Billy:

Then again a question, with respect to the trans fats. Sfath, your father, already taught me at a young age, that I should always properly nourish myself and thereby be careful to avoid so-called trans fats. The avoidance of these fats is important in relation to overall health, as well as in terms of balanced behaviour, because trans fats, he said, would evoke aggressive forms of behaviour and increase these continuously, and indeed in a measure which is stronger than alcohol. Trans fats, that is to say, trans fatty acids, also would evoke pathological changes of the arteries, hardening of the arteries, as well as allergies, Alzheimer~q~s, diabetes and cancer, as well as also evoke pathological inflammations, and so forth, and advance all these things further if they were already in place. Although recently people – such as a certain Brigitte Nussbaum, one Professor Josef Krieglstein and a Professor Doctor Susanne Klumpp (deceased 2009) – claim that olive oil can contribute to atherosclerosis. Analyses at the Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Münster, are to have led to the conclusion that monounsaturated fatty acids are meant to have adverse health effects. Can you just say something clarifying about that?    

Ptaah:

That which my father taught you is absolutely right, against which the claim, that unsaturated fatty acids are meant to have adverse health effects, is false. It is trans fatty acids which are extremely harmful to health and dangerous to the entire organism, especially because they can lead to obesity and also to depression, cause sickness, as well as very often produce diabetes, atherosclerosis and cancer. Unfortunately, the Earth human beings are not conscious of that, for which reason they unthinkingly consume trans fats, thus endangering their health and even their lives. Trans fatty acids are as bad and damaging to health and even life-threatening as dioxins, which arise from combustion processes and form highly toxic compounds, particularly chlorine and hydrocarbons which can cause serious health and developmental damage. The trans fatty acids are, in common parlance, simply called trans fats, whereby, however, the fewest Earth human beings among the general population know that this thereby deals with forms of fat which are extremely damaging to the health. It is particularly significant that, within the general population, no details are known about that which makes it all so especially dangerous. The fact of the matter is, therefore, also that a very great danger exists, especially for growing children and adolescents, because particular parts of terrestrial humanity consume food with the largest amounts of trans fats, which often cause irreparable damage to health. The trans fatty acids – it is naturally these – are extremely dangerous because the body can only transfigure their double hydrocarbon bonds with extreme difficulty, or not degrade them at all. For this reason, the physical-organic health is extraordinarily strongly burdened, whereby obesity also occurs, and the harmful LDL cholesterol levels rise high and evoke atherosclerosis, that is to say, hardening of the arteries. This means, however, that thereby, the risk of heart attack and stroke is greatly increased. In a way that no other fat is, even low amounts of trans fats are very dangerous, whereby already 2.5 grams per day increases, by more than 30 percent, the risk of the aforementioned afflictions, those things harmful to health, and effective diseases, when the described quantity is consumed regularly over a period of 4 to 8 years. Over time, trans fats consumed daily would inevitably lead to grave health problems, and this is especially true if a person is genetically predisposed to premature atherosclerosis. Already for decades, the Earth human beings have consumed far too great quantities of trans fat, particularly through fast-food products, through many processed foods, biscuits, pastries, croissants, chicken nuggets, cakes, french fries, croquettes, various chips and burgers, popcorn, various soft curd cheese products as well as other fatty products, that is to say, food made of fats. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil contains trans fats.    

Billy:   

Which fats and oils, which should specifically be used, are available to us on the Earth?    

Ptaah:

Basically and primarily, only high quality vegetable oils should be used, which are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, almond oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, wheat germ oil and peanut oil, are very good here because these oils to a large extent reduce the negative influence of trans fats in many prepared foods, that is to say, meals. In the preparation of food and meals, one should pay very close attention that, as much as possible, these only contain healthy fats and oils with mono and poly unsaturated fats. Important therefore, are, for example, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, which are specifically found in fish oils from salmon, trout, herring, tuna and mackerel, as well as in krill oil and the oils of various olives, in rapeseed [canola], nuts, hemp seeds and flax seeds [linseed], and so forth. It is important, however, that all of these oils are cold pressed, otherwise they are as good as worthless relative to the simple or multiple unsaturation of the fatty acids.    

