In part 1 of “Dietary Fat: An Overview for Companion Birds”, we discussed the two classifications of fats, the “saturation” and the way fats are “structured”, by molecular carbon chains. We discovered that polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are basically healthy fats more so than saturated fats, except in the case of saturated plant fats that are made up of medium chains. This specific group of medium chain saturated fats is unique to plant fats; saturated animal fats are made up of long chains and therefore are not healthy saturated fats. Medium chain fats are compatible with a living body and therefore are considered to be a heart healthy fat in spite of the fact they are saturated.

Seed and nut fats are made of medium chains and are therefore recognizable by the living body as compatible fats in which to metabolize and turn into quick energy sources. Whereas animal fats take a longer period of time to digest, metabolize and finally turn into an energy source a living body can utilize. More often than not animal fat actually turns into fat on a living body, but seed and nut fat normally do not when fed in moderation, they actually get utilized as energy and what doesn’t get utilized as energy gets utilized to clean out the “lousy” LDL cholesterol running through the arteries.

Knowing this very important information helps us to understand that “fat” can be a really good nutritional support to add to our companion bird’s diet. In fact, it is a vital part of an exotic bird’s total and complete nutritional profile.  Having discovered this we are now ready to discuss some of the various nutritional seed, oils and nuts we have available to us to include in our companion bird’s diet!

Beneficial “Fatty Acid” Seed and Oils

I have previously only briefly touched on some of the best kinds of seed and oils to add to our companion birds’ diets to achieve the best “fatty acid” nutrition. Let’s go into a little more detail.

Seed

Unfortunately seed has gotten a really bad reputation because in the past so many people fed a diet strictly of seed for so many years resulting in under-nourished or mal-nourished birds.  But there is a healthy place for seed in a companion bird’s overall, balanced diet.

When we are diligent in feeding a diet rich in whole foods consisting of a large variety of greens, fruits, berries, nuts, herbs and other wholesome foods, seed can play a vital role in the overall nutritional profile of a bird’s total diet.

Seed contains some of the essential fatty acids we have discussed, but it’s important to know which variety of seed is the healthiest seed to feed.

Hemp Seed / Oil

Hemp Seed

First of all let’s take a deeper look into hemp seed and hemp seed oil because I mentioned it several times in previous sections.

Hemp seed and the oil derived from it contain probably the most balanced fatty acid that can be easily obtained. It contains all of the fatty acids that are beneficial to the health and well-being of our parrots. It contains, depending on the variety, approximately 21% Omega 3, 2-3% GLA (no other of the common oils contain this fatty acid), about 56% other Omega 6’s, and about 11% Omega 9, about .12% of Omega 7 and finally about 9.7% of the saturated fats.  Hemp is one of the rare seeds to contain Omega 7, Palmitoleic acid which actually helps in the burning off of excess fat.

In my opinion, if you feed no other oil, this is the best oil by far to feed your companion bird to ensure good health overall.

You can read a more in depth post here:  Hemp Seed Oil

Flax Seed / Oil

Secondly, flax seed is very high in Omega 3, that fatty acid known for its heart health properties.

Flax Seed

Many people tout this source of fatty acid over any other  because it is so high in Omega 3 helping to balance the high amount of Omega 6’s we normally over-consume in our American diet, and this is a good thing. However, flax seed does not contain any GLA like hemp seed does.

Flax seed contains almost 60% Omega 3, about 14% Omega 6, about 16% Omega 9 and 10% saturated fats. But because it does not contain GLA, I would not recommend feeding this oil as a “stand-alone” oil.

Safflower Seed

Safflower Seed

I am convinced that we need to be adding safflower seed to our companion birds’ diets. Typically it contains at least 14% Oleic acid, Omega 9. This makes it a heart healthy fatty acid seed and one that should not be avoided in our companion birds’ diet. It also contains about 4% Palmitic acid, a fairly healthy saturated plant fat our birds need for the production of supple skin, beautiful feathers and strong beaks and talons. It’s also good for our birds because it contains a high amount of Folic acid, naturally occurring vitamin A and a fair amount of vitamin E.

This seed should not be a stand-alone seed; this should be fed in conjunction with other seed.

I do not recommend adding safflower oil to our birds’ diet. Too many times safflower oil is processed as a hydrogenated oil. We have previously discussed hydrogenated oils; they are industrial oils used in highly processed foods and are almost impossible to break down in the metabolic system leaving arteries clogged.  Just to make absolutely sure we are not feeding a hydrogenated version of safflower oil to our birds, in my opinion it’s just best to stick to safflower seed and stay away from the processed oil.

