You may want to check out the Sacramento study on full-fat bran, researched by Sutter Heart Institute and UC Davis, by Gerhardt A.L., Gallo N.B., Full-fat rice bran and oat bran similarly reduce hypercholesterolemia in humans. Journal of Nutrition, 1998 May;128(5):865-9. Department of Medicine, University of California, Davis Medical Center and Sutter Heart Institute, Sacramento, CA 95819, USA. Hypercholesterolemia is another word for high cholesterol in the bloodstream, usually referred to when speaking about the so-called 'bad' LDL cholesterol. It's a form of "hyperlipidemia" (elevated levels of lipids (fats) in the blood).
Have you heard of psychologist, Dr. Udo Erasmus, PhD? His groundbreaking book, Fats that Heal Fats That Kill, became the industry's bible on fats. Later he developed an oil blend which is an improvement on flax oil, offering a better ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6.
Rice bran oil may lower the fat levels in your blood
One study from the Sutter-Heart Institute in Sacramento and the University of California, Davis found that rice bran contains minimal soluble fiber, but rice bran oil has a hypolipidemic (fats-lowering) effect that reduces too-high cholesterol in humans. As far as the so-called good fats, according to the Dr. Udo Erasmus site, there are only two essential fats (technically called essential fatty acids or EFAs).
One is the omega 3 (n-3) EFA, called alpha-linolenic acid. The other, the omega 6 (n-6) EFA, is known as linoleic acid. DHA is the major brain n-3. Derivatives of n-6 include GLA (found in evening primrose oil), DGLA (found in mother's milk), and AA (found in meat, eggs, and dairy products, as well as in fish). AA is the major brain n-6. As far as the essential fats, according to Dr. Erasmus's website, the body cannot make them.
Essential fats
Essential fats are required for normal cell, tissue, gland, and organ function, for health, and for life. They must be provided from outside the body, through food or supplements. They can come only from fats (hence fat-free diets cannot supply them).
Their absence from the diet will eventually kill. Deficiency results in progressive deterioration, can lead to death, and return of essential fatty acids to a deficient diet reverses the symptoms of deficiency and results in a return to health. Latest findings is that DHA is more important in brain and cardiovascular health than EFA, but both should be balanced in your diet.
Science also is finding that a balance of Omega 3, 6, and 9 fats can help to optimize your mental as well as physical health. Dr. Erasmus is more than a psychologist. He's recognized as a leading authority on the role nutrition plays in mental as well as physical health. His book is about feeding moods with foods. In fact, science has shown that even some kids' I.Q.s can be raised with certain foods.
Can fats improve concentration and calm some types of hyperactivity?
The idea that fats can improve concentration, calm some types of hyperactivity, or help to lessen learning disorders or quiet depression is under study. The foods gradually reduce the symptoms, but they're not a quick-fix pill, which is what more people want than slow foods for gradual improvements that last longer.
Certain foods raise the oxygen levels in the brain and bloodstream. One example would be iron-rich foods such as liver. Folkloric medicine used to recommend feeding turkey to angry people to calm them down. But bananas have the same effects--raising the tryptophan levels in the brain to quell anger. How it works is that turkey and sometimes even chicken contains enough tryptophan to raise the serotonin levels in the brain and normalize them.
For concentration, the omega 3 fatty acids may help along with seeds and nuts
Chocolate has been used to raise the level of happiness (oxytocin) in the brain and bloodstream. A teaspoon of magnesium with a little calcium sometimes is used to calm a person who is too stimulated in the brain from being too long on a computer to sleep. For many, this works.
For violent people, prisons should consider feeding the inmates more of the 'healing' fats such as omega 3, 6, and 9 in balance. And for learning problems, vitamin B complex may help. All these can be found in foods such as seafood, green vegetables, and whole grains. Check out the university test that found cereal fiber helped focus learning skills, but don't eat too much fiber. Avoid fiber-induced nutritional deficiencies.
Overdosing on fiber can interfere with the absorption of valuable nutrients
Fiber can push food through the intestines so fast that some nutrients, such as calcium, zinc, vitamins, and iron don't have a chance to be fully absorbed. You could avoid eating high-fiber foods at the same time you eat foods containing these nutrients, but this is impractical. If you're on a diet that includes more than 35 grams of fiber a day, you should consider taking vitamin and mineral supplements. Check out this information at the Journal of the American Dietetic Association 86 (1986): 732. The RDA for fiber is 25 grams for adults; for children it is child's age in years +5
Your brain is 60% fat
And what your brain needs is an adequate level of DHA. It's called one of the 'learning' fats. Omega 3 fatty acids are made by the fish's food, the algae, not the fish's body, which is news for vegans looking for DHA and EPA made by plants. Fish don't make fish oils. The plants fishes eat make fish oils, according to Dr. Erasmus's uTube video.
DHA is more important for brain and heart health than even EPA, but both can be in balance. DHA is required for brain development, function, vision, and sperm formation. Whatever you eat, keep the balance between Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids from foods before you look at supplements. Too much of anything will upset your body's normal cycles.
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