Ketogenic Diet - Powerful Dietary Strategy for Certain Conditions

Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Nienna said:
Just want to add, once again, that if anyone is experiencing a lot of leg cramps, try upping your salt intake along with the potassium and magnesium. My friend and I noticed that by drinking a glass of water with added salt really helped to stop the cramping really fast. When eating a diet of mostly fat and meat, our bodies flush out more salt than usual so it has to be replenished.

Yeap. During transition time, I was getting weird foot cramps. It was so bad one night, and I had seen a sport coach treat cramps with bananas during training because of the potassium in them, that I just put a bit of real sea salt in my mouth. The cramps were gone in 5 minutes. Worked a second and third time, too...
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Gaby said:
Ariadna said:
Hi Friends, here again looking for advice and help to recover as soon as possible ... because sometimes I feel sad, somewhat depressed and not want to get in that circle of despair and weakness.
My flu has not been such. I'm actually recovering from Epstein Barr virus. I has been extremely weak. Absolute loss of appetite. It started with flu symptoms on 13 January and continues with ups and downs until today. Twice I have gone to the hospital with episodes of palpitations and weakness. Two weeks ago my doctor prescribed Alprazolam 0.25 but I have not taken up to two days ago, because before I did not feel needed it . Last Friday Doctor prescribed me Propranolol 20 mgr at night, but I started to take it day too.

In the mornings until noon is when I feel worse without strength, my heart pounding. Then I 'm feeling better, more natural.

I'm sorry to hear about your struggle. Keep in mind that you just went through a very weakening illness and it can take months to recover from that. Chronic fatigue syndrome typically starts after flu like these ones.

Epstein Barr virus infections are usually diseases that increase your necessity of vitamin C, it is the "100 grams flu" so to speak. So if you were taking 4 grams or so and suddenly your body goes through a disease that requires 100 grams... then you know you were really hit hard and that your adrenals got shot. Have you read about adrenal fatigue?
Hi, I've been reading about adrenal fatigue and recognize some of the symptoms in me (salt craving, an excessive thirst urination, sleep disturbances, muscle weakness, indigestion) and the main thing, the attacks of palpitations, can last up to hours. I have to knock, activity prevents me ... sometimes they are mild ... to get up at night.
The doctor in Internal Medicine says it's an anxiety problem, and should I take Alprazolam 0.25, now c/8h. And I'll do it, although I feel that that's not the problem. Propanol not work
My question is whether this state of adrenal fatigue is reversible. If treatment or with time can regain its normal function.I have not seen this point clear in the reading material.
Thank you again.
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Shijing said:
I've never tried peppercorns as Laura and Darek mentioned above, so I'm going to try to pick some of those up later today and try that as well.

My recipe:

2,5kg pork ribs bones
4L of water
15g peppercorns
40g sea salt

18 hours of slow cooking
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Ariadna said:
Gaby said:
Epstein Barr virus infections are usually diseases that increase your necessity of vitamin C, it is the "100 grams flu" so to speak. So if you were taking 4 grams or so and suddenly your body goes through a disease that requires 100 grams... then you know you were really hit hard and that your adrenals got shot. Have you read about adrenal fatigue?
Hi, I've been reading about adrenal fatigue and recognize some of the symptoms in me (salt craving, an excessive thirst urination, sleep disturbances, muscle weakness, indigestion) and the main thing, the attacks of palpitations, can last up to hours. I have to knock, activity prevents me ... sometimes they are mild ... to get up at night.
The doctor in Internal Medicine says it's an anxiety problem, and should I take Alprazolam 0.25, now c/8h. And I'll do it, although I feel that that's not the problem. Propanol not work
My question is whether this state of adrenal fatigue is reversible. If treatment or with time can regain its normal function.I have not seen this point clear in the reading material.
Thank you again.

Alprazolam can be extremely difficult to get off from. And there are alternative solutions such as 5 HTP:

Boosting Your Happy Brain Chemistry with 5-HTP
http://www.sott.net/article/215212-Boosting-Your-Happy-Brain-Chemistry-with-5-HTP

In herbal shops, they sell something similar: L-tryptophan. It has the same principle (precursor for serotonin), but 5 HTP works better for a lot of folks. Sleeping well throughout this stage is essential for recovery and alprazolam doesn't help with a good night sleep. 5 HTP and supplements like melatonin do help though.

