PUFA Avoidance

PUFA avoidance is one of the strongest claims in Kate Deering's book. Deering argues that polyunsaturated fats — especially industrial seed oils and high-omega-6 oils — are unstable, oxidation-prone, thyroid-suppressive, fattening, and anti-metabolic.

Foods/oils targeted

The book warns against grapeseed, corn, walnut, cottonseed, soybean, sesame, peanut, almond, canola, flaxseed, margarine, fish oil, cod liver oil, evening primrose/borage oils, nuts, seeds, soy products, and high-PUFA non-ruminant animal fats from corn/soy-fed poultry and pork.

Preferred alternative

Deering favours stable saturated fats: coconut oil, butter, ghee, cacao, and ruminant animal fats. Olive oil is accepted in moderation but not for high-heat cooking.

Why it matters in the framework

PUFA avoidance links several chapters together: saturated fat defence, seed/nut/legume scepticism, fish-oil critique, poultry/pork caution, and preference for dairy, shellfish, white fish, gelatin, fruit, and saturated cooking fats.

Caveat

This is highly contested. Many mainstream nutrition guidelines recommend replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats. A more careful interpretation is to distinguish industrial, oxidised, ultra-processed seed-oil exposure from all PUFA-containing whole foods.