In the omega-3 fatty acids the factors EPA and DHA are also of great significance, because, in the context of a balanced diet, they make a significant contribution in relation to good health, whereby these substances exert a valuable influence on the regulation of blood. In addition, DHA is a very important component for the function of photoreceptors as well as for the conducting membranes of the brain, for the concentration, the memory, the ability to learn and in the support of mental performance. Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential for the healing of inflammatory processes, which not infrequently trigger chronic diseases and therefore bring with them long-term suffering. Omega-3 fatty acids must be consumed because the human body itself cannot produce them.

Billy: 

And how does it stand with the much-vaunted margarine and the linoleic acid?    

Ptaah:

For a long time margarine on the Earth was not harmless, but it has changed for the better over the last two decades, therefore, in the present time, normal margarine contains only a few trans fats. Nevertheless, however, more diet margarines should be used because they usually contain many good fats. Conjugated linoleic acids are found only in milk, dairy products and meat from ruminants. They have the characteristic of lowering cholesterol and preventing atherosclerosis, where they strengthen the immune system and also support the building of muscle tissue and the formation of bone. On the basis of their many valuable ingredients, milk and dairy products belong in a healthy diet, whereby, for those human beings who suffer from milk and dairy intolerance, special observances apply which must be followed.    

Lactose intolerance is not harmless and must be taken seriously. Lactose intolerance is an adverse reaction to lactose, which occurs when the small intestine does not produce enough of the digestive enzyme lactase. Fortunately, also not everyone who is subject to lactose intolerance suffers to the same extent. But for people who do suffer from it, there are definitely possibilities for eating balanced diets with no reductions in milk and milk products, consequently, lactose intolerance does not mean that milk should be eliminated thoroughly and completely.

Milk contains milk sugar, which is lactose, whereby approximately 20% of the European population is lactose intolerant and lactose is hard to digest for them. If, despite that, these human beings still enjoy milk, then typical symptoms of lactose intolerance appear which manifest themselves through various afflictions, for example, abdominal pain, bloating or diarrhoea, and so forth, whereby actually also serious health-impairing ailments could be caused. Naturally, with every person the tolerance limit for drinking milk can be very different, as is the case also with regard to indigestion.

For understanding, it must be said that lactose intolerance, that is to say, milk sugar intolerance, has nothing to do with a milk allergy, which is different in nature and is based on an allergy to cow-milk protein. Consequently, make sure that these two factors are not confused. A milk allergy is based upon a reaction of the immune system which negatively reacts to certain parts of the protein in cow~q~s milk.

Naturally, there are also dairy foods that are free of lactose, such as the following cheeses: Emmentaler, Gruyère and Sbrinz. On the Internet and in nutrition journals can be found a large number of foods that are free of lactose.

Milk and milk products contain very valuable nutrients and belong, for the majority of human beings, among the most important staple foods. Lactose intolerance sufferers do not have to extensively go without this nutrient supplier, because they can still fall back on milk and milk products if they comply with their personal tolerance level– whether only a little or no lactose is included.

Billy: 

How can one buying food, for example, recognise whether a product contains a lot of trans fats?    

Ptaah:

If a product contains a lot of fat and has a long shelf life, then that is, as a rule, a sign that many trans fats are included.    

Billy:

Therefore, the HDL cholesterol is good and protects the arteries from the damaging LDL cholesterol. This LDL cholesterol thus increasingly accumulates within the blood vessels and thus leads to hardening of the arteries, that is to say, arteriosclerosis. And if this is furthered early, then this thereby increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.    