Saturated Plant Oils

Some fatty acids must be derived from saturated plant oils. You can feed the actual fruit when you can find it, most of the time it’s just more convenient to find the oil in a virgin, unrefined, cold-pressed version. As previously discussed saturated plant fats are not the same as saturated animal fats, these plant fats have medium chain carbon bonds (MCFAs) and the body recognizes them as something that can be easily metabolized. So there is no worry about build up in the arteries like there is with animal fats, actually these fats are very healthy and can help lower the “lousy” LDL cholesterols, especially when saturated fats are combined with naturally occurring Oleic acid, Omega 9, they are extremely efficient in reducing the harmful cholesterols. Both Palm oil and Coconut oil contain enough Oleic acid to make them heart healthy oils.

Palm Oil

Let’s not confuse this with “palm kernel oil”.

The two are not the same and palm kernel oil should not be fed to our companion birds.

Palm Fruitparrots.

Palm oil is a rich, orange-red oil known mainly as a “saturated” oil. It contains about 50% saturated fats, and about 50% unsaturated fats: 1% Omega 3’s, and 11% Omega 6’s. Palm oil is high in Oleic acid, Omega 9, 38%.

One of its greatest properties it offers our birds is the beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. Beta-carotene is easily converted to vitamin A by natural synthesizes in a bird’s body.  And just briefly, the importance of vitamin A in our birds’ diets are: Overall vitality, healthy immune system, healthy digestive tract, healthy respiratory tract, healthy reproductive system, strong skeletal structure, supple skin, vibrant feathers, good eyesight.

You can read a more in depth post here: Palm Fruit Oil

Coconut Oil

Coconut

Coconut oil is about 92% saturated fat containing about 5-7% Oleic acid, Omega 9.

Coconut Oil supplies its very own very special properties that need to be looked at for purposes that may arise from time to time with your bird. It contains Caprylic and Lauric acids, both efficient in treating yeast infections. Coconut Oil is also known to level out blood sugar in the case of insulin resistance in Type 2 Diabetes. It is also a good source of vitamin E so it helps condition and protects the skin as well as healing minor cuts, abrasions and minor wounds. It has been known to help prevent macular degeneration of the eyes as well. There are many, many uses for Coconut Oil, too many to list. I suggest you turn to the Internet and conduct your own search regarding the healing properties of Coconut Oil.

You can read a more in depth post here: Coconut Oil

Beneficial “Fatty Acid” Nuts

Nuts are extremely high in Oleic acid, Omega 9 which as previously stated, is responsible for lowering the overall “lousy” LDL cholesterols and raising the overall “healthy” HDL good cholesterols. Just about any nut you decide to feed is going to contain a fair to high amount of Omega 9 and there are a vast array of nuts from which to choose to feed our companion birds.

Macadamia nuts are an excellent source of Omega 9 and they contain Omega 7 as well, the fat-burning Omega. But on a regular basis I prefer to feed almonds because they contain a moderate amount of Omega 9 plus they are very high in calcium, a mineral that almost every companion bird needs in their daily diet and almonds contain a good amount of protein too. Basically they are just a good all around nut if you are not going to feed any other nut. But just like any food, feed in moderation, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Almonds are a tad high in the amino acid Arginine and anyone following my blog will know that I highly suspect Arginine to be a contributing factor in The Mutilation Syndrome. However, I do like to feed Macadamia nuts on an infrequent basis just to make sure that great beta-carotene and Omega 7 nutrition is being derived from such a wonderful whole food source.

I never feed peanuts because they are so susceptible to aflatoxins. In my opinion it’s just not worth the risk.

Fats: In Conclusion

After our study of fats we have learned that healthy fats not only provide energy, they carry oxygen to the blood, they also nourish the brain, help prevent certain cancers, lubricate the body inside and out as in the case of preventing arthritis and also aid in keeping the skin moist and supple. Fats also help with the uptake of calcium thereby preventing osteoporosis. Certain fats can aid in the treatment of diabetes and other fats can help keep eyesight sharp by preventing macular degeneration and in some cases fat can also act as an antiviral, antifungal or an antibacterial and aid in destroying yeast infections, heal cuts and minor wounds. In short, fats are nothing but miraculous in many ways and should be a staple in our companion birds’ diet for optimum nutrition!

We shouldn’t be so worried about feeding “fat” to our birds, as long as it’s healthy fat. There has been far too much negative talk about fat in our birds’ diets in my opinion. For some reason the common thinking is that all fat translates into “fat birds” and this is just not true. These birds come from regions of the world where there is an abundance of healthy fats from which to choose and consume, and they do consume these fats in the wild; these fats are part of their normal diet and they need these fats to thrive. Obviously they don’t need as much fat living more sedentary lives as captive birds, but they still need a good amount for their bodies to function properly.

Take a good, long look at your bird’s diet and if necessary make changes to include the healthy fats your bird needs to thrive. Don’t be fearful that your bird will become obese simply because you are feeding your bird what its body is designed to consume. As long as your bird is receiving lots of fresh, wholesome greens, fruits, berries and herbs, then adding some quality nuts and seed to the diet will not harm your bird in any way. In fact your bird will be a lot better off with the added “good fat” in its diet!

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