For the adrenal fatigue, you might need some help. If you don't have iron overload, you can up your dose of vitamin C or its liposomal equivalent to maximum levels. Don't be surprised if you tolerate more than 20 grams per day (of the non liposomal version). In fact, some of these diseases (Epstein Barr viruses) require megadoses of vitamin C for months. There is more info here:

http://www.health-matrix.net/2013/06/22/vitamin-cs-historical-and-miraculous-record/

“I think this is a 50 gram disease: some fever, generalized aches, but ambulatory.”

-Mononucleosis. A woman with this condition required 2 heaping tablespoons every 2 hours, consuming a full pound of ascorbic acid in 2 days. She felt mostly well in 3 to 4 days, although she had to continue about 20 to 30 grams a day for about 2 months. Many cases do not require maintenance doses for more than 2 to 3 weeks.

If you find yourself taking the equivalent of 20 grams or so of vitamin C, do wean off gradually and not all of a sudden in order to avoid a re-bound.

Another solution is to take adrenal cortex supplementation. Not the "medulla" version, as this will only create more palpitations. The adrenal cortex will help support your glands. You can follow label instructions for that one.

Another adrenal supporter is the progesterone cream. If I remember correctly, we discussed it recently? If not, we can give you links for discussions, protocols and more info :)

Yet another protocol for adrenal support is hydrocortisone, our adrenal hormone, taken in physiological doses. You'll need a prescription for this one though. More info here:

www.health-matrix.net/2013/06/24/heal-your-adrenals-with-this-easy-program/

Low Dose Hydrocortisone

Dosage as follows[5]:

- Start with 2.5 mg (a quarter of a 10-mg tablet or half of a 5-mg tablet) per day between 6 and 8 am for one week.
- Increase the dose to 5 mg per day between 6 and 8 am if you saw no positive response with the lower dose for one week.
- Increase the dose to 10 mg per day between 6 and 8 am if you saw no positive response with the previous dose for one week
- Maintain your dose of 10 mg in the early morning and add 5 mg at noon if you saw no positive response with the previous dose for one week.
- Maintain your dose of 10 mg in the early morning and 5mg at noon, add 5 mg at 4pm if you saw no positive response with the previous dose for one week.

If at any point you experience carbohydrate cravings, bloating or insomnia, feel hyper, or have any other negative symptoms, either stop or reduce the dose. This is not meant to be a permanent therapy, you can stop this protocol a few days after you feel better, regardless of the dose you were taking. In case of illness or trauma or physical stress, you can take hydrocortisone again with double the dose.

Ask your physician for a hydrocortisone prescription. Most doctors will prescribe therapeutic or lower doses of cortisone for inflammatory conditions, do they shouldn’t have a problem prescribing such a low dose of hydrocortisone. We are not talking here about therapeutic dosages. This is very important to understand.

Hydrocortisone is the chemical form of the cortisone your adrenal gland produces. The average daily production of hydrocortisone in your body is about 30 to 40 mg. If you have adrenal insufficiency (low adrenal function or adrenal fatigue), you may be producing much less and have symptoms as a consequence. By supplementing your low production with 5 to 20 mg of hydrocortisone, your body’s supply becomes normal and symptoms should promptly disappear.

The misunderstanding with this low dose hydrocortisone protocol stems from the use of high-dose cortisone therapies like prednisone, medrol, etc. With such high doses there are significant side effects such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis, Cushing syndrome, immune supression and so forth. But these effects have absolutely nothing to do with low-dose hydrocortisone treatment. In fact, the reason why most doctors are reluctant to prescribe it is because the dose is way too low in order to make any difference whatsoever. Keep in mind that mainstream science is completely ignorant about adrenal fatigue. The low doses we are talking here is even much lower of what your body normally produces, even if your adrenal’s output of hydrocortisone is normal. High-dose mainstream treatment of cortisone is several times your body’s daily output, that is, 60 to 300 mg of hydrocortisone per day. So if someone tells you that you are crazy for being in cortisone because it has serious side effects, you can reassure them that you are taking below levels of physiological doses of what your body already produces. Remember, it is not prednisone, it is hydrocortisone. 5 mg of hydrocortisone is the same as about 1 mg of prednisone. Fludan.com sells hydrocortisone in powder form which people can then weight with a scale for mg, such as a jewel scale. If you are unable to get a hold of hydrocortisone or experience unsuitable symptoms on it, you can use low dose progesterone cream to support adrenal function.

