Queen of Fats

Why Omega-3s Were Removed from the Western Diet and What We Can Do to Replace Them

By: Susan Allport

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

A nutritional whodunit that takes listeners 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 know 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. The book is published by University of California Press.

©2006 Susan Allport (P)2010 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

" The Queen 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." (Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dillema)

Must read if you are sick

Would you consider the audio edition of Queen of Fats to be better than the print version?

Fascinating explanation of omega 3s, make you understand why they work, almost a historiclal who done it about the discovery of fat metabolism against the resistence of the cholesterol lobby. Read this book and you will take high dose fish oil and know why....it will prolonge disease free life.

Rigorous data, well presented.

What made the experience of listening to Queen of Fats the most enjoyable?

Complicated data and ideas are presented in the context of stories about the researchers who discovered them, making what could be tedious, very enjoyable.

Fats are given their rightful place

Fascinating journey through the ages and stages of natural fats in human nutrition.

Enjoyed both the history of fat in medical research and the facts about the important role they play in healthy diet.


Have recommended it to many concerned about their lipid profile.

Worth it

I have a lot of health books. This gave new and extremely insightful information. Very pleased to read/listen to this book!

Interesting and informative but technical

I have an interest in omega 3 fatty acids and specifically the role of aquatic foods in the diet. This book met my expections but it is quite technical and getting your head around the technical terms for the various fatty acids when you can't see them on the written page make it quite challenging. Somewhat bizarrely the author does not use accepted acronyms or abbreviations for some of the technical terms which make it all the harder to follow. There is an interesting history and chronology of the research which lead to current understanding of the current role of dietary fats in relation to our health and fortunately the penultimate chapter does convert this information into recommendations on how we can use this knowledge to change our diets. The book confirms the myths of the anti fat brigade (in many cases in the past the promoters of sugar) and instead lays out in detail why its the balance of fats in our diet that is critical (not the quantity). Changes in my diet that I made a few years ago are largely recommended although wish I could affort to eat more seafood! A good read if you have the patience to absorb and remember some of the technical terms.

Eye Opener about fats, weight and health!

I have listened to Queen of Fats about 3 times already over the last 6 months. It is something that I will keep in my audible library for reference. It was an eye opener to the change of dietary eating over the last century. I see the increased health problems of America along with the increase of girth (weight) despite exercise and diet fads being billion dollar businesses and the government putting their food pyramids, school programs, etc. The food industry has been changing their processing of food in order to have longer shelf life. This change has affected our health. Thank you for the research. Awesome.

Fats finally comprehendible...

Chose this book because I thought Tavia's voice would carry me through some boring science, but found the writing, the stories AND the information, although enhanced by Tavia's skilled voice, were a combination which kept me listening. Have already changed my food choices because of this book.

Fascinating

I thought this was a wonderful "read". Although (I thought) I was fairly knowledgeable about diet, nutrition etc., this really opened my eyes to the importance of the Omega 3's & 6's - I was otherwise fairly clueless. I'm truly glad I purchased this book. It's changed the way I'm eating for the good. If, like me, you are confused about the "good fat/bad fat" concept, listen to this book.