Where's the BEEF (fat)
HOW DIET CAN INFLUENCE BACTERIA
This is a very revealing story. It begins with cattle grazing on pasture grass and hay. The grass feeds very specific bacteria that dominate the cows many chambered stomachs and intestinal tract. This bacteria that likes grass builds healthful fatty acids that increase omega 3 and CLA content in milk and meat. BUT, an interesting twist happens when cows are in feedlots eating corn and other grains, a different type of bacteria becomes dominate that does not produce the same fatty acids and therefore there is less omega 3 fats and CLA in milk and meat from these cows. Quite a bit less. What does increase are the omega 6 fats. The cattle producers know this happens and that these effects are not healthy for the cow or humans that feed on these products. So, they attempt to introduce grass for short periods to slightly increase omega 3, and make the animals healthier. ref This process is called back-grounding. Beef from grass fed cows is a health food. Corn grain feedlot fed cows produce junk food. It will not keep you healthy long term. Supplements of fish oil may have some benefit here to help balance omega levels.
FYI: Remember, fish oils are highly perishable. Buy small sizes and refrigerate, leave cotton in bottle to control moisture. Use lower dosages (EPA 180, DHA 120) since they are less processed and get omega 3 fats from smaller fish which are less polluted or contaminated. article
What if this also happened in humans? Do grains influence different bacteria to grow more dominate and start battling with the other bacteria that used to predominate before grain growing and eating started 10,000 years ago? There is a rather interesting fact concerning the different bacteria that predominate between thin and obese people. Scientist have found that if they take the bacteria from thin people, and after neutralizing the bacteria present in large people, put the thin people bacteria into obese people, they start to lose weight. Interesting! ref
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