Keep in mind also that the best test to see if you will benefit from this therapy is the trial one, that is no lab test will be able to tell you with accuracy if your adrenals need a boost. People who have negative tests often benefit from low dose hydrocortisone therapy.

So this is more and less the adrenal support. There are herbs and other supplements, but from feedback, the above ones are the top rated ones ;)

The adrenal cortex supplement is discussed extensively in "Beating and Treating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" by Rodger Murphree. He is the one who discusses how this relentless fatigue often starts after viral infections. He reports good experiences with this supplement and I also took it myself a long time ago, noticing a distinctive difference. So other than vitamin C, and if you can't get a hold of hydrocortisone... then adrenal cortex is a good supplement to look into.

You can recover, but I think you'll need an extra help from specific supplements throughout this stage. Note that the vitamin C can keep you awake if taken too late and you got to make sure to have a good night sleep :flowers:
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

davey72 said:
Nancy2feathers said:
Hi LQB. Would that go for pigs too?

It would be for any animal. If there is a depletion in the soil it affects all animals, and plants. OSIT

Yes, modulated by the need of the particular animal for the particular mineral. In the case of a (truly) "pastured" pig, the pigs generally have access to pasture as well as woods, ravines, etc, and can use a much wider range of forage than cows. And what's deficient in the pasture may not be so deficient in the woods.
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Thank you for all the great suggestions for broth. I'll be doing a batch this week, and will report on the results.
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Gaby said:
Ariadna said:
Gaby said:
Epstein Barr virus infections are usually diseases that increase your necessity of vitamin C, it is the "100 grams flu" so to speak. So if you were taking 4 grams or so and suddenly your body goes through a disease that requires 100 grams... then you know you were really hit hard and that your adrenals got shot. Have you read about adrenal fatigue?
Hi, I've been reading about adrenal fatigue and recognize some of the symptoms in me (salt craving, an excessive thirst urination, sleep disturbances, muscle weakness, indigestion) and the main thing, the attacks of palpitations, can last up to hours. I have to knock, activity prevents me ... sometimes they are mild ... to get up at night.
The doctor in Internal Medicine says it's an anxiety problem, and should I take Alprazolam 0.25, now c/8h. And I'll do it, although I feel that that's not the problem. Propanol not work
My question is whether this state of adrenal fatigue is reversible. If treatment or with time can regain its normal function.I have not seen this point clear in the reading material.
Thank you again.

Alprazolam can be extremely difficult to get off from. And there are alternative solutions such as 5 HTP:

Boosting Your Happy Brain Chemistry with 5-HTP
http://www.sott.net/article/215212-Boosting-Your-Happy-Brain-Chemistry-with-5-HTP

In herbal shops, they sell something similar: L-tryptophan. It has the same principle (precursor for serotonin), but 5 HTP works better for a lot of folks. Sleeping well throughout this stage is essential for recovery and alprazolam doesn't help with a good night sleep. 5 HTP and supplements like melatonin do help though.

For the adrenal fatigue, you might need some help. If you don't have iron overload, you can up your dose of vitamin C or its liposomal equivalent to maximum levels. Don't be surprised if you tolerate more than 20 grams per day (of the non liposomal version). In fact, some of these diseases (Epstein Barr viruses) require megadoses of vitamin C for months. There is more info here:

http://www.health-matrix.net/2013/06/22/vitamin-cs-historical-and-miraculous-record/

“I think this is a 50 gram disease: some fever, generalized aches, but ambulatory.”

-Mononucleosis. A woman with this condition required 2 heaping tablespoons every 2 hours, consuming a full pound of ascorbic acid in 2 days. She felt mostly well in 3 to 4 days, although she had to continue about 20 to 30 grams a day for about 2 months. Many cases do not require maintenance doses for more than 2 to 3 weeks.

