Day 269 - 25 Jun 96 - Page 18
1 that is why I jumped on your saying that there are
2 important nutrients. And what I would like you to do,
3 although it will take a minute or two, is to go slowly
4 through the list there so I can note which are the ones
5 which you would describe as important nutrients, and then
6 if you have in mind other important nutrients which you
7 would expect to find in either meal 1 or meal 3, but which
8 are not on the list, just tell me what they are?
9 A. Yes.
10
11 Q. So can you tell me which are the ones which you would
12 consider to be important nutrients which are on the list?
13 A. Well, the important nutrients, my Lord, are fibre,
14 vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin
15 B12, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium,
16 iron and zinc.
17
18 Q. What about protein?
19 A. Protein is an important nutrient as well, yes.
20
21 Q. And I will ask you for completeness, fat?
22 A. Now, fat, that is, I suppose, the subject of concern,
23 and I confess unfortunately I had not actually noticed
24 this, but clearly there are important essential fatty acids
25 which are not even mentioned in this table, but from what I
26 have said earlier, that a diet high in saturated fats will
27 ipso facto have a low essential fatty acid intake, and
28 these are important nutrients, and particularly what I
29 referred to earlier, my Lord, these omega 3 fatty acids,
30 the alpha-Linolenic and docosahexaenoic acids of this
31 world.
32
33 They are, I think, from many studies shown to be protective
34 against heart disease and you would find high proportions
35 of these types of fats, Linolenic acid as well, which is
36 the major component of the seed oils that are not
37 hydrogenated --
38
39 Q. I am sorry, I was not inviting you to descend to such
40 detail.
41 A. My apologies.
42
43 Q. I am putting on one side whether, for instance, fat or
44 saturated fat may have a harmful effect as well as a
45 nutritious effect.
46 A. Yes.
47
48 Q. But would you describe fat firstly and saturated fat
49 secondly as important nutrients?
50 A. I would not describe fat as an important nutrient. I
51 would describe it as anti-nutrient. This is somewhat
52 reflected in the World Health Organisation's
53 recommendations which puts a figure on it, I think, if I
54 remember correctly, their recommendation is from 0-10 per
55 cent of the diet and they would not put a 0 on it unless
56 they had some serious concern about the fact that it was
57 not really required.
58
59 Q. And then fat itself?
60 A. Fat itself is important, my Lord. I think it is