Ptaah:

It can also greatly impair the health of pregnant women, lead to miscarriages and stillbirths, as well as lead to damaging the health of the baby. But basically, especially all human beings are at risk, who are prone to atherosclerosis; but further, also human beings who have a high risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, allergies, and so forth.    

Billy:

You also mentioned the children.    

Ptaah: 

Right, because an especially great danger exists for them, because, due to wrong nutrition, indeed, especially through partially or fully saturated fatty acids, they succumb to obesity and are also impaired in relation to their consciousness-based concentration. They become overweight and also have problems with concentration. As an example: a 5 to 6 year old child should not consume more than 1.5 grams of trans fatty acids a day. But if that child ate a slice of bread for breakfast with some margarine and ate a curd cheese turnover before lunch, then consumed chips and a donut for lunch and in the afternoon consumed half a package of chocolate biscuits and in the evening consumed processed vanilla pudding, then he/she has already ingested the insane amount of 6.5 grams of trans fatty acids.    

Billy:

What is actually to be understood regarding partly or wholly solidified [hydrogenated] fats, that is to say, trans fats?    

Ptaah:

The fats are artificially added in the state of so-called curing ["Härtung"]. In other words, this means that the fats are artificially hardened, whereby the fats are obtained, through a chemical intervention, from plant and fish oils. Basically, the fatty acids, which occur in the food, can, according to their chemical structure, be split into the two groups, being saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The chemically treated, and therefore saturated, fatty acids can be divided into short, medium and long chains, while the unsaturated fatty acids are referred to as monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.    

Billy:

And why are they cured? I do not understand, when the hardened trans fats are indeed so damaging to health.    

Ptaah:

The matter is quite simple, because, by means of the so-called hardening of fats, the corresponding foods last much longer and do not go rancid. In addition, trans fats are cheap, which has great profitable benefits for the manufacturer. But for the human beings who eat these trans fats, the whole thing is very bad, because, of all the fats, it is these which evoke the most health damage in human beings. But there are trans fats in nature, for example, in ruminants, and for example, in the fat from cattle, for which the trans-fatty acids are formed by bacteria in the rumen. Also, calves, sheep and goats, and so forth, are biochemically natural trans fatty acid producers, whereby these trans fatty acids are of an entirely different nature and are absolutely harmless to health.    

Billy:

But Sfath, your father, said that both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids from plants and animals are necessary for human nutrition. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are throughout our food. He also spoke of butter and lactic acid, which are very valuable if the human beings have the necessary enzyme production for these foods.    

Ptaah:

That is right, but with high-fat foods and their enjoyment, a healthy amount is always a requirement. However, in a healthy diet, both saturated and unsaturated vegetable and animal fats are justified. A unique feature of animal products is the milk fat, because this has an unusually rich spectrum of very valuable fatty acids, for which reason its composition is quite ideal for the human being, whereby, however, its tolerance should be considered, since in certain human beings the necessary corresponding enzyme production is lacking, in order to make milk and milk products tolerable. If this enzyme production is deficient, then milk and milk products are not recommended and, under certain circumstances, may be very harmful to health.    

Billy:

And which fats can now be described as healthier, is it vegetable or animal?    

Ptaah:

Vegetable fats are the most valuable because they contain more unsaturated fatty acids, while animal fats exhibit more saturated. The origin of the fat is therefore decisive, whereby, however, all edible fats contain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The highest quality fats are contained in natural butter and cold-pressed vegetable oils such as rapeseed [canola] and in nuts.    

Billy:

It is often asserted that milk and milk products are generally harmful, therefore also the lactic acids.    

Ptaah:

For many human beings – children and adults – milk and dairy products are more or less harmful to health, but this cannot be generalised. The harmfulness only applies to human beings whose enzyme production, in relation to their ability to digest milk and dairy products, is more or less deficient or even completely absent.    

Billy:

We have already once spoken about milk and dairy products being harmful, indeed, especially from cows, but you have given no further explanation about it. Quetzal and I also had a conversation once in this regard. Therefore, the matter looks somewhat different if the enzyme production necessary for digestion is absent or lacking.    