If you find yourself taking the equivalent of 20 grams or so of vitamin C, do wean off gradually and not all of a sudden in order to avoid a re-bound.

Another solution is to take adrenal cortex supplementation. Not the "medulla" version, as this will only create more palpitations. The adrenal cortex will help support your glands. You can follow label instructions for that one.

Another adrenal supporter is the progesterone cream. If I remember correctly, we discussed it recently? If not, we can give you links for discussions, protocols and more info :)

Yet another protocol for adrenal support is hydrocortisone, our adrenal hormone, taken in physiological doses. You'll need a prescription for this one though. More info here:

www.health-matrix.net/2013/06/24/heal-your-adrenals-with-this-easy-program/

Low Dose Hydrocortisone

Dosage as follows[5]:

- Start with 2.5 mg (a quarter of a 10-mg tablet or half of a 5-mg tablet) per day between 6 and 8 am for one week.
- Increase the dose to 5 mg per day between 6 and 8 am if you saw no positive response with the lower dose for one week.
- Increase the dose to 10 mg per day between 6 and 8 am if you saw no positive response with the previous dose for one week
- Maintain your dose of 10 mg in the early morning and add 5 mg at noon if you saw no positive response with the previous dose for one week.
- Maintain your dose of 10 mg in the early morning and 5mg at noon, add 5 mg at 4pm if you saw no positive response with the previous dose for one week.

If at any point you experience carbohydrate cravings, bloating or insomnia, feel hyper, or have any other negative symptoms, either stop or reduce the dose. This is not meant to be a permanent therapy, you can stop this protocol a few days after you feel better, regardless of the dose you were taking. In case of illness or trauma or physical stress, you can take hydrocortisone again with double the dose.

Ask your physician for a hydrocortisone prescription. Most doctors will prescribe therapeutic or lower doses of cortisone for inflammatory conditions, do they shouldn’t have a problem prescribing such a low dose of hydrocortisone. We are not talking here about therapeutic dosages. This is very important to understand.

Hydrocortisone is the chemical form of the cortisone your adrenal gland produces. The average daily production of hydrocortisone in your body is about 30 to 40 mg. If you have adrenal insufficiency (low adrenal function or adrenal fatigue), you may be producing much less and have symptoms as a consequence. By supplementing your low production with 5 to 20 mg of hydrocortisone, your body’s supply becomes normal and symptoms should promptly disappear.

The misunderstanding with this low dose hydrocortisone protocol stems from the use of high-dose cortisone therapies like prednisone, medrol, etc. With such high doses there are significant side effects such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis, Cushing syndrome, immune supression and so forth. But these effects have absolutely nothing to do with low-dose hydrocortisone treatment. In fact, the reason why most doctors are reluctant to prescribe it is because the dose is way too low in order to make any difference whatsoever. Keep in mind that mainstream science is completely ignorant about adrenal fatigue. The low doses we are talking here is even much lower of what your body normally produces, even if your adrenal’s output of hydrocortisone is normal. High-dose mainstream treatment of cortisone is several times your body’s daily output, that is, 60 to 300 mg of hydrocortisone per day. So if someone tells you that you are crazy for being in cortisone because it has serious side effects, you can reassure them that you are taking below levels of physiological doses of what your body already produces. Remember, it is not prednisone, it is hydrocortisone. 5 mg of hydrocortisone is the same as about 1 mg of prednisone. Fludan.com sells hydrocortisone in powder form which people can then weight with a scale for mg, such as a jewel scale. If you are unable to get a hold of hydrocortisone or experience unsuitable symptoms on it, you can use low dose progesterone cream to support adrenal function.

Keep in mind also that the best test to see if you will benefit from this therapy is the trial one, that is no lab test will be able to tell you with accuracy if your adrenals need a boost. People who have negative tests often benefit from low dose hydrocortisone therapy.

So this is more and less the adrenal support. There are herbs and other supplements, but from feedback, the above ones are the top rated ones ;)

The adrenal cortex supplement is discussed extensively in "Beating and Treating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" by Rodger Murphree. He is the one who discusses how this relentless fatigue often starts after viral infections. He reports good experiences with this supplement and I also took it myself a long time ago, noticing a distinctive difference. So other than vitamin C, and if you can't get a hold of hydrocortisone... then adrenal cortex is a good supplement to look into.

