Fats Comparison

Absorb Plus Fats

does not contain any fat or oil. Because different digestive systems have different tolerances for fats. In some disease states, tolerance is very low. So we recommend you start slow and gradually increase the oil as you can tolerate it. We highly recommend adding Udo's Oil, or cold-pressed, organic flax oil. Both these oils are highly perishable and must be kept in dark bottles in the fridge – another reason why they shouldn't be added ahead of time to a product that sits on the shelf

Other Products

Most commonly contain MCTs (medium chain triglycerides), usually derived from coconut oil. This is not a harmful fat, but it is present in very high amounts – since it is a cheap way to increase the calorie count per serving. Large amounts of this fat often lead to intestinal cramping and spasming

Absorb Plus Fats

There is no fat or oil in Absorb Plus so it can easily be used by those with a complete fat intolerance. For all others, we recommend adding organic, cold-pressed flax oil (good fat) or Udo's Choice Oil Bend - between 1 tsp. to 1 tbsp. per shake. People who have an oil or fat intolerance are usually consuming hydrogenated or heat/chemical-extracted oils.

As soon as an oil or fat is heated past a certain point (often just pan frying is too hot), the molecular structure alters, rendering the oil difficult to digest and actually harmful to cell membranes. We encourage you to add organic, unrefined, cold-pressed, flax seed or Udo's Oil to your Absorb Plus shakes, to increase Omega 3 and 'good fat' (Essential Fatty Acid) levels in your body, if you wish.

We haven't included any flax oil in Absorb Plus for three reasons:

Firstly, we wanted the product to work for people who have a complete fat intolerance.
Secondly, any cold-pressed oil needs to be kept refrigerated and in a dark container at all times or the fat denatures and becomes rancid. This would pose serious problems in shipping the product to you, so we chose instead to keep the product fat-free and encourage you to add your own from a bottle of flax oil you can buy refrigerated at the grocery store and then keep in your fridge.
Thirdly, as different people can tolerate different levels of fat (dependent on type and location of illness and degree of inflammation), we felt it best to allow you to add the level of fat that's right for you.

We suggest you start with 1 teaspoon of organic, cold-pressed flax or Udo's oil per shake (whip with Absorb Plus and water in the blender) and gradually increase to 1 tablespoon of oil per shake. Flax oil is a very delicate, unstable oil, so make sure you only buy an organic, cold-pressed brand that's been kept in the refrigerator. Be sure to buy a small bottle and keep it refrigerated, use it up within 4-6 weeks of opening so it doesn't start to oxidize (become rancid) and irritate your gut.

If you've been hemorrhaging or are very sensitive to oil, you may want to keep your bottle of flax or Udo's oil in the freezer (it doesn't solidify completely) and squeeze it out as needed - this reduces the oxidation by 95%. If you find you're still sensitive to flax oil, then try the Udo's Oil - you may find it better tolerated.

Depending on your level of health (liver function, antioxidant capability, etc.) you'll be able to consume more or less oil. So let your body and your symptoms be your guide and find the level of supplementation that's right for your body. You can also use hemp oil, but the taste is quite strong so you may not like it. You may want to use flax oil in one shake, then Udo's in the next, and so on throughout the day. The Udo's is more expensive though, so if cost is an issue, then just use the flax oil. If you're completely intolerant of any liquid oils, then take enteric coated capsules of either flax oil, or fish oil (make sure the company tests for fish oil toxicity though) to get your anti-inflammatory Omega-3 and other essential fatty acids.

Most of the fat we consume is in unusable forms, which irritate our digestive system. Cold-pressed flax oil is absorbed very quickly and even people with a marked 'fat-intolerance' have no problem with it. Since the 1950's, most westerners have been severely deficient in Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) which leads to a wide variety of problems in the body. Regular ingestion of flax oil cures this deficiency. You can safely supplement up to 8-10 tablespoons per day of flax or Udo's oil and a good maintenance dose is 1-2 tablespoons per day.

Flax (and Udo's) oil has a very mild, unobtrusive taste and is also great in salad dressings, drizzled over cooked vegetables, or stirred into dips, salsa or yoghurt. However, do not heat the oil or use it to fry foods as this destroys the Essential Fatty Acids. Cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring also contain high levels of Omega-3 and other 'good fats' (EFA, GLA) needed by the body.

If you try to work flax oil or Udo's oil (Essential Fatty Acids) into these other areas of your diet it will soon be easy and delicious to get the amount you need each day. The other major benefit is that Omega-3 is a powerful anti-inflammatory and has been used solely in double-blind, placebo controlled studies to induce remission in patients with Crohn's Disease (The New England Journal of Medicine, June 13, 1996). To get even higher levels of these anti-inflammatories per tablespoon, use a high lignan organic cold-pressed flax oil.