Avoiding fish, chicken, and pork due to PFAS, heavy metals, and microplastics contamination is crucial for health.
Consuming chicken with high linoleic acid levels poses health risks, emphasizing the need for caution.
Pork fat enriched in linoleic acid from diets also presents potential health risks, reinforcing the importance of avoidance.
Deep dives
Avoiding Fish, Chicken, and Pork in the Diet
Avoiding fish, chicken, and pork in the diet is essential due to the potential accumulation of pollyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like linoleic acid in their fat. Pigs and chickens, being monogastric animals, store what is present in their diet in their fat, making their fat high in PUFAs. Commercially farmed fish contain poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) that interfere with male reproductive enzymes and synthetic steroids, while also being high in heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium. Additionally, microplastics found in seafood can induce inflammation and reproductive dysfunction in mice, further emphasizing the importance of avoiding fish consumption.
Health Concerns Associated with Consuming Chicken
Consuming chickens fed corn and soy-based diets leads to their fat being enriched with linoleic acid, creating health concerns for individuals consuming chicken-based products. Chicken fat can contain high levels of linoleic acid, which can result in dietary accumulation of this fatty acid in humans. Studies have shown a correlation between dietary polyunsaturated fats fed to chickens and higher polyunsaturated fat levels in their meat and eggs. This highlights the need to be cautious about consuming chicken due to potential health risks associated with high linoleic acid content.
Risks of Pork in the Diet
Pork fat, similar to chicken fat, may contain elevated levels of linoleic acid if the pigs were fed diets high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Pigs being monogastric animals store dietary components in their fat, leading to the enrichment of linoleic acid in pork fat. This dietary accumulation of linoleic acid from pork consumption can potentially pose health risks. Highly processed pork products like bacon are particularly concerning due to their potential for high linoleic acid content, reinforcing the importance of avoiding pork in the diet.
Optimal Nutrient Sources for Humans
Ruminants like beef are considered cleaner and more nutrient-dense food sources for humans due to their grass-fed diets and lower risk of containing harmful substances like PUFAs. Beef, lamb, and other ruminants provide an array of essential nutrients while minimizing the intake of potential toxins found in fish, chicken, and pork. Focusing on nutrient-rich animal-based foods, along with fruits, honey, raw dairy, and organs, ensures a more optimal nutrient intake for human health. Emphasizing the importance of understanding the quality of food sources to prioritize nutrient intake and avoid potential health risks.
Feeding Practices Impacting Animal Fat Composition in Chickens and Pigs
The fat composition of chickens and pigs is influenced by their diets, with higher levels of dietary polyunsaturated fats leading to increased polyunsaturated fat content in their fat tissues. Chickens and pigs fed diets rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as corn and soy-based feed, accumulate higher levels of linoleic acid in their fat. This dietary accumulation of linoleic acid in chicken and pork fat poses health risks for consumers and underscores the importance of understanding feeding practices impacting animal fat composition.
A note from Paul: Throughout my training and practice as a physician, I have come to one very disappointing conclusion: Western medicine isn’t helping people lead better lives. Now that I’ve realized this, I’ve become obsessed with understanding what makes us healthy or ill. I want to live the best life I can and I want to be able to share this knowledge with others so that they can do the same. This podcast is the result of my relentless search to understand the roots of chronic disease. If you want to know how to live the most radical life possible I hope you’ll join me on this journey.
On today’s episode, Paul takes a deep dive into why he chooses to omit fish, chicken and pork from his diet. He touches on PFAs, micro-plastics, heavy metals, and linoleic acid.
Time Stamps:
00:07:05 Podcast begins
00:07:35 PFAS in our food, food packaging, dental floss, and sparkling water
00:20:00 PFAS in fish
00:25:55 Heavy metal contamination in fish
00:31:30 Microplastics in fish
00:38:40 Can we get Omega-3s from an animal-based diet?
00:44:00 Thoughts on eating chicken
00:52:20 Thoughts on eating pork
00:56:35 The best animal foods to eat
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