You can recover, but I think you'll need an extra help from specific supplements throughout this stage. Note that the vitamin C can keep you awake if taken too late and you got to make sure to have a good night sleep :flowers:

Thank you Gaby! You're a sweetheart!
Alprazolam I have to take due to the strong pressure of the doctor. Previously I have resisted it, but now I do not have much choice. Then I need medical records to the medical inspection of work ... and if it makes me a diagnosis of anxiety and I do not take the prescribed treatment is able to refer to mental health, or that was the veiled threat.
I'll read through what you are aiming for and I ride my own strategy too.

I will also buy an ultrasonic cleaner for Liposomal C because I will take it for long. And it seems that it is better absorbed and cheap.
Take 6 grams of vit C tablet is no problem, I tolerate well, so I think I will go up a little more.
I hope this brings me important learning along the way and knowledge of myself.
Hugs :) :thup:
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Ariadna said:
Alprazolam I have to take due to the strong pressure of the doctor. Previously I have resisted it, but now I do not have much choice. Then I need medical records to the medical inspection of work ... and if it makes me a diagnosis of anxiety and I do not take the prescribed treatment is able to refer to mental health, or that was the veiled threat.
I'll read through what you are aiming for and I ride my own strategy too.

I will also buy an ultrasonic cleaner for Liposomal C because I will take it for long. And it seems that it is better absorbed and cheap.
Take 6 grams of vit C tablet is no problem, I tolerate well, so I think I will go up a little more.
I hope this brings me important learning along the way and knowledge of myself.
Hugs :) :thup:

FWIW.When i was under the same pressure from a DR. to take psych meds i would take the prescription, and tell him i would take it, but never fill it. This is just what i did, and i would never tell anyone to do the same. You would not want to stop taking alprazolam, or any addictive drug cold turkey. OSIT


Mod's note: fixed quote tag
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Gaby said:
Altair said:
Hi Gaby

Do you mean that green beans contain no anti-nutrients? How do you cook them or do you sprout them?

Thanks

I'm not entirely sure if they are completely anti-nutrient free, but one thing is for sure, some of the very sensitive people find them very friendly as a side dish to fatty meats and/or fish. They are delicious with butter as well. In some cultures they are known under different names, but here is what I had in mind:

Cut_Green_Beans.jpg


_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_bean

Steamed will further remove any anti-nutrients. I also cooked them with fat in a pan. :)
Thanks Gaby,

It looks delicious. I'll try them. :)
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Recently there's been another stir about a prospective study that linked high animal protein diets to early death in Middle Ages adults. Here is the Huffington Post link:

_http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4896501?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

Researchers at the University of Southern California's Davis School of Gerontology believe high protein consumption in middle age could mean a much higher risk of death from cancer and diabetes. The study followed 6,318 adults from a variety of ethnicities and health histories over two decades and found those with diets high in animal proteins were just as likely to die as a result of cancer as a regular smoker. Animal proteins include things like meats, cheeses, milk, and eggs.

The study also pinpointed animal proteins as the culprit behind the 74 percent increased risk of death within the study period, from any cause. Even when controlling the amount of fats and carbs in the participants' diets, high animal protein diets had negative health effects. Diets high in plant-based proteins, however, including foods like beans, lentils, and nuts, did not have the same dangerous effects as animal proteins.

"The research shows that a low-protein diet in middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality, through a process that involves regulating IGF-I and possibly insulin levels," study co-author Eileen Crimmins said in a release.

It's further evidence of how important protein restriction is to diet, at least among middle aged adults. What I didn't understand was why plant proteins did not produce the same effect. I wonder if it has to do with the incomplete amino acid profiles? :huh:
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

whitecoast said:
Recently there's been another stir about a prospective study that linked high animal protein diets to early death in Middle Ages adults. Here is the Huffington Post link:

_http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4896501?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

Researchers at the University of Southern California's Davis School of Gerontology believe high protein consumption in middle age could mean a much higher risk of death from cancer and diabetes. The study followed 6,318 adults from a variety of ethnicities and health histories over two decades and found those with diets high in animal proteins were just as likely to die as a result of cancer as a regular smoker. Animal proteins include things like meats, cheeses, milk, and eggs.

