots of pressure builds up within the container. If you don't open the kefir and it's super fermented, there is the potential for lots of bubbles upon opening. Here's a short video of a kefir explosion: And, here's a little story about the worst kefir explosion I've heard of. Years ago, we used to sell blueberry kefir. With that added sugary fruit in the end, the culture would really take off. A customer sent us a picture of blueberry kefir on her kitchen ceiling!! It really exploded. I wish I could have been there to help her clean it up! Open slowly or burp kefir to stop it from exploding. Not a fan of your kefir exploding? Thankfully, there's an easy solution. Open slowly. Simply crack the lid a little, and let the gas escape before opening all the way. You could even burp your kefir every day or two in the fridge to prevent it from getting too bubbly. The only way to stop kefir from fermenting and creating more bubbles is to freeze it. However, I don't recommend that.  First off, kefir tends to get clumpy when thawed.  Second, there's some probiotic loss when freezing. The longer it's frozen, the more probiotic loss. If you need to freeze kefir for later, I don't recommend freezing it for more than 3 months. You know kefir really went bad by the smell and look. When you make kefir with raw milk, it's slowly turning into kefir cheese. So when I say it goes "bad", it's really just knowing when it's too sour or pungent to palate. It's not necessarily a safety issue. Here are two things to look for: Putrid Smell: OK, kefir smells funky, even good kefir. But, especially if you've been drinking kefir for a while, you should be able to tell when it smells putrid. Like, you absolutely aren't able to consume it.Massive Separation: A little separation in kefir is normal. You will see the whey (a yellowish liquid) separate from the thicker white part. But, if it's all separated, and the white creamy part has turned into a mass of clumps, it's probably not the best to consume anymore. *Side note: I think this is why most kefir comes in a container that's NOT clear. When you make kefir with pasteurized milk, it's a different story. Since there isn't a natural community of microorganisms that are regulating themselves, it has the potential to go bad in a dangerous way. In addition to the signs listed above, here's one more thing to look for: Visible Mold: Especially green, orange, red, or black mold, which is a clear indication that the kefir is bad and should be tossed. All in all, this is really about trusting your gut and being connected to your food. How bubbly has your kefir been? Have you ever had it explode? Do you drink kefir for its yumminess or probiotic benefits? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below to share your thoughts with our community (no account required). Or, contact us to keep it private 😊

Top 3 reasons why grass fed raw milk changes in flavor and consistency.

Have you ever noticed that the flavor and consistency of our raw milk varies from week to week and especially season to season? This is 100% normal! You see, when you raise animals naturally on pasture (and especially when they're 100% grass fed like our cows and buffalos), the milk changes. This is starkly different from pasteurized milk you'd find in stores, which is usually from grain fed cows in feedlots. With that level of unnatural control, the milk can be consistent (or maybe I should call it boring). Here are the top 3 reasons grass fed raw milk varies: 1- Butterfat changes with the seasons. It's highest in the colder months. From the anecdotal experience of myself and our farmers, butterfat is highest in the spring. That's when milk is the creamiest, the most yellow, and the most flavorful (after all, fat holds the color and the flavor). That's when you get a hefty creamline in your jug of milk after sitting in the fridge for a few days. But then... I found an interesting study on this. It's from 1931, before dairy farming got seriously messed up. It tracked hundreds of cows over many years. The researchers found that butterfat and outdoor temperature have an inverse relationship. And they found that it didn't really matter when the cows give birth and the age of the cow. Fascinating! In short, the higher the temp outside, the less butterfat. The lower the temp outside, the more butterfat. Check it out: Another interesting note on the graph is they found that Jersey cows produce milk with the highest butterfat. We noticed this, too, and it's why Aaron's herds are 80% Jersey and 20% Jersey crosses. That's why our milk is so darn creamy! It does make me wonder why, anecdotally, we feel butterfat is highest in spring. Maybe it's because our cows produce the most milk in the spring and least in the winter...? We feel like we're swimming in butterfat in the spring. We make sooo much butter at that time of year. 2- Flavor changes with the feed. When the forage, the weather, and the seasons change, so does the flavor. When cows are outside on pasture, eating a diversity of plants, the flavor of the milk they produce is more robust. Mostly this is a good thing. In my opinion, our pastured milk is more flavorful and tastes better than conventional grain-fed feedlot milk. But, sometimes this can kick us in the butt. For example, when a cow finds a little patch of onion grass, that can create an odd flavor in the milk. The weather affects what the cows are grazing on, too. For example, when we're in a drought, the grass doesn't grow as voraciously. It's has less moisture and protein and isn't as fully developed. That can change the flavor of the milk.  And finally, there are, of course, the seasons. When the cows are eating fresh pasture in the warmer months, the milk will have a different flavor than when they're eating dry pasture (AKA hay) in the colder months. It's hard to predict what the final flavor will be. But, I sure do love tasting the differences in milk throughout the year! 3- How long it lasts changes with cleanliness. Clean milk lasts longer! Milk safety is a top priority here at Miller's. Our strict milk safety standards go beyond what's required for a raw milk permit in Pennsylvania. We test every batch on site for general bacteria counts. Not many raw milk farmers do that, but we sure hope more hop on board! Since we test every batch, we're able to keep a close eye on how well the team is cleaning. Even a small thing like a cat licking equipment in the barn, a tiny hairline crack somewhere, or water not being hot enough can make a big difference.  Because of our constant monitoring, we're pretty confident in saying that our milk is the cleanest around. There's no manure in our milk!  And because of this, our milk lasts longer than most. It's raw milk and will sour (no way to prevent that). But, it should last at least 2 weeks after you receive it before it becomes too sour to palate. Do you value milk consistency over naturalness? Have you noticed changes in our raw milk over time? What about milk makes it "the best" for you? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below to share your thoughts with our community (no account requred). Or, contact us to keep it private 😊 PS: Did you know that we make our fresh raw cow dairy in house? That's right. Our team does it in our creamery! Our goat and buffalo farmers make their own fresh raw dairy in house, too. ----- Sources THE INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERA- TURE ON THE PERCENTAGE OF BUTTER FAT IN COW'S MILK*

Salt and toxic heavy metals? We swapped our salt with a cleaner one!

