Hey all
I was wondering what % of your diet consists of fat? Also, is unrefined olive oil healthy or not? There is so much conflicting information on this. I would prefer to eat few nuts and seeds (apart from flax). I would like to eat very simply as complicated raw meals does not appeal to me. I`m aiming for lots of greens and fruits with around 20% of fat. I`d love to include olive oil and avocados but I don`t want to clog my arteries or put on weight! ( am trying to lose weight and clear up my acne). Thanks so much.

Opinion:

Excellent questions! I think that a 20% fat figure is very reasonable - especially at the outset. I think sticking to fresh nuts and avocados is a good idea. I do not personally recommend eating any processed items....if you can avoid them....and that would include processed, concentrated oils. I think (my opinion) that if you stick to an enzymatically active food...you won't have to worry too much about weight issues. Keep in mind that losing weight is about a 'lifestyle' and 'process' change.....along with the thoughts and emotions that gave rise to those behaviors that caused weight gain. Without better, more joyous, more decisive thoughts, goals and dreams......ANY changes in life are but temporary.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

>Also, is unrefined olive oil healthy or not? There is so much conflicting information on this

Not really if you consider it in context.

Compared to a refined polyunsaturated oil, or anything deep fried, or an equal quantity of cooked animal fat, yes it is healthy.

Compared to a fresh ripe avocado, less so.

"They" make a huge fuss over the mediterranean diet being so blasted healthy. Well, it is, compared to SAD. But it's possible to do better.

I will never forget, about 36 years ago when I was a little girl, my family took a trip to Greece. We went up in the mountains to see the village where my dad grew up. All the post-menopausal women were fat. All of them--bigger circumference than height. Yah, they do eat their veggies but they are cooked and swimming in olive oil.

Keep the veggies, eliminate all or most of the heat, and if you decide to use this oil, make it drip drip instead of glub glub glub glub.

That's what I think of when I think of olive oil being so healthy. Yes, I use it. But I do only a tiny bit at a time, like 1/2 tsp for 12 cups of salad.

arugula

can u tell us more about the processing of olive oil
"cold processed"
"first pressed"

etc.?

there was supposed to be a raw olive oil called " Barianis"

but then someone posted that oil had gotten rancid but did not say what the criteria was... like.. how did they know?

since it was touted as raw... why was it seen as "rancid"?

perhaps it was just their personal perspective or taste preference
maybe it was a great oil after all

but i don't know

never got barianis

I use olive oil, but generally only when a recipe calls for it. It's possible to get "raw" olive oil, but the best olive oil is still a processed, refined food. Most of my fat comes from avocados, nuts and seeds... occasionally coconuts. Though most of what I eat are fruits and veggies, fat is very calorie-dense and my calories from fat frequently exceeds 20%. Though I would like to bring this percentage down in the long run, it isn't one of my current high priorities.

LaV, the terms aren't very well regulated and they don't always mean something.

Extra virgin in the US is supposed to mean less than 1% acidity.
Extra virgin in the EU is supposed to mean that + less than 2 years old and also taste good.

First cold press, imported from Italy, etc., these are usually BS.

The only rule I know is the the real thing is very very expensive. If you can afford it, it's probably none of cold press, first pressing, extra virgin, and it's probably diluted with cheaper types of oil, made from fallen spoilt olives, etc. etc.

I think that Bariani is one of the better choices and IIRC it comes with an expiration date. Bryan said he used to use it when he was in transition. People can smell the difference. When I use those higher quality oils I always get comments from the SADs "ooh, that smells so good."

You can tell when it goes off, it will smell off and taste off, sort of bitter.

some links
[www.npr.org]
[www.squidoo.com]

You can find more by googling

"olive oil" fraud

Fat is tricky, that is one reason why it may be better to limit the unnecessary fats.