Ptaah:

Yes, we talked about it, but it is a long time ago. In fact, we did not address enzyme production in relation to the tolerance of milk and milk products. 

Billy:

That only vegetable fats are healthy, especially since many of these contain unsaturated fatty acids – therefore that is not quite so.    

Ptaah:

That is really not quite so. For example, despite their vegetable origins, coconut oil/butter and palm oil contain the most saturated fat of all nutritional fats. Therefore, vegetable fats cannot simply be regarded as healthy, because there are also various saturated fats among these.    

Billy:

But milk fat contains many healthy fatty acids, consequently, it is healthy. Where are all the places it occurs?    

Ptaah: 

It primarily occurs in milk and butter, as well as in cheese and other milk products. Milk fat is a very special fat, because, in its composition, it is similar to neither vegetable oils nor animal fats. Overall, milk fat contains practically all saturated, unsaturated, short, medium, and long-chain fatty acids. In total, there are over 400 different types of fatty acid, occurring in a way that no other food exhibits. With this rich diversity of fatty acids, milk fat is ideally tailored to human requirements. Some fatty acids have an especially positive effect with regard to health. For example, the short-chain butyric acid, which is found almost exclusively in milk fat, has big anti-cancer effects, whereby in particular the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer is reduced. Milk fat also means no cholesterol danger. On the contrary, it lowers the risk of heart attack. The saturated fatty acids in milk have very diverse effects on the cholesterol level, whereby, however, seen as a whole, they have no elevating effect on the state of the level of cholesterol.    

Billy:

Thanks for your important explanations. That should actually be sufficient and make everything clear. 

Billy:

... But what is there actually to say about fruit sugar [fructose], which is praised so much with regard to the fact that it is supposed to be so good for losing body weight? In regards to my body weight, it is just as you predicted, in that it namely does not continue to decrease, but always fluctuates around about 80 kilograms, although I eat very sparingly. Should I make sure that I take only those sweet dishes which contain fruit sugar, instead of granulated white sugar? Would that eventually reduce the weight even slightly?    

Ptaah:

You are misinformed. Fructose is not suitable for weight loss, because it results in even faster and more excessive weight gain than refined white sugar. The claim that fructose has less impact on an increase in relation to the body weight, corresponds to an error.    

Billy:   

Aha. That is unpleasant. Therefore, much nonsense is uttered in this respect. ...    Aha. Das ist unerfreulich. Also wird viel Unsinn in dieser Beziehung geredet. ...    

Regarding that, I have another question, since you mentioned, later after this conversation, that there was more to mention regarding the harmfulness of fructose as well as other forms of sugar. Can you please say something about it again?    

Ptaah:

Of course. Fructose does not only promote weight gain to the point of obesity, rather also high blood pressure, heart disease and even cancer, as well as diabetes. In this regard, it must be said that insulin is responsible for that because it animates the cells to take up much sugar, whereby then various cancers are triggered. But this also means that types of sugar other than fructose are harmful in the same way, whereby, however, this specifically occurs when the sugar indulgence is pathological, as expressed in relation to the consumption of sweets and overly sugared drinks, which, as a rule leads to adipositas, as well as the fatty degeneration of the liver, consequently it will no longer work fully effectively. But basically, it is also true that, by way of fructose and other sugars, if too much of it is consumed, molecular alterations in the brain take place. However, this is, on the one hand, dependent on the type and amount of sugar, but, on the other hand, also on the metabolism, and so forth, of the human being.    

Billy:

I have understood that. But that thingy – that bodily adipositas, or however you said it – I do not understand. What is that? I have never heard the word, but in spite of that, it seems to me vaguely familiar, perhaps from Latin?    

Ptaah:

Adipositas is the Latin medical term for obesity.    

Billy:

Aha. Got it. Thank you for the lesson.