Are you choosy when it comes to the salt you use? Yea, Miller's is, too. On the one hand, we want natural (not highly processed) salt packed with minerals (including metals like zinc and magnesium). On the other hand, we don't want an overload of toxic heavy metals and microplastics.  So, when Jesse from Dream Salts reached out about his pink Himalayan sea salt last year, I was skeptical. I told him that I needed to see some test results before the team could even consider switching salts. Jesse pulled through, and I'm super happy with the results. Our new pink Himalayan sea salt has half the amount of lead compared to Selina Naturally's Celtic Sea Salt. It also had no microplastics detected at a low LOQ (limit of quantification).  "Normal" table salt is highly processed.  Table salt starts as something natural - salt mined from the earth. But then, it goes through some heavy processing. This removes all impurities, including all those minerals that are beneficial for us. Once it's purified, an "anti-caking agent" is typically added. This prevents the salt from caking, especially when it's humid out. In fact, that's where Morton Salt got its famous slogan - "when it rains it pours"!  Iodine is a common anti-caking agent, and it's probably the most natural one, too. Consuming a little bit of iodine is absolutely necessary for optimal health. But, as with most things, getting it naturally is best. You can get iodine naturally from seaweed, fish Greek yogurt, milk, and eggs. Plus, the iodine added to salt is typically lab produced. Other anti-caking agents might be used in table salt, too. These may include calcium silicate, sodium aluminosilicate, ferrocyanides like sodium ferrocyanide (E535), potassium ferrocyanide (E536), and calcium ferrocyanide (E538). Table salt is usually finer and dissolves more quickly. It also has a sharp flavor. Sea salt is more natural. Sea salt isn't highly processed. It's salt that was naturally occurring in the ocean, either today or a long time ago. There are 2 kinds of sea salt: From the ocean: This is when sea water is let to dry. The water evaporates, leaving the salt behind. Ever get out of the ocean and find your skin left with a whitish hue? That's salt that dried on your skin! Selina Naturally's Celtic Sea Salt is dried from today's Celtic Sea.From the land: This is from a salty body of water that dried up a long time ago. For example, Redmond Salt is from the ancient Sundance Sea in Utah. And, pink Himalayan salt is mined in Pakistan from mountains near the Himalayas. When salt is naturally occurring and not processed, it's packed with minerals which we need for optimal health. It's like a natural supplement!  On the flip side, it also can contain impurities like sand, shells, rocks, clay, and pollution (and sometimes anti-caking agents are added, too). Think about all the pollution in today's oceans. Yup, that can reside in sea salt harvested from the water! Microplastics in today's oceans can make their way into sea salt. It's no secret that our oceans are filled with plastic, slowly getting churned smaller and smaller into more and more microplastics. I read somewhere that an average human contains a credit card's worth of plastic inside them now. Wow! Microplastics are a fairly new thing, and more research is needed. But, they seem to potentially cause a host of problems including reproductive, digestive, and respiratory issues, and may even be linked to cancer. This is why I was pretty excited to see Dream Salt's test results. They tested for a range of microplastics, and none were detected at the low LOQs of 5-50 parts per billion. Love that! Minerals are good. Toxic heavy metals are bad. Sea salt is packed with minerals that we need - magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, calcium, selenium, etc. These are good to consume. But, some of these that we commonly call "minerals" are actually metals. Some metals like magnesium and zinc are good for us (of course in moderation) but some we don't need at all and can be toxic and cause damage, even in smaller amounts. The top 4 toxic heavy metals to watch for are arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. You may remember a blast of muckraking articles about sea salt last year. They specifically called out Selina Naturally's Celtic sea salt for its high levels of arsenic and lead. In fact, their lead issue is now part of a lawsuit. Yeesh! And, wow, we use their Celtic sea salt. What's going on here? To start, Miller's of course assessed its choice in sea salt. Basically, we're using sea salt for its minerals, and that comes with all kinds of metals and is in every sea salt (of course unless it's processed). We felt that, in the amount we use it, it was not harmful to anyone. Let's look at this through the lens of Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. He has a scale to rate the cleanliness of toxic metals in products. And this scale relates to the end product, not each ingredient. When it comes to salt, only a little bit is in each bite, so any level of contamination gets diluted. Selina Naturally's salt on its own rates a low B, with 489 ppb of lead (or 0.489 ppm). Our new Dream Salt also rates a B, but much closer to an A, with about half the amount of lead at 269 ppb (or 0.269 ppm).  When we have an opportunity to reduce toxins, we do it! The Actual Test Results Because you deserve to know and see everything... I'm happy to announce that we're not only selling this pink Himalayan sea salt, but we're also using it in our fresh dairy products and sausages made from this point forward. Hooray! As an FYI --- There are other foods we offer that still use Selena Naturally's Celtic sea salt. We'll be slowly working with our small scale makers to make the switch across the board. But, it will take some time! What sea salt do you choose? What's most important to you when choosing a salt? What do you think about our salt switch? I'd love to hear from you. Comment below to share your thoughts with our amazing community, or contact us to keep it private 😊 ----- Sources Sea Salt vs. Table Salt: What's the Difference?We Test Every Lot Of Celtic Sea Salt®Consumer Wellness Center Labs