The study also pinpointed animal proteins as the culprit behind the 74 percent increased risk of death within the study period, from any cause. Even when controlling the amount of fats and carbs in the participants' diets, high animal protein diets had negative health effects. Diets high in plant-based proteins, however, including foods like beans, lentils, and nuts, did not have the same dangerous effects as animal proteins.

"The research shows that a low-protein diet in middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality, through a process that involves regulating IGF-I and possibly insulin levels," study co-author Eileen Crimmins said in a release.

It's further evidence of how important protein restriction is to diet, at least among middle aged adults. What I didn't understand was why plant proteins did not produce the same effect. I wonder if it has to do with the incomplete amino acid profiles? :huh:

Well whitecoast, in the words of Jason Cholewa – Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Coastal Carolina University:

_http://jasoncholewa.com/2014/03/05/high-protein-diets-cause-cancer-study-says/

Now the real kicker. For those who are not involved in academia and research science, when we look at a list of the authors it is generally the first author who did most of the grunt work and the final author who supervised (and often designed) the study. The final and corresponding author of this study is Victor D. Longo (VDL). If we look at the related info we see that:

VDL designed the study and obtained funding from the Nation Institutes of Health (NIH)
The NIH had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, or the writing or and publishing of the manuscript
VDL has an equity interest in L-Nutra, a company that develops medical food.

What exactly is L-Nutra and “medical foods”?

L-Nutra’s products are a “formulation of natural nutrients with the ability to provide nourishment and allow subjects to enjoy a combination of good and mostly organically grown and plant-based food.” L-Nutra’s major product ProLon is “an all-natural plant-based 5 five-day Fasting Mimicking & Enhancing™ Diet (FMED) program.”

Since none of us were present in the design or execution of the study we may only speculate that the interpretation/discussion of the results the suggestions to increase plant-based protein intake to prevent cancer despite any evidence in the study to back up this claim in conjunction with the lead authors affiliation (he is actually the founder!) are…well…suspicious to say the least!

Sounds about right to me. You can check his analysis of this study here:

_http://jasoncholewa.com/2014/03/05/high-protein-diets-cause-cancer-study-says/

:)
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Thanks, Gaby. I saw this morning that this study had been sensationalized into every major newspaper, and knew there was something seriously dubious going on.
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Carlisle said:
Thanks, Gaby. I saw this morning that this study had been sensationalized into every major newspaper, and knew there was something seriously dubious going on.

This has definitely become some kind of recurring pattern. And the MSM quickly spread this kind of nonsense every time. There's also the evidence that, as paleo and keto diets become more and more popular, the usual damage control operations are launched to protect the status quo. As usual, against all REAL evidence, just to muddy the waters/increase noise in an attempt to drown out the signal.
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

Sounds about right to me. You can check his analysis of this study here:

_http://jasoncholewa.com/2014/03/05/high-protein-diets-cause-cancer-study-says/

Thanks Gaby :) It's weird how the huffingtonpost made it sound like it was a prospective study, when in point of fact it was only an observational study. There's a HUGE difference!
 
Re: Ketogenic Diet - Path To Transformation?

I will be receiving the tallow from a cow shortly, and have deer tallow. I can't seem to find much info on how much omega-3 is in tallow. Is this a good source of fat to consume for this purpose, or is it mainly good for cooking?

I did find this method of rendering it though. _http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/12-02/make-your-own-tallow/
This awesome pic is courtesy of _www.thenourishednana.blogspot.com

Before I go telling you how to make tallow, let me first tell you what it is, and why you’d want to make it. You’re probably starting to see “tallow” around the Paleo/Primal blogosphere in the “eat this” category. Tallow is rendered fat from meat other than pork – often beef. (Rendered fat from pork is called lard.) What is rendering? It just means to melt something down.

