For the past 22 years I don’t think there is any topic I have written more about than dietary fat so today seems like a good day to revisit.
I clearly remember about 15 years ago when friends from within the beef industry were telling me to quit wasting time on the issue because no matter what the science said, I was never going to convince consumers that animal fat was an essential nutrient. That data has long been presented, including the science from Texas A&M that intramuscular fat is essential, yet now the science indicates that all animal fat improves human life.
The Journal of Evolution and Health contains peer reviewed science on the issue of diet. Published in this study:
Use of Animal Fat as a Symbol of Health in Traditional societies Suggests Humans may be Well Adapted to its Consumption
Results: Collection of 200 cases from culturally and geographically diverse traditional societies, reveals that in all three expression forms, there appears to be a clear tendency to associate animal fat with extremely positive meanings like "fertility," "sacredness," "wealth," "health," and even " a source of creation" and life itself.
Conclusion: In line with evidence for the importance of dietary animal fat in prehistoric and traditional societies, the studied traditional societies perceived animal fat as a vital component of their diet and a profound source of health rather than an impediment to health as it is presented in many dietary recommendations today.
Here is another example. I spent time living on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. I don’t think anybody would argue that prior to Native Americans being sent to the reservation by generations before us, they sustained life primarily through bison. Specifically, this would apply to the Great Plains Indians and in particular the Lakota Sioux because that is with whom I am personally familiar.
Today, thanks to Electronic Benefits Transfer cards and federal government handouts, this culture could not be any further from that core dietary regimen. Animal protein and fat was once a daily staple in their life and today it is not. And their level of health is clearly reflected in these dietary changes.
I want to go back to the results of the research study on animal fat and protein that led to the conclusion as fertility was a primary victim of poor dietary choices. What I have learned by traveling and speaking is that the global population is retracting not increasing. I fully understand that has been the agenda of a wealthy few and they are getting it done.
According to OurWorldData.org, the global average fertility rate is around 2.3 children per woman today. Over the last 50 years the global fertility rate has halved. And over the course of the modernization of societies the number of children per woman decreases very substantially. In the pre-modern era fertility rates of 4.5 to 7 children per woman were common. At that time the very high mortality at a young age kept population growth low.
At the end of the day what I now understand is that all the agendas we fight, from every different angle, are ultimately destined to control the population and population growth. The data is crystal clear that to feed the immune system and to feed a healthy planet we need more animals. However, it is the exact opposite message that is reaching the masses. That’s reason enough for me to get more aggressive in taking great data like this and giving folks a little more animal fat to chew on for their own good.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the views of High Plains Journal. Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at [email protected].