The Queen of Fats: Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet and What We Can Do to Replace Them

A nutritional whodunit that takes readers from Greenland to Africa to Israel, The Queen of Fats gives a fascinating account of how we have become deficient in a nutrient that is essential for good health: the fatty acids known as omega-3s. Writing with intelligence and passion, Susan Allport tells the story of these vital fats, which are abundant in greens and fish, among other foods. She describes how scientists came to understand the role of omega-3s in our diet, why commercial processing has removed them from the food we eat, and what the tremendous consequences have been for our health. In many Western countries, epidemics of inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders have been traced to omega-3 deficiencies. The Queen of Fats provides information for every consumer who wants to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and obesity and to improve brain function and overall health. This important and compelling investigation into the discovery, science, and politics of omega-3s will transform our thinking about what we should be eating.

* Includes steps you can take to add omega-3s to your diet

* Shows why eating fish is not the only way, or even the best way, to increase omega-3s.

* Provides a new way to understand the complex advice about the role and importance of fats in the body

* Explains how and why the food industry has created a deadly imbalance of fats in our foods

* Shows how omega-3s can be reintroduced to our diet through food enrichment and changes in the feeding of livestock

Investigates the discovery, science, and politics of omega-3 fatty acids in an account of how people have become deficient in omega-3s, a nutrient essential for good health, and provides a innovative new approach to understanding the role of fats in the human body.

A wonderful explanation of the wide world of fats that is a must-read for discerning (and healthy) eaters.aMehmet C. Oz, author of You: An Owner's ManualSusan Allport's account of the discovery of omega-3 fatty acids combines colorful science, intriguing personalities, and a well-digested biochemistry into a convincing recipe for a healthier diet. The Queen of Fats is a fascinating new detective storyawith a solution that matters aRichard Wrangham, author of Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human ViolenceThe Queens of Fats is a fascinating nutritional detective story delivering a big surprise: how one of the most important changes to the diet wrought by industrialization of food went unnoticed. But if Allport is right, the disappearance of omega-3s from the Western diet is the key to understanding why that diet is making us so sick.aMichael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four MealsAllport provides a fascinating 'whodunit' about the discovery of how fats work, what wonders omega-3s could perform in thwarting chronic disease, and a timely warning to the world about the imbalance of essential fats in the food supply. I reveled in the twists and turns of nutrition history as it unfolds and uncovers the ways food processing carries hefty health risks, as well as benefits.aSharron Dalton, author of Our Overweight Children: What Parents, Schools, and Communities Can Do to Control the Fatness Epidemic

What's for dinner? — A trip to Greenland — How the omegas got their name — Monsieur cholesterol — Fishy fats — Tree lard and cow oil — The chemist in the kitchen — Out of Africa-- — And into the membrane — Where have all the omega-3s gone? — The speed of life — Putting omega-3s back into your food supply — The proof is in the pudding.