The reason I wanted tallow in my own kitchen is because it’s resistant to damage from heat from cooking – more so than unfiltered coconut oil and even lard, and definitely more so than olive oil. Tallow is 50% saturated fat, 42% monounsaturated fat, and only 4% polyunsaturated. Remember, you don’t want to heat polyunsaturated fatty acids very much because they’ll oxidize and potentially cause inflammation in your body. So when you’re cooking, you want high saturated fat content in your oil or a combination of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.

Now, you can certainly buy grass-fed tallow online from U.S. Wellness Meats or from other places, but it can be expensive and it’s pretty simple to make your own. Most tallow you can buy in the store is hydrogenated, so you’ll want to stay away from that. And unless tallow or lard comes from a grass-fed source, you’ll want to avoid it, since grain fed animals have fewer nutrients in their fat and more inflammatory omega 6′s to boot. Ok, on to the tutorial.

1. First you need to get some fat.
I bought half a grass-fed cow this year and requested that they keep the fat for me when it was butchered. You could do the same thing. If you don’t have half a cow handy and you’d like to make tallow NOW, you could go to a health food store (or call) and ask them if they have any fat scraps from grass-fed cows. You could call local ranches to see if they have any, or ask them where they get their meat processed and call the processing plant. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s probably only 15 minutes and 3 phone calls, which I think is worth it. If you can find it, it’s really cheap or free. Go to www.eatwild.com to find local grass-fed beef ranchers. Otherwise, you’re stuck with grain-fed fat from a butcher, which is what we’re trying to avoid here in the Paleo world in the first place…

Here’s what the fat looked like before I did anything with it.

2. Then you want to cut it up as small as possible, and cut off as much of the bloody stuff and meat as you can. Cut off the bloody parts and the meat and put the fat in a food processor for the best results. The objective is to have the most surface area so the fat can melt down as evenly as possible. I didn’t have my food processor (I did this at my boyfriend’s family’s house), so I just cut it up really small and it was fine. I fed the meaty, bloody scraps to my dog. Yum.

3. Place the fat in a pot.
The thicker the pot the better because the heat will be more evenly distributed that way. You don’t want anything to burn (burning meat = carcinogens and oxidized fatty acids = bad).

4. Put it on a burner over the lowest heat possible and cover it up.
Depending on how much fat you have, the melting process can take hours. I had about 4 pounds and it took about 3 or 4 hours total, but the pot we used was very thick cast iron, so it took a while for it to begin melting. The objective here is to melt the fat and then cast away everything else leftover in the pot. While it’s cooking down, you’ll want to take a wooden spatula or spoon to the mixture every 30 minutes or so to make sure nothing’s sticking to the bottom and to mix things up a bit. The picture below is about two hours into the process. The meaty parts are getting golden brown and the fat is melting down.

5. Strain the fat.
Once all the fat has melted down, you’re going to take a metal siphon, some cheese cloth (I suppose a paper towel would work) and a big glass bowl and clarify the pot-o-fat. Place the strainer in the big bowl pour the fat mixture in. I suggest you do this over the sink. By the way, do NOT use a plastic bowl for this. The hot fat will not only melt the plastic, but it will release estrogen-like toxins from the plastic for your eating pleasure.

You’re left with golden-colored liquid tallow in the bowl and fried meat/tissue in the strainer. In my household, those fried meaty parts are called grizzlies and we give them to the dog. You can eat them, too, if you want.

When the tallow cools, it looks white and solid – kind of like butter or coconut oil, but with a slightly grayer hue. The yellower it is, the more nutrient dense it is. Our batch was sitting in a cooler on the way home, so it got a little malformed…

I’ve been using the tallow for cooking eggs, stir frys, meat, or whatever else that’s savory. It has sort of a meaty essence, so I’m not sure I’d try to bake something sweet with it. Although I did just bake a batch of muffins using bacon grease instead of coconut oil, so scratch that last comment… You can keep it in an airtight container (mason jar, glass pyrex) just as you would coconut oil or olive oil, or save it for later use in the freezer. It’s very stable, so it should last quite a long time even out of the fridge or freezer. I can’t find how long it would last online, so if anyone knows, please let us know in the comments. Also, know that you can also create tallow just by saving the drippings from grass-fed beef roasts, ground beef, etc. then saving the strained fat in a mason jar. Good luck with this in your own kitchen!
 
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